ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



While the insecticide produced the desired 

 effect with the lizards and caused no harmful 

 results, it was found that the oil had a markedly 

 harmful result upon the delicate skin of the 

 snakes, and a number of specimens were lost. 

 In the meantime the invasion of mites quickly 

 spread. The parasites are very active, travel 

 great distances and will live for weeks or 

 months in the crevices of an empty cage, com- 

 ing forth to attack when specimens are intro- 

 duced. 



Our observations lead us to believe that these 

 parasites normally live upon the bodies of 

 lizards, where the}' do little harm. In a wild 

 condition there is virtually no association be- 

 tween lizards and snakes, owing to their mark- 

 edly different modes of life, and the possibility 

 of transference is extremely remote. Under 

 the conditions of a collection of captive reptiles, 

 the parasites found immediate hosts among the 

 serpents, and upon the delicate scalation of 

 these reptiles caused great havoc in burrowing 

 into the skin and causing innumerable ulcers, 

 which prevented shedding of the epidermis and 

 resulted fatally in a great number of cases. 



We noted an extremely interesting and con- 

 stantly demonstrated immunity to attack among 

 certain species of snakes. The large gopher, 

 pine and king snakes of our southern states 

 mav be greatly infested, vet suffer no ill effects. 



The South American serpents — coming from 

 the same country as the iguanas — appear to be 

 quite immune, beyond the appearance of an oc- 

 casional superficial ulcer, which is sloughed off 

 in shedding the skin. The American water 

 snake, the black snake, coachwhip snake and 

 hog-nosed snake are extremely susceptible and 

 so quickly become unsightly with sores and 

 swellings, that infested specimens must be 

 destroyed. An elaborate collection of Austra- 

 lian snakes, ranging in size from a large carpet 

 python to many examples of the poisonous 

 species, was literally swept from the collection 

 by attacks of the parasites. Two specimens 

 of the Indian cobra, which were in the midst 

 of the infested area, passed through the worst 

 ravages of the trouble without a scar or blemish. 



Through the use of extremely fine powders, 

 mildly poisonous, blown into the cages by bel- 

 lows, we have the parasites definitely checked, 

 but owing to their extreme abundance in local 

 recurrences, it may be necessary during the 

 coming summer to empty the Reptile House 

 and resort to drastic and prolonged fumigation. 



It is of interest to note the characteristic of 

 these parasites of attacking only the cold- 

 blooded animals. Our elaborate series of small 

 and delicate mammals that has been on exhibi- 

 tion in the Reptile House throughout the trouble 

 has never been attacked — though in immediate 

 proximity to the worst areas of occurrence. 



RARE BIRDS BRED IN THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK 



By Lee S. Crandall 

 Asst. Curator of Birds 



CONDITIONS under which birds are kept 

 in a Zoological Park where they must be 

 inspected daily at close range by thou- 

 sands of visitors, are not conducive to good re- 

 sults in breeding. Nesting birds of most species 

 require at least partial isolation from their fel- 

 lows, an opportunity for seclusion and a certain 

 amount of space. For most of our birds, these 

 requirements cannot be met, since the chief 

 function of such a collection rests on the visibil- 

 ity of the specimens which compose it. The 

 erection of a series of cages along the red deer 

 walk, part of them separated from the public 

 by a solid wall, has enabled us to give favored 

 pairs of the smaller birds surroundings suitable 

 for breeding, and many of them have done so. 

 The larger birds have a great advantage, 

 since they are easily seen at greater distances 

 and hence can be given more space. Among 

 these birds there are always a certain number 



that attempt reproduction. There are many 

 obstacles to success and our summers in the 

 Zoological Park are largely devoted to giving 

 aid in overcoming them. Torrential rains, quar- 

 relsome neighbors, aggressive parents and ever- 

 present vermin of many kinds, provide a wide 

 range for the exercise of our ingenuity. 



For several years past, the birds in the Fly- 

 ing Cage have maintained a mixed heronry of 

 great interest. A number of pairs each of rose- 

 ate spoonbills, snowy egrets, and white, scarlet 

 and Indian black-headed ibises, have loaded the 

 small trees in one corner with nests. However, 

 there is so little space and so much quarreling 

 that usually little comes of it, although all have 

 hatched young birds. This year a pair of white 

 ibises succeeded in rearing a single sooty young- 

 ster. Although so barren of practical result, 

 this colony is like a bit transported from some 

 great tropical breeding ground. 



