i86 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



Nearly all virus, excepting such us may live in the 

 soil, is killed sooner or later by drying and sun- 

 shine, and the importance of these factors in the 

 daily life of our animals can not be exaggerated. 



All sanitary measures which contribute to the 

 healthfulness of our animal surroundings are 

 directly or indirectly antagonistic to disease germs, 

 while all carelessness in the keeping of animals 

 may be regarded as an ally of these destructive 

 organisms. 



These matters regarding sanitation, ventilation 

 and sunlight were matters of first consideration in 



the planning of all the Zoological Park buildings. 

 The almost total absence of disagreeable odors 

 which visitors to zoological collections usually 

 associate with monkey and lion houses is fre- 

 cjuently commented upon. 



The frequent and thorough disinfection of build- 

 ings, dens and cages, whether there have been con- 

 tagious diseases or not, has, in my opinion, been a 

 great factor in keeping the Park free from anything 

 like an epidemic. External vigilance is the price 

 of the rare and valuable specimens e.xhibited in the 

 New York Zoological Park. w. r. b. 





1 LAMlXGuLj. 



YOUNG FLAMINGOES. 



A NOTEWORTHY addition to the bird collections in 

 the Park is a flock of young American Flamingoes 

 {Phoeiiicoplenis ruber) about two months old. These 

 were brought from the rookery in the Bahama Islands and 

 are the first young birds ever reared in the United States in 

 captivity. They have the habits and actions of the old 

 birds, but their bills are only slightly bent. In the adults 

 the mandibles are curved almost at a right angle. When 

 Flamingoes are first hatched they are clad in a plumage of 

 the softest and whitest down, and their bills are perfectly 

 straight. 



This flock of birds is now in the second plumage, a uni- 

 form gray throughout. On the breast and the larger wing- 



feathers traces of scarlet are just beginning to appear. 

 The birds are well and strong, and are always hungry. 

 Their food consists of dried shrimps, bread and boiled rice. 



These birds are all the more interesting when we con- 

 sider how rare they are becoming. Years ago hundreds of 

 them, forming great scarlet clouds, lived and bred among the 

 Florida Keys, but all have been killed, and there will prob- 

 baly never be another wild Flamingo in the I'nited States. 

 The rookery in the Bahamas is their last stronghold, and 

 even in this isolated place their days are doubtless few. 



It is hoped that these hardy young birds may breed in 

 the Park, and become one of the most interesting exhibits 

 of the Society c. W. B. 



