ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



897 



of the pool was raised three feet, to economize 

 water. The pool is now easier to empty and to 

 clean, and the change in no way detracts from 

 the swimming possibilities. The present inhabi- 

 tants are exceedingly active, and furnish plenty 

 of excitement for the visitors that constantly 

 gather around. 



Musk-Ox Herd. — Because a musk-ox looks 

 as round and sleek as a Jersey cow, it does not 

 necessarily follow that it is just as fat. If the 

 musk-ox is amiable and allows one to approach 

 closely enough to stroke him, the investigator 

 would be astonished to find under the long, silky 

 outside hair, a thick covering of the finest wool, 

 at least two inches thick. During the cold that 

 prevails in our New York winters, this covering 

 is at its best ; but as the warmer days approach, 

 the wool is shed out, leaving the musk-ox in the 

 lightest of summer covering. To all appearances 

 his pelage is just as abundant as ever, and in 

 consequence the animal is an object of much 

 speculation by visitors as to the extent that he 

 is able to endure the heat. Thus far this season 

 Keeper McEnroe has collected from five young 

 musk-oxen about twenty pounds of wool, and 

 there are as many pounds yet on them. It could 

 be converted into excellent clothing, as it is as 

 fine and delicate as the best wool of sheep. 



Wild-Horse Colt. — If there is special signifi- 

 cance in being born on Sunday, our herd of 

 Prjevalsky horses is destined to become famous, 

 for all of the births in that family have occurred 

 on that day. The latest foal arrived on June 

 9, 1912, early on Sunday morning. The total 

 is now five specimens, three of them born in the 

 Park. 



Births. — Six elk, two axis deer, three sika, 

 a barasingha and four red deer, besides three 

 buffalo calves have been born into the herds 



this season. Only by constantly selling the 

 rapid increase have we been able to prevent the 

 herds from overflowing the various ranges. Were 

 it not that our fine surplus is in constant demand, 

 we would be confronted by serious problems in 

 overstocking. 



Bob-White. — The quail covey that spent the 

 winter in the Park disappeared as mysteriously 

 as it came. Not a sign nor a sound announced the 

 departure of the quail, and it was generally 

 concluded that these shy birds had been fright- 

 ened away for good. Unless some human voice 

 is deceiving us, however, the very sweet calls, 

 "Bob-white! Bob-white," that recently have 

 floated through the woods of Beaver Valley 

 would indicate that these interesting birds have 

 not deserted the Park. In fact, the chances are 

 that breeding operations are under way. 



A Lively Bear Cub. — One of the little bear 

 cubs born to Czarina possesses the faculty — 

 which seems inherent among bears — for finding 

 every nook or cranny worth while trying for an 

 escape. He succeeded in getting through an 

 opening in the overhang not over six inches wide. 

 When captured he made a very noisy resistance 

 and aroused his mother to the extent that the 

 keepers could not open the gate of the den to 

 put him back. Accordingly he was loosely 

 wrapped in burlap and lowered into the bathing 

 pool; his mother promptly rescuing him. All 

 openings large enough for a small Raffles bear 

 to squeeze through have been closed. 



Shouting Pea-Fowl. — The peacock is the para- 

 dox of the avian world. To display his gorgeous 

 plumage upon any and all occasions is appar- 

 ently as agreeable to him as it is to the observer. 

 But there is a thorn for each rose, and a voice for 

 each peacock. While the proudly strutting bird 



HIS MOTHER RESCUED HIM 



