ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1321 



GOLIATH HERONS 



ITEMS OF INTEREST 



Derelict Cats. — Few city dwellers realize the 

 evils resulting from the neglect of cats that are 

 for a time kept as pets, then allowed to wander. 

 This is well illustrated from our experience with 

 stray cats within the boundaries of the Zoolog- 

 ical Park. It has been necessary to detail one 

 of our men to trap neglected felines that have 

 taken to a life in the woods and subsist largely 

 upon birds, young rabbits and squirrels. It is 

 astounding to note the actual number of cats 

 trapped within the area of the Park in the past 

 three years. Up to the end of November, 1915, 

 we had trapped and otherwise destroyed six 

 hundred and two cats that were living and hunt- 

 ing in the Park. The Botanical Garden reports 

 similar conditions. 



When we consider the other large areas of 

 the northern city parks where hordes of cats 

 prowl unmolested, the extent of the depredations 



of these bird-killing creatures may be estimated. 

 Many of the captured cats are gaunt, savage 

 creatures that through a marauding, half-starved 

 and desperate condition are a real menace to 

 full-grown rabbits and squirrels ; and bird-hunt- 

 ing is their constant delight. Occasionally, also, 

 one of these cats will fight a human enemy. The 

 writer can attest this by an experience when a 

 tramp eat emerging from some foliage delib- 

 erately leaped upward and savagely bit his hand. 

 Keeper Romanoif, who so persistently hunts 

 these animals, has several times been attacked 

 by them. 



During our cat-hunting work we have come 

 upon a surprising number of other predatory 

 animals in the Park. Our lists for three years 

 show twenty-five wild racoons, twenty-one opos- 

 sums and about a dozen weasels. Although in 

 a different class, from the damage they do, we 

 have also checked off fourteen muskrats. 



R. L. D. 



Goliath Herons. — When the writer visited the 

 Zoological Gardens of Amsterdam, in 1912, no. 

 bird exhibited there was so attractive as the 

 Goliath Herons (Ardea c/oliath). Their great 

 size and striking appearance rendered them 

 highly impressive. There were seven in the 

 Gardens — two adults, a pair one year old, and 

 three young birds of the season. Later on the 

 three young birds were secured for the Zoolog- 

 ical Park, where they soon attained the full plu- 

 mage of maturity. We believe these are the 

 first living specimens to reach this country. 



The old birds have been in Amsterdam for 

 many years, and their numerous offsjjring have 

 stocked half the collections of Europe. They 

 nest in a tiny indoor compartment, not more 

 than six feet square, which communicates with 

 an outdoor run not much larger. They are per- 

 sistent breeders. Although autumn was well 

 advanced at the time of the visit, the female was 

 engaged in incubation. While there was little 

 chance at that time of the young being suc- 

 cessfully reared, there was nothing to gain by 

 removing the eggs, as it was certain that tlie 

 bird would lay again, at once. 



The Goliath is much the largest of the herons, 

 topping our own great blue by several inches. 

 Its general color is slaty above, with rufous 

 head, neck and underparts. It is not gregarious, 

 but generally is found in pairs, or in small fam- 

 ily groups. Although it is distributed through- 

 out the greater part of Africa, it is nowhere 

 abundant. 



L. S. C. 



