RELATIVE VIABILITV IX MAMMAES AXD RIIIUS. .).!.! 



In this group also I a in unaware of published figures as to 

 longevity.. To the maximum of over 11 years' duration in the 

 case of a Black-footed Penguin, L am able to add that of another 

 example of the same species, now alive in the Gardens after a 

 duration of 12| years, whilst there ai'e several of over 6 yeai's. 

 The average duration shewn by the records is bail, in all cases 

 under two years, in most under one. Penguins have an 

 excessively long and slender alimentary tract, but the hind-gut and 

 caeca are vestigial. In the period under consideration they wer-e 

 kept for the most part in a house with artificial heat and without 

 access to fresh air, but some of the larger forms had free access to 

 open air and they were by no means the most successful. I think 

 it must be inferred that these birds have a good potential longevity, 

 but that their viability in captivity, at least, is low. 



CRYPTURI. f°;.'^f . Av. dur. Max. .l«r. 



liidiv. Ill nutiiths. Ill iiioiitus. 



7'mam«s soZitor ;'?.'.§ (Solitary Tinamou). (5 3U 7H 



('rypturus, whole genus 24 12-7 G5 



C. -rtorfirfff/MS (Banded Tinamou) ... 10 I'l'i 45 



C. ohsoletas (Obsolete ,, ) ... 4 I'Z 4 



C.tataupa (Tataupa ,, ) ••• 9- 17 06 



C. undulatus (Undulated ,,)... 1 6 (5 



Rhynchotus |)erf^<"c«r("«3 (Chilian 2 . 24"i5 2(3 



Tinamou). 



^. ?-»./esce?is (Rufous Tina mou) 66 19-G 102 



Xothur a maculosa {fi^ottadllhvAxwow) 48 12 35 



In the case of Tinamous, once more I am unaware of the 

 existence of published records as to longevity. The maximum 

 duration of 8g years (in the case of a Rufous Tinamou) and the 

 average durations, which in most cases are under 2 yeai's, show 

 that these birds are rather less viable than the Guans, witli 

 which they may be compai'ed in size and to some extent in habits. 

 They have been kept under similar conditions — in an aviary with 

 warmed shelters and open-air compartments. The structure of 

 the alimentary canal differs from that of Gallinaceous birds chieflv 

 in the relative shoi'tness and want of capacity of the Avhole ti'act 

 and in the much greater relative capacity and length of hind-gut 

 and caeca. 



APTERYGES. ^^""^ Av.dur. Max. dm-. 



Jiidiv. Ill luoiitlis. Ill iiionths. 



^jofery.'r, whole genus 22 48 240 



A. austraUs {Kiwi) 1 97 97 



A. haasti (Haast's Kiwi) 2 55-5 46 



A.manieUi (Mantell's „ ) 9 50*5 240 



A.owenl (Owen's ,, ) 10 38-8 117 



Mr. J. H. Gurney {loc. cit. p. 40) records an Australian Apteryx 

 which died after having lived 20 yeai-s in our Gardens ; this is 

 Proc. Zool. Soc— 1 91 1 , No. XXXY. 35 



