288 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Birds. — A Eacket-tailed King-Crow {Dissemurus paradiseus), 

 now twelve years here. Dr. Wunderlich tells me that it grows 

 a good tail every year. 



I saw seventeen Owls of ten different species, including Bubo 

 turcomanus. 



The Accipitres numbered sixty, representing thirty-five 

 species ; perhaps those least often seen in captivity were the 

 Crowned Harpy Eagle {Harpyhalia'etus coronatus), a Marsh- 

 Harrier {Circus aruginosus) (one year here), and the Vultures 

 {Vultur occipitalis and Neophron pileatus). A Caracara {Poly- 

 horus), which had been obtained in 1881, died the week I was in 

 Cologne, having therefore lived twenty-nine years in captivity. 



The collection of Geese and Ducks is particularly rich, and 

 there is a good series of Storks and Herons, including the 

 Australian Arclea pacifica. I saw examples of five different 

 species of Pelicans, and no less than seven species of Ibises. 



Dr. Wunderlich kindly gave me some notes on the longevity 

 of birds in the Cologne Gardens, which are of general in- 

 terest : — 



Common Flamingo {Phoenicopterus roseiis), living over 20 years 

 Scarlet „ {P. ruber) „ 25 „ [liere. 



Manchurian Crane {Grus japonensis) ,, 15 ,, 



Asiatic White Crane [G. leucogeranos) ,, 30 ,, 



The Canadian Crane {G. canadensis) breeds here with success. 



In the large bird house of the Cologne Gardens is a small 

 collection of Eeptiles, Batrachians, and Freshwater Fishes, 

 including seven small individuals of the African Electric Cat- 

 Fish {Malopterurus electriciis), and many specimens of the 

 curious eel-shaped fish, without paired fins, Symbranchus, from 

 South America. 



(ii) Museum. 



The Municipal Natural History Museum was started in 1892. 

 In January, 1895, the " Verein zur Forderung des Museums fiir 

 Naturkunde zu Coin " was founded, and under its auspices the 

 collection was increased and arranged, and in May, 1902, opened 

 to the public in its present handsome quarters, the first and 

 second floors of the Stapelhaus, a restored sixteenth century 

 building on the bank of the Rhine. 



