THE MUSEUM AND ZOO AT TRING 19 



very curious nomenclature also caught my eye, and many other 

 varieties of the feathered race which are at times found wearing 

 a different dress than that with which Nature has for the 

 most part adorned them. 



An Emperor Penguin towered its head high above any of 

 its fellows in the bottom of the centre case. " Its height is 

 three feet", said my guide. Two Great Auks and an egg did 

 not escape my attention, but these were not pointed out to me 

 by Mr. Rothschild for the reason that he considers a great 

 deal too much fuss has been made about this bird and its 

 e gg s > when it is borne in mind that there are many extinct birds 

 and animals which can be purchased for a mere song, and 

 which are much rarer than the remnants of the Great Auk. 



As far as we have traversed now is what is known as the 

 "free" part of the Museum, and I wonder what next is in 

 store for me. "This way," says Mr. Rothschild, and we are 

 ushered into a small room leading into a much larger one, 

 where tier upon tier of drawers contain skins of the birds of 

 the universe. Each drawer is of course duly labelled, and .every 

 specimen has a label attached to it giving full information 

 respecting it. Here, is a drawer full of Birds of Paradise they 

 themselves being in a paradise of birds a flood of sunlight 

 coming in through the window having a charming effect upon 

 their metallic hues. There, are drawers full of Gannets and 

 Penguins, the King and the Emperor. 



Tier upon tier contained the Pigeon Collection. The number 

 astounded me, the diversity of colourings surprised me. " How 

 many varieties are there of these birds?" I asked. "Four 

 hundred odd," was the reply! 



More Pigeons and Gannets one hundred of which were shot 

 by Mr. Rothschild himself before he was satisfied that he had 

 obtained a good series more Birds of Paradise, Penguins and 

 other feathered beings from the four corners of the earth, and 

 I am courteously pointed out a discovery which Mr. Rothschild, 

 Ernst Hartert and Mr. Kleinschmidt have made with regard to 

 there being two varieties of the Marsh Titmouse, full particulars 

 of which are given in my " Handbook of British Breeding 

 Birds," and it is also referred to in the "Searching for the 

 Willow Tit" article hereafter. 



