368 
dart down. upon it immediately, and generally 
ill themselves by the force with which they 
strike the board. On the Bass Rock, where 
these birds are protected, they become so 
tame that they will allow anyone to stroke 
them with the hand as they sit 
upon their nests. In their mode 
of life the gannet much resembles 
the pelican. 
a 
I was hoping the frost would 
continue long enough 
to freeze out the 
Bear Pond, and give 
visitors a chance of seeing this 
animal with something like his 
natural surroundings, but it was 
not to be, at least for the present. 
It is with pleasure we heard, at 
the last meeting of the Society, 
that the fact is now realised 
that more could be made of the 
enclosure within 
which the polar 
bear has been 
kept up to the 
present, and an 
attractive exhibit 
of this arctic 
animal may be 
expected. When 
a more realistic 
and spacious 
enclosure is 
provided, there 
is no doubt this 
animal could be 
made one of the 
sights at the 
Zoo, especially if 
a companion or 
two could be 
found to vary the 
monotony of the 
continual march 
up and down, 
only stopping at the end to raise itself up and 
drop down again and continue marching on 
for hours at a time. The Ursus maritimus 
is one of the largest of all bears, Captain 
The Polar 
Bear. 
GAYAL COW. 
Animal Life 
Lyon recording the capture of one measuring 
close on nine feet in length, and weighing 
about 1,600 pounds. 
“As 
THE Gayal (Bos (or Bibos) fron- 
talis) is a native of 
India, and has been 
supposed to occur wild in Tenas- 
serim. It isa dull, heavy animal, 
of gentle disposition. ‘The horns 
are depressed at the base and 
directed outwards. Instances are 
on record of the gayal breeding 
with the Indian bull, and it is 
reported that a female gayal has 
bred with a “common bull,” but 
whether the Indian bull is meant 
it is difficult to say. In his new 
volume, “‘ Mostly Mammals,” Mr. 
Liydekker remarks: “ Durmg the 
immense period they have been 
domesticated, the true oxen have 
displayed great 
adaptibility to 
modification. 
Not so the buffalo 
of Asia, which 
has in nowise de- 
parted from the 
wild type, save as 
regards a some- 
what smaller 
stature and a 
diminished 
length of horn. 
Certain other 
species of cattle, 
such as the gayal 
of North-East 
India and the 
banting of the 
Malay countries, 
have been more 
or less domesti- 
cated by various 
Oriental races, 
although in the latter case the domesti- 
cated breed seems to be renovated from 
time to time with a cross of the wild 
stock.” 
Gayal. 
