MARCH. 59 



1840. Hard by, the Mandarin Ducks' pond is located, and here 

 Society-bred specimens of these birds were exhibited, as well as the 

 Marbled Duck of Southern Europe, and the Chilian Pintail of Southern 

 America. 



The Guanaco, the curious-faced Llama, and the Alpaca were on 

 view, and I can well believe the statement that their wool has com- 

 menced to be recognised as a valuable article of commerce. 



The Eagle Aviary contains some very fine examples of our own 

 Golden Eagle ; and one of them, taking a necessarily restricted flight, 

 reminded one of the majestic ornament this bird is as it wings its way 

 over the tops of the mountains in the North of our Island. Here, too, 

 were to be seen the Imperial Eagle as we were observing this bird a 

 cheeky Starling perched on a neighbouring tree, and chattered as if he 

 was lord of all he surveyed, and a Sparrow was seen with a piece of 

 straw in his beak the White-headed Sea Eagle (the Eagle depicted 

 on the national emblem of the United States of America), and the 

 Bearded Vulture. Passing on to some more Duck ponds, I noticed the 

 Teal, Shoveller, Red breasted Merganser - the latter did not strike me 

 as being in very good fettle Smew, Scoter, Baers Ducks from India 

 Summer Duck - bred in the Gardens and overhead an Almond tree 

 was found blossoming beautifully. 



Rapidly surveying the Lion house -in which, of course, were 

 Lions and Tigers, Leopards, Pumas -asleep up aloft in the tree 

 branch Cheetahs, and Jaguars, brings us back to the Aves again, 

 and I noticed the Bernicle Goose, Brent Goose, Canada Variegated 

 Sheldrake, and then on to the Wolves and Foxes. The Red Fox, the 

 Prairie Wolf, the Azaras Fox, the Arctic Fox (quite white) were to be 

 seen, and turning to right-about, Geese were again presented in the 

 Lesser Snow Goose, the Bean Goose, and the Ruddy-headed Goose. 

 Then there were a fine pair of proud Black Swans the red beak very 

 pronounced against the otherwise black plumage. The Dorcas Goat 

 bowed to me as I passed, and at this moment a Hedge Sparrow started 

 his pretty little warble, as if he did not intend being left out in the 

 cold. I next clapped my eyes on some Punjaub Wild Sheep, the 

 White-fronted Goose, the Chinese Goose, and then on to the Gullery. 

 How delicate the silvers and greys, blacks and whites 1 How 

 spotlessly clean the Herring Gulls, Glaucous Gulls, Lesser and 

 Greater Black-backed Gulls, and how prominent the yellow beaks of 

 some of the species. A Rook passed overhead at this juncture. I 

 wonder what he thinks of this collection ! Probably at this season he 



