NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



133 



MUTE AND TRUMPETER SWANS. 



SECTION II.— BIRDS. 

 THE GOOSE AVIARY, No. 3. 



There are no birds which take more kindly to captivity, 

 or which better repay their keep and their keepers, than the 

 ducks, geese, swans and pelicans. The only drawback to 

 the maintenance of large collections of these birds in this 

 latitude is the annual struggle with our arctic winter. On 

 account of the fierce winter storms to which we must pay 

 tribute, many species of swimming birds require to be taken 

 out of their aviary, and housed in sheltered buildings, with 

 moderate warmth. For this reason the pelicans, tree-ducks 

 of all species, and all species from the tropics, must neces- 

 sarily be absent in winter from their summer quarters. 



For the accommodation of a large, systematic collection of 

 wild geese, an aviary two hundred and fifty feet long by 

 one hundred and forty-three feet in width has been con- 

 structed in the north end of Bird Valley. To secure as much 

 space as possible, the entire width of the open valley has 

 been taken into the enclosure. 



The Goose Aviary consists of a pond containing three 

 islands, two of which are subdivided by low fences of wire 

 netting into twelve separate enclosures. The collection of 

 geese has become so large and important the original Duck 



