ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



795 



(Urocissa occipitalis), and a very fine long- 

 tailed glossy starling, (Lamprocolius caudatus), 

 besides several less important species. As this 

 building is unheated, the less hardy birds are 

 caged elsewhere during the winter. 



The Parrot House is an L-shaped building, 

 and the only one which is open to the public, 

 it is built of wood and concrete, in the same style 

 as the others. The six-foot public space occu- 

 pies one side of each arm of the L, the first of 

 which is fourteen feet wide and twenty feet in 

 length. It is divided into three cages eight 

 feet by ten, and a fourth eight feet by sixteen, 

 all being fronted with bar-mesh wire, of varying 

 size. The first three are devoted to macaws 

 and parrots, several uncommon species being 

 represented. Most noticeable were the greater 

 Vasa parrot, (Coracopsis vaza), Maximilian 

 parrot, (Pionus ma.rimiliani), Jardine parrot, 

 {Poeocephalus gulielmi), and a good Senegal 

 parrot, (P. senegalus). The large cage, sepa- 

 rated from the preceding by a four-inch space, 

 contains a very good collection of the smaller 

 finches and waxbills and other of the more deli- 

 cate birds. Most of the common species of the 

 former were represented, besides specimens of 

 the Bicheno finch, (JStictoptera bichenovii), 

 chestnut-breasted manakin, (Mania castanei- 

 thura.r), and Javan manakin, (M. ferruginosa). 

 Of the fruit-eating birds, the most striking were 

 the yellow-bellied bulbuls, (Pycnonotus auri- 

 gaster), and the golden-fronted green bulbul, 

 ( Chloropsis aurifrons). 



In the angle of the L and also separated by 

 a four-inch space, is the cockatoo cage. This 

 contains all of the species commonly seen, about 

 ten in number. 



The last cage contains the parrakeets, the 

 pride of Sonneberg. This is really a remark- 

 able collection, and without question one of the 

 very best in this country, some thirty species be- 

 ing represented. They live together in the one 

 large cage, preserving an unusual harmony 

 among themselves. In this group the rarest 

 bird was doubtless the black-headed parrakeet, 

 (Conurus nenday). This is not uncommon in 

 European collections but is seldom seen on this 

 side. Others noticed were a very fine Barnard, 

 {JBarnardius barnardi), a white-eared, (Pyrr- 

 huru Irucotis). several red-rumps, ( Psephotus 

 Jiaematonotug) , and a pair of blue-bonnets, (P. 

 xanthorrhous ). 



At the far end of the Parrot House, separated 

 from the birds by a solid partition, is a well- 



equipped hospital room, a very necessary fea- 

 ture of all extensive collections, but too seldom 

 provided. The floor is of concrete, so that it 

 can be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly. 

 Around the walls are placed cages conveniently 

 small, and light is obtained from windows at 

 the front. 



The Pheasant Aviary completes the chain of 

 installations. The house is of wood, witli cement 

 floors and is 100 feet long by sixteen wide. 

 The eight cages into which it is divided open into 

 the same number of }'ards, forty feet deep, well 

 shaded by fine old apple trees and planted with 

 grass and shrubbery. The frame-work is 

 formed of iron piping, over which one-half-inch 

 square-mesh wire has been stretched, no provi- 

 sion having been made to prevent fighting be- 

 tween cock pheasants in adjacent runs. Most 

 of the common species have been or are kept, 

 but less attention has been given to this group 

 than to some others. 



The birds have the general supervision of Mr. 

 A. P. Wilbur, superintendent of the estate, but 

 are under the direct care of Mr. E. A. Watts 

 and four assistants. All of the members of the 

 collection seemed very fit and healthy, and are 

 living evidence of the care and solicitude with 

 which their every want has been satisfied. 



The Heated Term and the Animals. — During flic 

 severely hot ten days of July, we watched the condi- 

 tion of our animals with close attention. As a matter 

 of fact, during that period nearly every living crea- 

 ture east of the Rocky Mountains, — man, beast and 

 bird, — suffered discomfort; and many people died 

 from heat distresses. Although we were very anxious 

 about our animals, the death rate was sensibly in- 

 creased by the heat only to the extent of three or 

 four small eroeodilians that actually died in and 

 around their outdoor pool from the heat ! 



A Bactrian camel fell dead during the middle 

 period of a particularly hot afternoon, and we as- 

 cribed that fatality to the heat. An autopsy hap- 

 pened to be impossible. As usual in hot spells, the 

 cage floors in the animal buildings, and the floors of 

 the bear dens, were wet down several times each day. 

 The herds of musk-ox and mountain goat endured the 

 weather quite as well as any of the other large ani- 

 mals, and without any sickness or fatality. 



On the whole, the animals seemed to be quite as 

 comfortable as the visitors, and there was no notice- 

 able increase in the death rate. The Siberian tigers 

 bathed frequently, and so did all the bears except the 

 polars. Owing to the water famine, the luxury of 

 running water was forbidden, but for the serious needs 

 of our charges, we had water enough. The steam 

 pump that we purchased and installed at the begin- 

 ning of the water famine enabled us to pump from 

 the Bronx River an adequate supply of water for the 

 Italian Garden, and all the plantings and lawns of 

 the Concourse. 



