NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 121 



for the Duck Aviary when seen from the north, rises a lofty, 

 web-like structure, in the form of a huge, gothic arch. It is 

 55 feet in height, 75 feet wide, and 152 feet long. The 

 whole structure consists of a series of steel-pipe arches and 

 purlins, the former eight feet apart, over which wire-netting 

 has been tightly stretched. 



The wire-netting seems peculiarly open. It is of the kind 

 known as chain-netting, which offers the least possible 

 obstruction to the eye. This cage is so large that a very 

 respectable block of houses, three stories high and of ample 

 dimensions, could stand within it without touching the wire. 

 It completely encloses three forest trees of very consider- 

 able size, two hickories and an oak; and it contains a pool 

 of water a hundred feet long, and shrubbery in abundance. 



The idea of a very large cage for herons and egrets, is not 

 new, for there are in existence several other flying cages, 

 somewhat smaller than this. The first was erected in the 

 Rotterdam Zoological Garden by its Director, the late Dr. 

 A. Von Bemmelin, whose experiment proved very successful. 

 Others are at London and in the Paris Jardin d'Acclimata- 

 tion. 



The Flying Cage is the summer home of a mixed flock of 

 such large and showy water birds as are most inclined to 

 fly about within it, and afford students and the public an 

 opportunity to study their movements and attitudes. Save 

 for such allowances as must be made for accidents and 

 epidemics, this enclosure will contain the following note- 

 worthy species, along with others of less importance : 



The American Flamingo, (Phoenicopterns rnber}, is, in 

 appearance, a connecting link between the herons and 

 ducks, resembling the former in the great length of its legs, 

 and the latter in the duck-like bill, and webbed feet. When 

 the plumage of this species is perfect, it is of a beautiful 

 scarlet color throughout, excepting the primaries, which 

 are black. In captivity, the color fades somewhat. This 

 bird is found in the Bahama Islands and Cuba, but in Flor- 

 ida, where once it was fairly numerous, it no longer exists. 

 Fortunately, this remarkable bird takes kindly to captivity, 

 and the Zoological Park is never without a good-sized flock. 

 Their strange form, showy colors and droll attitudes render 

 them unusually interesting to visitors. 



With the birds of the above species are shown a few speci- 

 mens of the European Flamingo, (P. roseus), which is al- 

 most white. The only parts which show the characteristic 



