ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



801 



The New Anacondas. — The reptile collection has 

 been enriched by the birth of forty-eight anacondas, 

 and all of them are vigorous, and appear destined 

 to survive. The mother is a prize specimen, nine- 

 teen feet long and of greater diameter than our 

 largest pythons. She arrived here about four months 

 ago, from the island of Trinidad. The young ana- 

 condas are thirty-eight inches long, take to water like 

 ducklings and will soon be ready to begin feeding 

 upon mice. Young anacondas always fast for a 

 period of about ten days after birth, during which 

 time the mother pays little or no attention to them. 



TT * # 



Rare African Moths. — During the past few days 

 visitors have been fortunate in observing specimens 

 of a rare and beautiful moth emerging from their 

 silvery, egg-shaped cocoons. These were examples of 

 the African luna moth, (Actios mimosas). They are 

 of a beautiful pale green color, with dashes of lilac 

 and soft brown, and the wings terminate in long, 

 flowing "tails." An observer remarked that these 

 insects exhibited the outlines of a monoplane. 



New Iguanas. — Eight exceptionally large South 

 American iguanas have been purchased and installed 

 in the lizard yards. They are the largest examples 

 of this species ever exhibited in the Park. Two of 

 them are each considerably over five feet in length. 

 Their majestic poses, and eccentric decorations of 

 spines and tubercles, bring to mind the outlines of 

 certain prehistoric reptiles. The new specimens are 

 feeding upon lettuce and bananas. In their native 

 country they are alleged to be very palatable as 

 food, and are sold in large numbers in the markets. 

 The flesh is described as looking and tasting much 



like that of chicken. 



* * * * 



The Woolly Monkey. — We are often asked why the 

 specimen of Humboldt's woolly monkey is quartered 

 outside of the Reptile House. It should be ex- 

 planed that this animal is very delicate, and requires 

 individual care. He has been in our possession 

 about eight months, and is in fine condition. During 

 the early hours, when the keepers are engaged in the 

 work of cleaning the floors, this monkey is allowed 

 to roam at will. It is much interested in the snakes, 

 and climbs to the wooden ledges outside the cages 

 where it has much to say about its likes and dislikes, 

 — through the glass. Without any discernable rea- 

 son, this monkey has contracted an intense dislike 

 of the walrus; and occasionally it wanders out to the 

 pen of that animal, where it starts a series of such 

 intense screams that it soon attracts a crowd of ob- 

 servers, — who ask many questions. 



* * * 



A Prairie Scene in New York. — During the hot and 

 dry days of the past two months, the surface of the 

 buffalo range has suffered from too little rain and 

 too much heat. The short grass has turned brown, 

 and the buffaloes have established a series of dust 

 wallows. To look out over this rolling plain in its 

 present condition is to immediately recall the prairie 

 country of the great West. Clouds of dust rise 

 from the wallowing of the largest bulls, and all of 

 these animals seem really to enjoy the dry and 



parched condition of their "stamping-ground." 



* # * 



( ondition of the Musk-Ox Herd. — Without an ex- 

 ception, the members of our musk-ox herd passed 

 through the recent hot spell in fine condition. A 

 large shed has been erected in the yard containing 



the main herd, thus affording ample shade. The five 

 specimens received last year are rapidly growing, 

 and soon it will be necessary to give them more room. 

 Even in it's summer coat, the two-year-old female 

 example from Melville Island is much admired. 

 From a distance, the long outer hair of these ani- 

 mals looks heavy, and far too generous for the pres- 

 ent weather. Close inspection, however, shows that 

 the fine, woolly under coat has been shed, and with- 

 out it the long rain-coat of outside hair is so loose 

 and open that in hot weather it is not unduly warm. 



The Spectacled Bear. — The large and varied col- 

 lection in the Small-Mammal House is in thriving 

 condition, and passed through the recent hot spell 

 without a single mortality. "Frederico," the specta- 

 cled bear, has been removed from that building to a 

 temporary special cage at the north end of the Bear 

 Dens, where he will remain until the new bear dens 

 are completed. 



* * * 



The Ape Exhibition. — Steadily increasing crowds 

 daily watch the feeding of the chimpanzees and orang- 

 utans. It is indeed a rare sight, — the assembling at 

 table of nine of the great apes. "Baldy" is perhaps 

 the favorite, owing to his clown-like capers; but the 

 serious acts performed by "Susie" have won much 

 praise. "Little Dick," the small chimpanzee who 

 jumps with such alacrity into the doll's carriage to 

 be wheeled by "Susie" about the arena, has been sev- 

 eral times in the hospital, owing to extreme impatience 

 at meal times. He has a habit of pounding on the 

 rear door of his cage as the feeding hour approaches. 

 If the keepers fail to notice this signal of his readi- 

 ness to he placed at the table, "Dick" thumps the 

 door with his head, and spins about in such a frenzy 

 of rage that his cage-mates fly before him. In one 

 of these impetuous exhibitions "Dick" broke his leg. 

 A plaster jacket was applied, and with this the chim- 

 panzee, — to our great alarm, — used to pound vigor- 

 ously on the floor to attract attention ! A boy was 

 assigned to watch and control the patient, and Dick's 

 eccentric and very rough usage of his injured limb 

 played havoc with the nerves of the nurse. The 

 plaster jacket was finally removed, and the chimpan- 

 zee discharged as cured. About ten days later 

 "Dick" was again in trouble, presumably from pound- 

 ing with his feet against a metal door. This time a 

 femur was dislocated. "Dick" is once more out of 

 the hospital, but his impatience is far from being 

 cured. 



* * * 



Colonizing the Fox Squirrel. — Two species of squir- 

 rels are now at liberty in the Park. Fraternizing 

 with the grays are twelve fox squirrels. The latter 

 may be immediately recognized by their darker-gray 

 coats and their distinctly yellowish underparts. They 

 are also somewhat larger than the gray squirrels. 

 The fox squirrels came from southwestern Pennsyl- 

 vania, and by way of introduction to the Park were 

 kept about two months in a large cage outside the 

 Small-Mammal House, before the}- were set free. 

 When first liberated they frequented the vicinity of 

 their cage, and were daily fed by the keepers. Hav- 

 ing noted the friendly relations between our visitors 

 and the gray squirrels, the members of the larger 

 species have evidently made up their minds to make 

 themselves at home. They have scattered over the 

 southern portion of the Park, and thus far have ap- 

 peared to be quite friendly with the members of our 

 large colony of gray squirrels. 



