200



The Society's Prize.



in this effort, zoologically speaking, to “ bring the world before you.’"

Bears and Bison, Deer and Antelope, are here; we note the nobl&

facade of the Lion-house, the Deer in their natural landscape, and

the architectural merit of the palace devoted to reptiles. To the

aviculturist the latter part of the book will be of interest, for here

he finds space assigned to birds and ponds and cages.


The great flying-cage is 55 ft. high, 72 ft. wide, and 152 ft. in

length, and is constructed of wire netting stretched over huge steel

pipe arches; it encloses three forest trees and a pool 100 ft. long.

Under this mammoth Gothic arch the Society houses its Flamingoes,

Ibises, Storks, and Herons ; they form a large and showy flock of

birds, displayed in a manner novel to America and but little practised

in Europe. Only in London, Paris, and Rotterdam does the travelled

naturalist behold any flying cage at all approaching the mammoth

of New York.


In winter the tenants of the great cage are housed in the

building for aquatic birds ; they inhabit the small flying cage in the

centre of the house or the w 7 all cages running along the inside.

The backs of these latter are painted with scenes representing

the homes of the species exhibited, a scene in the Florida ever¬

glades being depicted on the western wall, while the eastern is.

decorated with a presentation of a marsh scene in the North.


Among the smaller bird illustrations in this book we may

mention the Whooping Crane at the pool side, silent and stately as

if limned on a Japanese screen ; his burly cousin the Jabiru, with

powerful bill and long, stilted legs ; and the quaint young Spectacled

Owl, his motorist mask showing black against the downy whiteness

of his face. G. R.



THE SOCIETY’S PRIZE.


Members of the Society resident abroad are reminded of the

annual Prize offered for “ the best article or series of articles or

notes on foreign birds, wild or captive, submitted by members living

abroad, and accepted for publication in the Magazine, the prize to

consist of a bound and inscribed copy of ‘ Practical Bird-keeping ’ or

some other suitable book on aviculture or ornithology, the award of



