MARCH. 63 



I forgot to mention that I paid a visit to the pair of Great Eagle 

 Owls, and what fine birds these are. With their great yellow and 

 black eyes and horned tufts how presentable they appear! They kept 

 in their rustic homestead, but with the aid of glasses I brought them 

 within good range. 



In the Antelope house there are about 120 known species I 

 noticed the Brindled Gnu, White-tailed Gnu (tail inclining to dirty 

 grey rather than white, the result of confinement, I suppose), Eland, 

 Beisa Antelope, Sing Sing Water Buck, Gazelle (a gentle but stupid 

 creature), Nylghaie (a name for those who are fond of tongue splitters) 

 Harnessed Antelope (a beautiful and delicately marked animal), Reed 

 Buck, Roi Rhebok and Yak. 



Coming out of here I heard a female Blackbird utter its "spink, 

 spink, spink," alarm cry. I disturbed her as she was sitting on the 

 railings of the Three Island Pond. In the Fish house there were 

 exhibited Golden Carp, Pike, Minnows, Tench, Golden Orfe, Bream, 

 Perch, Gudgeon, American Charr, Common and Rainbow Trout, 

 Long-eared Sun Fish, Rock Bass, and some wonderful Sea Anemones. 

 Here, too, was a cage of birds, consisting of specimens of the Redshank, 

 Puffin, Grey Plover, Bar and Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwing, Knot, 

 Shag, and some Penguins. 



Up towards the South entrance were located the following 

 beautiful Pheasants: Swinhoe's, Golden, Ring-necked, Mangolian, 

 Elliot's, Peacock, and Silver, and, on the opposite side, some very fine 

 Wapiti Deer. 



In the Snake house I had little time to spare, but the Cobras, 

 the Indian Pythons, Tree Snakes, the Pink-skinned Arizona Heloderm, 

 the Crocodiles, Boas, and Temminck's Snapper (the most gruesome 

 creature I saw in the whole collection), Rattlesnakes, and Vipers, all 

 called for attention and wonderment. 



My last visit was to the Tortoise house to see those Giant Tor- 

 toises, most of which were presented, I believe, by the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild. Of these I have only space to say they are wonderful 

 examples of animal life, and provide food for a life study. 



Thus ends my unpretentious little sketch. I had not time to visit 

 the Elephants, the Rhinoceros, the Northern Aviary, the Insect 

 house, the Giraffes, the Zebras, the Parrots, and other birds and 

 animals, .but I hope to do so later, and of this more anon. The 

 absolute cleanliness of the animals, and their comfortable dwelling 

 places, the civility of the attendants, the well kept gardens, and the 



