ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



FOLIAGE IN JEOPARDY 



This youthful visitor demonstrates the public tendency to 



pluck branches that are close to the walks. 



This mystery is all the more accentuated by 

 tlie jolly friendliness of the little fellows. They 

 become so interested at being photographed 

 tliat the process becomes a test of patience, the 

 only difficulty being to push the birds far 

 enough away to get them in focus. Every other 

 plate shows them rushing headlong upon the 

 camera in wholcTSOuled curiosity and friendli- 

 ness. Even when we are so unkind as to shoot 

 and dissect them we learn little of their affini- 

 ties. They bear some resemblance to the cranes 

 but are so individual and peculiar that they are 

 usually placed in a family of their own. Their 

 good fellowship extends to other small birds and 

 their cages are peaceful and their life long in 

 (■aj)tivity. 



ITEMS OF INTEREST. 



South American Specimens. — South American 

 specimens continue to arrive. The following 

 were placed on exhibition during the last six 

 weeks : gigantic grub of the hercules beetle, 

 green scorpion, brown scorpion, giant centipede, 

 several species of tree toads and ground toads, 

 black and yellow tegu (a large lizard), Aniieva 



lizards and the strange Polychrus marvioratus, 

 a lizard belonging to the family Iguanidae, but 

 developing along parallel lines with the African 

 chameleons. In form the former would indicate 

 a highly active reptile, but every movement is 

 slow and deliberate, while the long tail is partly 

 prehensile; markedly independent eye move- 

 ments add to the chameleon-like aspect. 



The Saki Monkey. — An imjjortant accession 

 from South America has arrived in the form of 

 a particularly fine specimen of Humboldt's Saki, 

 {Pithecia monachiis), a small monkey of such 

 singular structure as to attract immediate atten- 

 tion. This animal shares the cage of the woolly 

 monkey, {Lagothri.r lac/otrica), another strange- 

 ly-clad creature of the American tropics. The 

 saki is literally swathed in a luxuriant mantle 

 of long, silky hair, wliich creates the deception 

 of twice the animal's actual bulk. The tail is 

 extremely long, but of such surprising bulk with 

 its silky jielage as to appear of real disadvan- 

 tage to the animal. Over the saki's head is a 

 great pomjjadour of long, straight hair. The 

 .ispect of the creature's head is wild and tousled. 

 Its eyes are small, green and apparently of imp- 

 isli eiuming. At first sight this strange animal 



TlIK FINAL RE.SULT 



How one side of the tree is denuded by the breaking 



of branches. 



