SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 75 



wing-clipped kindred. Thus it will be seen that success is grad- 

 ually attending our efforts to make the Zoological Park a haven 

 for wild birds, as well as a place of exhibition for what is now 

 the largest collection of captive birds in the world. 



Zoologically, the most important acquisition of the year was 

 a pair of Carolina parrakeets (Coiiuropsis carolinensis) , which 

 came as a gift from the Zoological Gardens of Cincinnati, through 

 Mr. S. A. Stephan, Superintendent. Our inquiries have shown 

 it to be probable that not a single bird of this species now remains 

 alive in the wild state, and only eleven in captivity. 



Our exchange arrangement with the Zoological Society of 

 London has been maintained month by month, and has added to 

 our collections a number of unusual species, such as the red lory 

 {Eos rubra) ; eastern pratincole {Glareola orientaUs) ; Hey rock 

 partridge {Amnioperdix heyi), Himalayan siskin {Hypacanthis 

 spinoides) ; maroon oriole (Oriolust)'aiUi) ; and cinnamon sparrow 

 (Passer cinnamomeus) . The pratincoles represent the sub-order 

 Cursorii of the order Charadriiformes, a sub-group never before 

 represented in the collection. The maroon oriole is noticeable 

 not only for its rarity but for the beauty of the deep wine color 

 of the adult, a plumage which it is hoped our bird will assume 

 at the next moult. Four specimens of the Bonham rock partridge 

 (Ammoperdi.v honhami) were secured by purchase, so that w^e 

 now have two of the three species of this fine genus. 



The series of shore birds has been greatly augmented by the 

 importation of a number of uncommon European species, among 

 which are the spotted redshank {Totanus fuscus) ; European 

 golden plover (Charadrlus apricarhis) ; bar-tailed godwit 

 (Limosa lapponica) and European oyster-catcher (Haematopus 

 ostragleus) . 



The collection of ducks, which has been concentrated on the 

 Wild-Fowl Pond is of unusual interest, including twenty-nine 

 hardy species which spend the winter out-of-doors, exclusive of 

 the tropical teal, tree-ducks, etc., which are kept in the Aquatic 

 Bird House. Among the most interesting are the members of 

 the genus Marila — the canvasback {M. vallisneria) ; redhead (M. 

 americana) ; European pochard {M. fermosa) ; scaup {M. 

 marila) ; lesser scaup {M. affinis) ; tufted duck (M. fuliginosa) 

 and the white-eye (M. nyroca) . These birds belong to the sub- 

 family FuUguJinae or sea ducks, and afford visitors much amuse- 

 ment by their remarkable diving powers. 



