ZOOLOGICAL i:OCIE'r\' HULLETIN 



.MAIiX IIAI.l, Oh THE NEW lilKl) HOUSE. 

 Showing a portion of the Elying Cage. 



feet wide, and its height to the peak of the roof is 

 ali'out thirty-six feet. The roof itself is one of the 

 most novel features of the building, being entirely 

 tilled with glass, thus giving the impression of a 

 great conservatory. Indeed, it is intended that a 

 large number of plants and vines shall be grown 

 in the interior, thus happily combining a profusion 

 of flowers with brightly-colored song birds. 



The ribbed character of the glass diffuses the 

 direct rays of the sun, and moderates the glare which 

 would inevitably result were the roof of clear glass. 

 Fresh air is secured by the presence of thirty-four 

 large windows in the walls, besides which, no less 

 than one hundred and sixty-four panes of roof glass, 

 each measuring about five feet in length, are made 

 to lift at one end. So much for fresh air and light. 



The two e.xhibition halls are lined with spacious 

 cages, nine to twelve feet in height and from four 

 to eight feet square. Almost without exception, 

 the rule in the various large aviaries of zoological 

 gardens generally, has been to provide large num- 

 bers of small cages, each intended to hold some one 

 species. In the present building this has been 

 reversed, the cages being adapted for large groups, 

 either representing a single species or several. This 

 plan has proved very successful in the case of the 

 larger water birds, and it is a dominant factor in the 



beauty of arrangement and general open air apjiear- 

 ance of this new Bird House. 



But the largest of the side cages dwindles in com- 

 parison with the great central flying cage, which 

 measures fifteen by thirty-six feet, and is almost 

 twenty feet high. It is pro\ided with a large 

 bathing pool, fed by a fountain, the water varying 

 in de]:)th from four inches to one and one-half inches. 



Besides the indoor cages there are nineteen out- 

 door enclosuFes for the hardier birds, which make 

 their homes in cold regions, or for those tropical 

 species, which easily adajjt themselves to our rigor- 

 ous climate. There are, altogether, eighty separate 

 cages. 



The most striking of the many appropriate decor- 

 ations, to the planning of which infinite thought has 

 been devoted, is a continuous terra-cotta frieze of 

 cockatoos, extending entirely around the building. 

 Every alternate bird has its crest and wings raised, 

 while the corners of the building are marked with 

 figures of great horned owls. The pillars at both 

 the east and south entrances, are ornamented with 

 the heads of owls and macaws. 



There are many ingenious devices which ha\e 

 been planned especially for this building. The 

 doors of the cages are all at the back, opening into 

 a keepers' passage which extends around the entire 



