36 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



cere at the base of the beak is very conspicu- 

 ous. A more gentle bird could not be imag- 

 ined, but when excited for any reason, it has 

 a most curious habit of drawing back its head 

 and raising its tail over its back until head 

 and tail touch, and in this position it struts 

 around, uttering little squeals and grunts. 

 Ordinarily it can be picked up and carried 

 around with as little fear being shown or no- 

 tice taken, as if it were a wooden bird without 

 feelings of any kind. This is a native of Cen- 

 tral America and lives in thick forests, where 

 it congregates in flocks. It is as much prized 

 for the table as quail or grouse. 



Having considered a " rare " stork and a 

 " rare " gallinaceous bird, we may select an 

 example from the pigeon family which well 

 merits a place on this list. The Great Crowned 

 Pigeon, a native of New Guinea, is one of 

 the most beautiful birds in the Park. A giant 

 of its kind, it is as large as a good-sized fowl, 

 and its delicate crest of compressed feathers 

 gives it a martial and imposing appearance. 

 It is of a general lavender color, with a broad 

 band of brown on its back and wings, and 

 the latter are ornamented with a large patch 

 of white. The striking efi^ect of its crest is 

 enhanced by the bright scarlet of the eyes. 

 It utters at times a curious low murmuring 

 or booming, very penetrating, and which has 

 such a ventriloquial f|uality, that it was some 

 time before this sound was traced to its source. 

 Like most of the pigeons and doves — notwith- 

 standing their reputation for gentleness — this 

 great pigeon is quarrelsome, and when an- 

 noyed by another bird or preparing to attack 

 it, both W'ings are lifted to a vertical position 

 over the back and brought down with telling 

 effect. But it has some redeeming qualities, 

 for one of these birds not long ago adopted 

 a young ringdove whose parents were negli- 

 gent, and cared for it, defending it and at 

 night sleeping close beside it, the two birds 

 presenting a disparagement in size which was 

 hidicrous — the tiny nestling dove and the 

 greatest of all pigeons. 



Turning to one of the several unusual 

 species of perching birds in the collection, the 

 Himalayan Laughing-Thrushes are well worth 

 mention. Another name is Jav-Thrush, but 

 this signifies little, for they are neither jays 

 nor thrushes, but belong to a peculiar family 

 of birds having their home in India, with the 

 habits of thrushes, the appearance of javs, 

 and anatomical characters of several other 

 divisions of birds. They are sprightly, active 

 birds and keep their cage-mates, the grackles, 

 starlings and troupials, in healthy activity all 

 day. These so-called thrushes are brownish 

 on the body and tail, with an immaculate white 



throat and breast, and a tall crest, white, 

 tinged with the most delicate pearl-gray. A 

 conspicuous jet-black line extending back- 

 ward through the eye, completes the appear- 

 ance of these handsome birds. Every morning 

 and at intervals during the day, they give ut- 

 terance to most remarkable duets, to a certain 

 character of which they owe one of their 

 common names. It is a true duet, each l)ird 



DUCK. HAWK. 



holding its particular part. One gives voice 

 to a rapid series of yelping sounds, which by 

 a stretch of the imagination, might be said to 

 resemble a wild, frantic laugh. The other bird 

 has a double note which marks the time and 

 sounds very much like " bob-white, bob- 

 white." They sit side by side when giving 

 this duo, and lean toward each other, holding 

 the l.iills i:>ointing upward. 



The giant condor of the Park has estab- 

 lished a reputation for playfulness among 

 birds of prey, which never was suspected here- 

 tofore, but a pair of recent arrivals — Cara- 

 cara Eagles (or rather hawks, for they are 

 first cousins of the little sparrow-hawks) — 

 have overthrown all precedent. These birds 

 have been adopted by the Mexicans as their 

 national emlilem, and it must be said that in 

 some particulars they are more worthy of the 

 honor than that which is accorded to our bald 

 eagle. Both, however, have their weaknesses 

 — the Caracara does not disdain carrion, while 

 our emblematic bird is very often a thief, rob- 

 bing the osprey of his hard-earned fish. 



