IjO 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



the Orange Free State, the Transvaal, and 

 almost exterminated in ail the countries to the 

 west of the land of the Matabele, watered by the 

 river Limpopo. At one locality in Natal it still 

 exists and is carefully preserved. Like our native 

 bison, it bids fair to be seen only in zoological 

 parks and gardens. This specimen has been 

 named "Duke," in honor of the Duke of Bedford, 

 from whose park at Woluirn .\bbey he was se- 

 cured by Mr. Hagenbeck. 



The Society left no means untried to obtain a 

 pair of giraffes. After several attempts, IMr. 

 Hagenbeck secured a pair nearly elexen feet liigh, 

 which were bought»for $5,500. 



The Gnu, called by the Cape Dutch Wildebeeste, 

 unites a decidedly ugly and grotesque appearance 

 with an irascible temper. It is not responsive to 

 kind treatment; and the ox-like head, surmounted 

 by heavy sliarp hi>rns. embellished with all manner 

 of bristling mus'faches, bushy mane and beard, 

 set closely to the horse'-like body, gives it more 

 the appearance of the fabled unicorn than an 

 antelope. Two pairs of U'hite-'i'ailcd antl ^^"llite- 

 Bearded Gnu are shown. 



In decided contrast to the Gnu, is the graceful 

 Addax Antelope, witli long, spiral horns ; the 

 Isabel line Antelope, tlie Blessbok, with the 

 curious white blaze down the head, giving rise to 

 the name Blazebuck ; and the beautiful Beatrix 

 Antelojie from the Arabian Desert. One striking 

 feature of these desert antelopes is the broad, flat 

 hoof, resembling that of the caribou. The largest 

 antelope of India is the species known as the 

 Nilgai. A remarkable peculiarity is the color, 

 which, in the male is a dull blue, while the fe- 

 male is so light that she would surely be suspected 

 of not belonging to the same species. 



The remainder of the collection comprises : 4 

 Cervicapra Antelopes, or Blackbuck, 'from India; 

 I Baker's Roan Antelope ; i Sing-Sing Water- 



buck ; 2 Redunca Antelopes ; i Duiker Antel- 

 ope, and 2 Dorcas Gazelles. 



At present, the Steller's Sea Lion and two 

 African Ostriches have been placed here until 

 quarters elsewhere can be arranged, and the 

 Zebras and two E.quinc Deer also will have quar- 

 ters in this building. 



CONTRACTS AND PLANS. 



The total cost of tlie Antelope House instal- 

 lation has been approximately $55,000. The Page 

 Woven Wire Fence Company has erected the 

 iron antl wire work of the outdoor enclosures ; 

 while the main structure has been erected by 

 Thomas Dwyer. 



The Society's architects, Messrs. Heins & La 

 Farge, executed the plans for the architectural 

 work, based upon the ideas and ground plans of 

 the Director, who made exhaustive studies 

 abroad fir this ])urpose. The plans for the 

 •\ards, their in in and wire work, and the walls 

 surrounding them, were prepared by the Society's 

 Civil Engineer, in which many difficult problems 

 have been admirably worked out. 



The contractors began work August ist, 1902, 

 and the building was opened to the public Nov- 

 ember 12th, 1903. 



Acknowledgment is due irom the Society to 

 ;\Ir. Martin Sclienck, Chief Engineer of the 

 Park Department of the Bronx, for the contin- 

 uous supervision lie has devoted to this building. 

 The cost of ci instruction was defrayed by the City 

 of New York, and the entire collection was pur- 

 cliased by the New York Zoological Society. 

 Like the other buildings at the Park erected by 

 the Society the Antelope House and yards are 

 characterized by simplicity of design ant! 

 soliditv of structure. 



POISONOUS SERPENTS OF THE OLD WORLD. 



i9r RAYMOND L. DITMARS, 



CURATOR OF REPTILES. 



WITH the Old World poisonous snakes the 

 Reptile House is well represented. The 

 most interesting of these specimens is the 

 King Cobra, now an inmate of the Park for over 

 two years. This splendid reptile is at least ten 

 feet long, and in prime condition. Strictly can- 

 nibalistic, the specimen is provided with at least 

 one snake of over four feet, each week, the same 

 being first killed, then stuffed with frogs or small 

 rats to make it more substantial. 



Though capable of spreading a "hood, " this 

 large reptile does wA stand so high hxim the 



ground, or spread so wide in proportion to its 

 size, as the Cobra-de-Capello, nor does it main- 

 tain the position for so great a time as the latter 

 species. 



The Hooded Cobras, represented by four speci- 

 tnens of two varieties, are the stars of the Rep- 

 tile collection, and the most vicious snakes that 

 liave ever come to the Park. These reptiles will 

 remain for a half hour or more in an upright pos- 

 ition if thev are annoyed, and u]ion discovering 

 that they have faileil to xcnt their anger upon the 

 object of tiieir annoyance, will figlit fiendishly 



