NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK HOLLISTER. 577 



pis atrata), the Cape Barren goose (Cereopsis novwhollandice) from 

 the same region, the bar-head goose (Anser indicus) from India, the 

 rosy-billed pochard (Metopiana peposaca) and the upland goose 

 (CMoephaga leucoptera) of South America are examples of the 

 variety shown. A large flock of the most strikingly ornamental and 

 curiously colored mandarin duck (Dendronessa galericulata) is main- 

 tained. This species is native to eastern Asia, particularly China 

 and Japan. 



THE SCREAMERS. 



The curious South American screamers have affinities with the 

 ducks and geese, but in superficial appearance are more suggestive 

 of the cranes or some of the larger gallinaceous fowls. The bill is 

 decidedly of the fowl type, the feet are hardly more webbed than in 

 a turkey, and the wings are provided with spurs. These birds are 

 said to inhabit marshy tracts and to live in large flocks. They 

 have the habit of soaring at a great height in spiral circles after the 

 manner of the sand-hill crane. 



The black-necked screamer {Chauna torquata) is sometimes called 

 the crested screamer, a name commonly given to quite another bird 

 (Cariama) actually related to the cranes. This species has a black- 

 ish ring around the neck. Another form shown, the horned screamer 

 (Anhima comuta) , is largely black. 



BIRDS OF PREY. 



The hawks, eagles, and vultures, commonly known as birds of prey, 

 form a natural and well-defined order, the Falconiformes. The 

 group contains the largest of flying birds and most of the species 

 are of good size, but some of the falcons are barely larger than spar- 

 rows. The owls were formerly placed in this order, but are now 

 known to be nearer in Structural characters to the goatsucker family, 

 a widely different group represented in the United States by the 

 whippoorwill and related birds. 



THE EAGLES' CAGE. 



The large open flight cage near the bird house is devoted to such 

 larger members of this group as will endure our winter climate and 

 live peacefully together. Here may be seen magnificent specimens of 

 our national bird, the bald eagle (Haliceetus leucocephalus) , showing 

 the transition plumages from the younger blackish specimens to the 

 fully plumaged adult with white head and tail. The largest speci- 

 mens of this bird come from Alaska and the Northwest, while the 

 eagles from Florida and other Southern States are very inferior in 



