58 COUNTRY RAMBLES. . 



Goose, the male with black legs, and the female possessing yellow 

 ones, was out and about, as also the Ruddy-headed Goose, which 

 differs from the last-named as regards the colour of the legs by 

 the male and female being almost identical. This species and the 

 Ashy-headed Goose, a very near relation to it, has bred in the 

 Gardens of the Society for some considerable time past. I noticed an 

 Otter trying to scratch through into the next compartment, and, hard 

 by, the Glutton not by any means a nice name to have bestowed 

 upon you. The Cape Ratel evidently believes in working for a 

 living, for he was walking and trotting round and round like a Circus 

 Horse, and had made quite a ring on the straw-strewn floor of his 

 spacious ca?e, and the while grunting like a Pig. The Prairie 

 Marmot something like a Rabbit was tossing straw about for an 

 occupation; whilst Eversmann's Souslik, in a dress of grey, is 

 apparently a very trustful and docile animal. The Racoon was 

 sleeping his life away, dreaming, perchance, of North America, his 

 now lost home ; and close at hand was the Sand Badger of Japan, and 

 others of a like species. The Civets are very curious carnivorous 

 animals, and amongst those exhibited I noticed the African Civet Cat, 

 and the large Indian Civet. The former possesses a very sharp-pointed 

 nose, and it is interesting to notice in passing that it is from these 

 obnoxious smelling animals that the perfume named after them is 

 made. The Kite's Aviary includes some very fine specimens, and I 

 observed the Black. Egyptian, and Indian species, and I should 

 mention the Common Kite of the British Isles. This bird is doomed 

 to extinction at no distant date; it is impossible for the bird to hold 

 its own when the hand of every indiscriminate collector, and bird egg 

 dealer, is against it. It is, however, still found pretty generally in 

 Spain and Northern Africa. It was from a piece of newspaper taken 

 from a Kite's nest in Spain that the lamented Lord Lilford first heard 

 of the death of President Lincoln. 



The Brazilian Caracaras are rather attractive- looking birds. They 

 are rapacious birds, and inhabit America for the most part. 



Lucan's Crested Eagle was uttering notes something after the 

 style of the Sparrow, but decidedly stronger; it is quite a musical 

 note, by no means unpleasant; whilst the Jackal Buzzard, and an 

 Angolan Vulture, did not escape attention. 



The Otter's cage was a great attraction, and the visitors exhibited 

 evident delight in watching these agile creatures slip off into the 

 water, and up again at some unlooked-for spot. Most interesting 

 indeed, and also to know that a pair were bred in the Gardens in 



