ZOOLOGICAL 
SOCIETY 
BULLETIN 17 
TAKIN IN THE LONDON ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS 
The Society possesses a mounted specimen of the Chinese Takin, 
This specimen which was the only one in captivity has died recently. 
the entire skin, skull and horns of which were presented to the Heads and Horns Collection by Hon. Mason Mitchell at that time Consul 
at Chung King, China. 
An interesting account of this occurence appears in the BuLLEeTIN of September, 1910. 
From a photograph by O. W. Barrett 
Early 
last spring, two screech owls acquired the habit 
of entering the Bird House through the venti- 
lators that necessarily were left open at night. 
No doubt their original purpose was the laud- 
able pursuit of mice, but soon they found that 
the cages contained game much easier to capture. 
After several birds had been mutilated through 
the wire of their cages, we managed to put an 
end to the visits. 
cérds one or two transient barred owls. 
About the middle of last winter, we found 
that some nocturnal creature was disturbing the 
waterfowl, and later we missed some of the 
smaller ducks. Investigation led to the belief 
that the marauder was a large and powertul 
Keeper George Snyder volunteered for the 
vole of executioner, but after several night-long 
owl. 
vigils without result, was becoming disheartened. 
when we 
made the discovery that a valuable blue goose, 
a bird supposedly beyond the strength of an 
owl, had been killed while watching was actu- 
His determination revived, however, 
ally in progress. Stimulated with fresh re- 
solve, Keeper Snyder resumed his nocturnal 
post. That very night, as he was passing the 
Pheasant Aviary, he noticed two glowing eyes 
shining distinctly in the darkness from a point 
about two feet above the cage. There was no 
time to waste in speculation, and he promptly 
let go with a single-barreled shot-gun, straight 
at the points of the light. After the smoke had 
cleaved, a search with a lighted match revealed 
a really tremendous horned owl in his last strug- 
gles. 
No horned owl has previously been recorded 
in the Park, although a locality that has been 
visited by a bald eagle, an American egret and 
include tie 
This particular owl 
evening grosbeaks, might easily 
horned owl in its avifauna. 
was of unusual size; its wings from tip to tip, 
measuring fifty-five inches. Its ‘weight, deter- 
mined at the American Museum of Natural His- 
tory, where the bird was sent, was found to be 
(asec. 
four and one-half pounds. 
