ZOOLOGICAL 
CEREOPSIS GEESE IN THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 
BREEDING OF THE CEREOPSIS GOOSE. 
By Ler S. Cranparu. 
HEN a bird or animal is known to be on 
the verge of extinction in the wild state, 
it is well to know that it will reproduce 
its kind successfully in captivity. It is particu- 
larly gratifying when this interesting event 
takes place in one’s own country. 
The Cereopsis or Cape Barren Goose, (Cere- 
opsis novae-hollandiae), formerly was found in 
great numbers in the southern parts of Australia 
and among the neighboring islands. The early 
settlers were greatly pleased with the finely- 
flavored geese, which were so abundant and so 
easily killed. It has ever been 
the custom among pioneers in 
a new land to take freely of 
the natural resources; the bar- 
ren geese were slaughtered by 
thousands. To-day, the rem- 
nants of the great flocks, wild 
as the winds, are confined to 
a few grassy, uninhabited is- 
lands. Their only protection 
lies in their stone-colored 
plumage; as they feed among 
the lichen-covered rocks, it is 
difficult to detect the birds be- 
fore they take flight. 
Like most of the geese— 
this species has no close rela- 
tives—the cereopsis takes 
readily to captivity. Itis one 
thing, however, to persuade a 
bird to live, and quite an- 
other to get it to breed. There 
SOCIETY 
BULLETIN. 679 
have been a number of pairs of 
cereopsis geese in America; but 
as far as known, no successful 
attempt has been made at repro- 
duction, in this country, prior to 
the series of events recorded in 
this article. 
On August 6, 1909, the So- 
ciety’s first pair of these birds 
arrived at the Park, the gift of a 
bird lover. Placed in the spa- 
cious Wild Fowl Pond, they 
lived peacefully through the win- 
ter, avoiding the other inmates, 
never entering the water, and 
feeding on the grain provided 
only when snow covered the 
withered grass. Early in Feb- 
ruary, the devoted pair showed 
marked propensities for wandering; they es- 
caped from the paddock during the nights in all 
sorts of mysterious manners, and their clandes- 
tine wanderings were sure to land them in some 
remote corner of the Park. In an attempt to 
satisfy the apparent longings of the birds for 
new surroundings, they were removed to the 
Crane Paddock, where they settled down in ob- 
vious comfort. 
Several sporadic attempts at nesting occurred 
but it was not until the middle of May that a 
small round depression in the ground was final- 
ly surrounded with twigs and leaves, built up 
and moulded into a beautiful nest. On May 23. 
the first white egg appeared, slightly smaller 
CEREOPSIS GEESE IN THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 
In both pictures the male bird is shown retreating last, leaving the young to the 
protection of the female while he stands guard. 
