ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



571 



of an elaborate series of 

 tortoises and turtles, the 

 outside yards of the Rep- 

 tile House are stocked 

 with the best collection 

 exhibited since the open- 

 ing of the Park. The 

 most showy of the new 

 chelonians are the Radi- 

 ated Tortoise, Testudo 

 radiata, three specimens 

 from Madagascar, a n d 

 four specimens of the 

 Leopard Tortoise, T.par- 

 d a I i s , from Abyssinia. 

 Over a dozen species, of 

 five genera, are rated 

 among the new aquatic 

 chelonians. 



In the purchase of crocodilians the writer was 

 fortunate in obtaining a half-grown example of 

 the Broad-Headed Crocodile, Osteolaemus te- 

 traspis, from Sierra Leone, the bony head of 

 which causes it to be quite characteristic. In 

 addition to this species were a young Nile 

 Crocodile, Crocodilus niloticus, a Salt-Marsh 

 Crocodile. C. porosus, from Sumatra, and a 

 young example of the Broad-Snouted or Horned 

 Caiman. Caiman latirostris, from the Amazon. 

 The Horned Caiman is also a great prize. Like 

 the Broad-headed Crocodile it is for the first 

 time exhibited in our Reptile House. 



The writer feels particularly proud of the 

 collection of batrachians obtained abroad. The 

 result of the addition of representative series of 

 toads, frogs, salamanders and newts, are several 

 grouped exhibits on the main floor of the Rep- 

 tile House — features we have long needed, as 

 the batrachians, with their varied strange forms 

 and brilliant colors are always of great interest 

 to the public. An enormous Japanese Giant 

 Salamander was bought of Carl Hagenbeck and 

 now 'occupies a commodious tank. A case con- 

 taining a number of species of Tree Toads has 

 been arranged and attracts much attention. 

 This contains the gorgeously-hucd Golden 

 Tree Toad, Hyla aurea, of Australia and five 

 other species. A series of fourteen cages now 

 forms an exhibit showing the frogs and toads 

 of Europe. The most attractive among the new 

 batrachians, however, are a dozen specimens of 

 the strange Aquatic Toads, from Africa, these 

 representing two species: — Xenopus laeins and 

 X. muelleri. These eccentric creatures are 

 strictly aquatic — never leaving the water. The 

 hind feet are extremely broad and the graceful 

 swimming movements of these animals at once 



SPINY-TAILED LIZARD. 



suggest the actions of broad-finned fishes. The 

 eyes are small and placed directly on the top of 

 the head. 



We have placed these toads in a conspicuous 

 tank and they form a novel exhibit. Explana- 

 tory labels tell of their relationship to the Suri- 

 nam Toad, Pipa americana, of South America. 

 which they resemble in structure and habits. 

 They differ from the Pipa in the breeding 

 habits, however, the eggs being attached singly 

 to water plants or stones. The tadpole is 

 provided with a pair of long tentacles, causing 

 the larva to resemble an elongated catfish. 



With the close of his report the writer wishes 

 to express his hearty appreciation for the hos- 

 pitality extended in London, by Dr. P. Chal- 

 mers Mitchell, Secretary of the Zoological So- 

 ciety of London, and Superintendent R. I. Po- 

 cock, of the London Zoological Gardens. With- 

 out the valuable assistance given him, in pro- 

 viding a headquarters with the presence of 

 skilled keepers, it would have been practically 

 impossible to care for his rapidly accumulating 

 collection and to place the animals on board ship 

 in good condition and well caged. The food 

 required for this miscellaneous collection in- 

 volved about everything used in feeding animals. 

 Head-keeper Hoekingdon, of the London Gar- 

 dens, supervised his carpenters in making up a 

 series of substantial travelling cages to take the 

 places of those sent from the dealers — which 

 latter cages were lacking in conveniences for 

 feeding and cleaning. Scrapers and other 

 trevelling paraphernalia were also made at the 

 Zoological Gardens in London — in fact, every- 

 thing done to facilitate a successful shipment 

 across the Atlantic — and with the results al- 

 ready described. 



