68 
HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
replaced. There have only been three in the his- 
tory of the gardens. Some specimens we should 
obtain almost at once, such as flamingoes and 
penguins, and I am already in negotiations for 
sea lions. I do not propose to fill up the place 
with grain-eaters; even if the Government were to 
release sufficient quantities I do not think this 
would be right. 
" Of course, the Gardens are not in such a bad 
state as some people may imagine. People do 
not realise the difference between winter and 
summer at the Zoo>. Every year, when April 
comes, I receive letters saying 'how nice the birds 
are looking, and how shocking the mammals. ' 
The reason is perfectly plain and simple. Birds 
have a new plumage in the early spring, while 
mammals are losing their winter coats and are 
looking shabby and moth-eaten." 
NATIONAL PARKS WANTED. 
Dr. Mitchell was; asked by our representative 
whether the day would ever come when it would 
be possible to breed wild animals in this country, 
so that there would be no danger of the Gardens 
being left ultimately with pictures only of some of 
those animals which are threatened with extinc- 
tion. 
"You cannot combine a breeding farm and a 
show place," the doctor replied, "except for very 
stupid animals. Supposing you had a big place 
in the country arranged entirely for breeding, and 
admitting practically no visitors; you might breed 
a certain number of the carnivpra and most of the 
herbivorous animals, but I do not think you would 
ever prevent animals from becoming extinct. 
There are exceptions, of course. Bison, for in- 
stance, are actually being replenished from men- 
agerie stock. 
"The only practical safeguard against the 
extinction of animals is the establishment in every 
part of the world of preserves that shall be abso- 
lutely protected and guarded. To breed animals 
successfully you must have a considerable number 
of heads of stock, for it does not follow that any 
particular male and female will breed. The chief 
reason why; we do not breed here is that we have 
not sufficient stock for that purpose. Animals of 
which we have plenty nearly always breed. Among 
the difficulties is the psychological difficulty — that 
animals prefer their natural conditions and do not 
take kindly to breeding in captivity, with the 
result that you often find them killing their cubs." 
Some years ago, when addressing the Zoolo- 
gical Section of the British Association, at Dundee, 
Dr. Mitchell urged very strongly the view that 
preserves should be established in order to cope 
with the danger that threatens the surviving land 
fauna of the globe. He pleaded for the creation 
of sanctuaries in every country — "national parks 
secured for all time against all the changes and 
chances of nations by international agreement." 
He called upon zoologists to lead the way "by 
laying down what is required to preserve for all 
time the most representative and most complete 
series of surviving species without any reference 
to the extrinsic value of the animals." 
As a result of the interview, our representa- 
tive formed the impression that so far as the future 
is concerned the Zoo will quickly readjust itself, to 
the favourable days of peace, not only recovering 
its pre-war excellence, but beginning again its 
steady scheme of year-by-year improvement. So 
far as the war period is concerned, says Dr. 
Mitchell, " I think we have got through extra- 
ordinarily well." 
WILD SWANS IN IRELAND. 
By H. B. Rathborne. 
It was only yesterday with the assistance of 
a field glass I watched for a quite a long time 
about fifty or sixty Bewicke swans feeding on a 
shallow part of Lough Erne. It is quite easy to 
recognise them with their goose-like head and 
green cere over the bill and quick jerky move- 
ments in and out through each other, giving an 
occasional flute-like whistle. 
There are also' thousands of the common or 
domestic swan (gone wild), but they keep form, 
like the Grand Fleet when feeding, never' break- 
ing through the line they form into. Two Mal- 
lard ducks were keeping company with these 
swans, taking advantage of the mud stirred up 
as they fed neck deep on the various aquatic 
weeds. 
Whoopers pay us odd visits, but not nearly 
so numerous as the Bewicke; they arrive just 
before Christmas and leave about the end of Janu- 
ary. No one seems to interfere with them as it 
is supposed to be unlucky to kill a swan in Ire- 
land. 
-®- 
AS OTHERS SEE US. 
THE JUNGLE IN THE BACKYARD. 
Few London householders can boast of a 
jungle in the backyard. Some, it is true, will 
i 
