ZOOI.OGKAL SOCIKTV IRI.I.KTIX 



^^. 



1 lull- a|i|)LMiall.i' estuljlishcil tlif ril.-t nicml of (wins in 

 the elk herd. 



TJir [.(1111/ and the Short. — An interestiiifj 

 study of tlic luiglits of lioofed animals, may Ijc 

 noted at tlie soutliwest corner of the Park. 

 Here, in adjoining yards near the Camel House, 

 is a towering Bactrian Camel and a female 

 Gudlia or dwarf donkey mare (aged five years) 

 and standing 29'^ inches at the withers. The 

 contrast in size of these two "beasts of burden ' 

 is startling and ludicrous. 



-i Savage liaf. — I.ike a m.in-eating tiger, 

 which is alleged to be a criminal among the 

 jungle beasts, the Reptile House has been vis- 

 ited by a flesh-eating rat. It attacked the in- 

 mates of various enclosures, but did particular 

 harm among the turtles. The toll was one 

 turtle each night and for a number of days a 

 mutilated specimen would be found each morn- 

 ing as the kee])ers made their inspection. This 

 sly animal evaded various trapping devices, and 

 we at last resorted to poison. Two nights after 

 the poisoned bait was set the misciiief ceased. 

 We were at one time troubled with a similar rat 

 in tiie Monkey House whicii attacked the mar- 

 mosets and squirrel monkeys and other smaller 

 animals. 



Klk Ticiiix. — For the first time in the records 

 of the Zoological Park, an .Vmerican elk has 

 given birth to twins. Tiie mother is young, and 

 has bred but once previously. The young ani- 

 mals are perfectly sound, and the mother aji- 

 pears in no way excited about caring for both. 



I ntrrcstini) Rodents. — Tiie following recent 

 accessions have strengtiiened our collection of 

 small rodents: western jjouched gopiier, Gila 

 chijimunk, C.iJifornia chipmunk. Mexican 

 spermophile and a specimen of the Brazilian 

 hare. 



R. L. D. 



THE GRE.VT-BILLED RAVEN. 



AS the boat-billed heron is to the night heron, 

 or the shoe-bill to the stork, so is the 

 gre.-it-billed raven to its brotiier of more 

 normal ajjijcarance. A great, ungainly bird at 

 best, the huge, bulging beak com])letes an en- 

 semble whicli is more th.in grotes(iue. All ra- 

 vens are interesting for their extreme sagacity 

 .and trickiness. both at liberty and in the aviary, 

 but in ])oint of unique physical characters, the 

 great-billed occupies the highest iiiiniacle of ra- 

 ven development. 



There are two forms of the great-billed ra- 

 ven. The Abyssinian {ConmUur rrassirostris). 

 is found in northeastern -Vfrica, while the white- 

 necked (Corvultur alhicolli.i). occupies the 

 southeastern portion. Both are brownish-black 

 in color, with white nape, and the southern bird 

 is further embellished with a white pectoral 

 band. 



These birds are abundant in open country 

 throughout their range, keei)ing much in the 

 company of herds of domestic animals. They 

 are very proficient as extractors of ticks from 

 the hides of cattle and horses, and are not 

 averse to attacking newly-born or weakly lambs. 

 Carrion of all sorts, however, forms their chief 

 food, and their keen intelligence usually en- 

 ables them to discover carcasses in advance of 

 the numerous other ravens and vultures which 

 are their fellow scavengers. 



Dead fish and crustaceans are eaten with 

 relish, and even insects, in time of need, are not 

 despised. When not disturbed, they are bold 

 and fearless birds, haunting the vicinity of 

 farms and even villages, in search of any chance 

 bits of carrion. 



Great-billed ravens are often kept as )iets by 

 the natives, and just why they should be so 

 very rare in collections is not quite clear, but 

 the fact remains that captive specimens are 

 most uncommon. A pair of birds of the north- 

 ern form, observed by the writer in the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens of London, in 1912, were the 

 only examples on exhibition in Europe at that 

 time, and there is no reason to believe that their 

 importation has measurably increased since that 

 date. 



The specimen now in our own collection, a 

 fine male, of the .Vbyssinian species, was re- 

 ceived from the Hagenbecks in June, 191 I. It 

 occujiies one of the large outdoor cages at the 

 Aqu.itic Bird House, and having jiasscd the win- 

 ter without ajii)arent discomfort, is now in the 

 best of health and spirits. 



L, S. C. 



