ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



The swimming frogs are greedj^ feeders, 

 snapping ui) the food as it slowh' sinks or 

 searching for it among the gravel, with c-urious 

 shoveling motions of the forelimbs. They are 

 very deft in tiie use of their "hands," picking 

 up an insect or worm, transferring it to the 

 mouth, and, if found too large to be swallowed 

 immediately, manipulating and turning it until 

 it is in proper position to be gulped down. 



Very large earth-worms are torn with the aid 

 of the claws, the frog violently kicking forward 

 and holding the worm with the jaws and 

 "hands" at the same time. 



^'isitors are often attracted to the aquaria 

 containing these queer frogs by the grotesque 

 attitudes assumed, as they float near the top 

 with only the nostrils and eyes showing above 

 the water, the body in perfectly straight posi- 

 tion, giving them a strangely human aspect. At 

 other times they will lie sprawled out on the 

 gravel at the bottom with legs bent, and webs 

 extended to tlieir full breadtli. All species of 

 these frogs are exceedingly rare in American 

 zoological collections. An accompanying pho- 

 tograph shows their grotesque posing. 



Richard Dkckert. 



THE BREEDING OF THE PENGUIN. 



By Lee S. Crandall, 

 Assistant Curator of Birds. 



PENGUINS, with their seal-like habits 

 and unbird-like appearance, always 

 arouse the interest of the casual observer. 

 The wonderful motion pictures which have re- 

 cently been exhibited, showing various species 

 of penguins in their Antarctic homes, have given 

 a great number of people at least a glimmering 

 of knowledge concerning these strange birds. 

 In the light of these facts, therefore, it is always 

 a distinct shock to hear the oft-repeated opin- 

 ions of visitors at the penguin pool, that the 

 inmates are "young seals" or "some kind of 

 duck." 



Because of this strong interest of the public, 

 it is our endeavor to keep penguins constantly 

 on exhibition. Two factors have militated 

 against us — the extreme scarcity of the birds 

 .ind the difficulty, especially in hot weather, of 

 keeping them, once obtained. 



We had been without penguins since 1910, 

 and so in March, 1911, were much pleased to 

 be able to secure a single specimen of tlie 

 Black-footed Penguin {Spheriiscus dcmersus). 

 This bird soon became acclimatized, and in July, 

 five more were added. This flock was placed 



BLACK-FOOTED PENGUIN 



Tlie young bird, after the immature plumage had 



been attained. 



in the walrus jjool, but soon showed evidence of 

 distress from the heat. They were at once re- 

 moved to the cool interior of the Aquatic Bird 

 House, where they passed the summer, under- 

 going a thorough molt during this period. 



As soon as cool weather appeared, the pen- 

 guins were returned to the outdoor pool. They 

 were now in much better physical conditiim, 

 and the coming of frost found them in excellent 

 spirits. Winter had no terrors for them, once 

 they had learned to enter the low hut for pro- 

 tection from the deep snow, and they bathed 

 daily in the icy water. 



On rare occasions, black-footed penguins have 

 been bred in Europe. Of continental institu- 

 tions, the Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris seems 

 to have been the most successful. In 1906, two 

 chicks were hatched in tlie Zoological Gardens 

 of London, for the first time in England, and 

 this success has since been repeated. 



Early in the spring of 1915, two of our own 

 birds began taking a decided interest in each 

 other, and it became evident that our hopes of 

 successfully breeding the penguin in America, 

 were not without foundation. 



On April 9, one of the birds was found 

 closely guarding a chalky white egg, whieli had 

 been deposited in a shallow hollow in the saw- 

 dust which floored the hut. Two days later a 

 second egg appeared. From the first, the nest 

 was guarded with the utmost devotion. The 

 birds alternated in incubation, relieving each 

 other at intervals, apijarently witliout regularity. 



At feeding time, the one oflf duty gulped a 

 few pieces of fish, and quickly waddled into 

 the hut to allow its faithful mate to go out to 

 eat. Frequently the male regurgitated several 

 large pieces of fish for the benefit of his mate, 

 which ate them while remaining on the nest. 



