694 ZOOLOGICAL 
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, CALCUTTA. 
Small double aviary, Mynah in foreground. 
These 
strange Himalayan forms are gentle and affec- 
tionate, and are now breeding regularly in the 
Garden. 
or beam with all four legs dangling. 
The reptile exhibit is uninteresting. Cobras 
alternating with king cobras and Russel vipers 
in cage after cage. 
Fine specimens of black and clouded leopards 
are the only carnivores worthy of mention, but 
the collection of foxes, jackals and smaller eats, 
as well as of squirrels, contains many rare 
species. The great wolf-like wild red 
dog, 
(Cyon dukhunensis), is one of the most danger- 
ous animals in India. The tapirs breed freely 
here, as do the kiangs and wild asses. 
To an ornithologist from the western world, 
the wild birds of the Caleutta Zoological Garden 
vie in interest with those confined in the aviaries. 
The shortest walk through the Garden will re- 
veal a score of species—drongos, wandering 
tree-pies, golden-backed woodpeckers, mynahs 
and bulbuls, in the trees; egrets and house 
crows perched on the backs of the ruminants; 
griffon vultures and kites soaring in mid-air. 
In a clump of trees and bushes on the shore of 
one of the tiny lakes is a large breeding colony 
of wild night-herons, egrets and snakebirds, a 
most enviable possession for any zoological 
garden. 
The captive birds are scattered about in small, 
isolated aviaries, half hidden among luxuriant 
trees, flowering vines and shrubs, all of course 
unheated and exposed to the open air. 
One circular aviary has an artistic winding 
cement rivulet, along whose gradually descend- 
SOCIETY 
BULLETIN. 
ing course are perched silver 
pheasants, Mandarin ducks 
and beautiful lories and parra- 
keets. 
A well-planned water-fowl 
flying-cage fifty by 
five, by twelve feet high, con- 
tains a large flock of sacred 
and scarlet ibis—the latter 
breeding regularly and never 
losing their brilliant color. 
Great comb ducks, Asiatic 
spoonbills with fluted mandi- 
bles and scarlet eyes; big gal- 
linules sitting on their eggs, 
and most remarkable of all, 
an Indian pink-headed duck— 
a dull, blackish bird with bill, 
eyes, head and neck of intense 
pink. <A weird little stone 
plover trots along the wire 
netting, keeping pace with you as you walk 
around the cage, hoping for food or attention. 
Loud cries attract our attention, Wok! Wok! 
Wok! Wok! and in an octagonal aviary, amid 
orchids and other flowers we find five species of 
birds of paradise, which for years have lived in 
perfect health. The lesser, the greater, the red, 
the twelve-wired, and, clad like the impeyan 
pheasant in pliant metal, the magnificent rifle 
All defy description, putting to shame 
our mounted museum specimens. 
The most pretentious building for birds is 
known as the Sarnomovi House. In character- 
istically native Indian style, we read that “this 
house has been erected at the cost of Maharaja 
Manindra Chandra Nandy, the worthy nephew 
and successor of the late Maharani Sarnomoyi 
seventy- 
bird. 
of Cossimbazar.” 
On three sides of the building are as many 
lofty cages, containing 
bamboos and banana trees. Here, or in the in- 
door cages, are quartered the parrots and cock- 
atoos, the crowned pigeons, pheasants, franco- 
lins and hornbills, besides numerous smaller 
birds. The smaller hornbills fly about freely 
and do not disturb birds of the size of a jay or 
roller. The crowned pigeons breed every year. 
A Javan jungle fowl quartered here was as 
brilliant as any kind I have ever seen, with an 
enormous drooping comb, rainbow-hued,—yel- 
low, violet, green and blue, in close and startling 
combination. 
In the cool of the morning, or of late after- 
noon, a drive out to and through the Caleutta 
wire-covered outdoor 
