on the Scottish Zoological Park.



179



The Penguins stood solemnly bolt upright, like so many tall jars ;

suddenly a desire for exercise overcame their dignity, and they

slowly waddled one after the other for a few yards before settling to

rest again. In the pool they were very active, swimming almost

abreast as if to drive landwards a shoal of fish.


The Water-fowl pond contained some interesting foreign

Ducks and Geese—Mandarin and Summer Ducks, Cereopsis,

Chinese, and Egyptian Geese, and so on. The pool was prettily

planted with irises and well backed with bushes. The Cranes’

enclosure contained the Crowned and Demoiselle Cranes, also

European and South American Flamingoes, an Australian Pelican,

and several Gannets.


The garden near the manor-house contains a fine Parrot

aviary 80 ft. long, inhabited by various showy and large species—

Macaws and Cockatoos ; here also is a lesser aviary for smaller

Psittacines, such as Budgerigars and Love-birds. Then there is a

mixed series of foreign Finches, which are kept all the year round

without artificial heat. North of the mansion-house is the Plovers’

aviary, a pretty installation with a pool fringed with heather ; in

this part of the park the shore birds are kept—Terns, Oyster-

catchers, Dunlin, and the like. The Pheasants are housed in roomy

shrubberies, and the series includes the Amherst, Golden, and

Eeeve’s species; there is also a paddock devoted to Rheas, two of

these latter being quite white. We also noticed an Emu, said to

belong to the spotted “ species.” We must confess, however, that

we could detect nothing in the bird to justify separation from the

common form.


We strongly recommend all aviculturists to visit the Scottish

Zoological Park. Though only opened in July, 1913, this Cinderella

of Zoos is an institution of the very first rank, and a highly valuable

asset to the people of Edinburgh. On all three sides—educational,

spectacular, and scientific—it compels the highest praise ; and it

will probably remain without a rival among the zoological activities

of the North.



