82 
HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
practical zoology, and as such more ivorthy to 
be taken up by public bodies than collections of 
British wild life; I mention this, because I fancy 
there is a tendency to concentrate too much on 
all-British collections, which involves the neglect 
of many charming, useful, and instructive ani- 
mals, while a wild creature is not necessarily easier 
to keep because it is a native; indeed, ours are 
often very difficult subjects. Besides, our British 
fauna is not at all distinctive, nearly all our species 
being continental as well. In birds, for instance, 
the common red grouse is our only peculiar species 
and this is one which is hardly ever to be seen 
in captivity at all, though hand-reared grouse 
make charming pets. A selection of species to il- 
lustrate the animals of our great Empire, would, 
I venture to think, be a better idea. 
In case, however, on all-British policy In the 
menagerie is decided upon, I should strongly ad- 
vise my readers not to attempt too much, but to 
concentrate at first on subjects known to be easy 
and inoffensive. Thus, among mammals, the 
squirrel, rabbit, and the various mice and rats; 
among birds, the finches, thrushes and igeons, 
should receive attention. Among the woodpeck- 
ers, the greater spotted is the easiest subject; 
among the waders, the ruff and the moorhen, 
though the latter is rather spiteful; while the best 
duck is the tufted species, which contrasts well 
with the common wild duck, as so' afte'n seen in 
our parks. 
Unless a large pool is available, however, 
these doks are rather out of place, while birds of 
prey, of course, cause much more trouble as to 
food; the kestrel and little owl will be found easy 
and interesting, however. The other owls are not 
very lively subjects; but the barn-owl, if reared 
from the nest, can be established at liberty and 
left to provide for itself. 
(To be continued.) 
GENERAL NOTES. 
By John D. Hamlyn. 
THAT the following warning has been given to 
Poultry keepers : — 
"As the Food Controller prohibits the 
use for the feeding of animals and poultry of 
wheat, rye, barley, and rice, which are fit for 
manufacture into flour for human food,. Mr. 
Prothero wishes to impress upon poultry- 
keepers the necessity for strict compliance. 
Mr. Prothero warns poultry-keepers that the* 
must not rely on being allowed to continue 
to feed oats and maize to their birds. Poultry 
keepers should face the fact that for an in- 
definite period — certainly for some time after 
peace is declared — the reduced harvests of the 
world will leave very little grain available tor 
poultry. Should it become necessary later on 
to> ration supplies of feeding stuffs for poultry, 
only the birds of proved utility could be recog- 
nised. Mr. Prothero therefore strongly ad- 
vises all poultry-keepers to dispose of poor 
layers and unnecessary cocks immediately." 
THAT I paid a visit to the Zoo on Saturday last, 
more particularly to the Monkey House. It cer- 
tainly was the poorest collection ever exhibited 
in the Gardens since my recollection, and that is 
during the last forty years. Two of the largest 
chimpanzees have just died. Reports from vari- 
ous Northern and Central Europe Zoological 
Gardens advise that their monkey houses are 
full; they contain the usual exhibits, all being 
well fed and in good condition. But then we 
live in London ! 
THAT a "black" gull has been seen among the 
feathered visitors from the sea which haunt 
the Thames at Blackfriars Bridge. The bird 
has been noticed on several occasions of late, 
and its dusky plumage shows up in marked con- 
trast to that of its snow-white companions. 
The interesting visitor may possibly be a 
specimen of the Artie gull, to< the description of 
which it answers a good deal. 
THAT a huge fish, supposed at first to have been 
thresher shark, was washed ashore recently 
near Treshnish Point, north-west of Mull, West 
Coast of Scotland. 
It measured fully 16 feet in length, and its 
girth round the head, where it was thickest, 5 
feet. 
Its mouth, unlike the shark's, is at the ex- 
treme point of the head, not underneath. The 
pectoral fins are a foot long, and the dorsal fin 
about 7 inches, but its tail, the most remarkable 
feature, extended to 8 feet in length. 
The back of this wondt.rful fish was slate- 
coloured, and the belly white. 
THAT further examples of the ways in which ani- 
mals are equipped to hide themselves either for 
their protection or to enable them to catch their 
prey, were given at the Royal Society of Arts,, 
in the second of two lectures for children on 
animal camouflage, by Captain P. Chalmers 
Mitchell, Secretary of the Zoological Society of 
London. 
"I don't know anywhere in the world," he 
said, "where there is such wild and brilliant 
colouring and bright patterns as among the 
fish at the bottom of the sea. That is because 
it is not seen there, and you often find more 
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