HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
large mammal, possibly a relation of the Elephant. 
In connection with this, however, I should like to 
point out from my studies of the Bantu languages, 
that the ordinary large hippopotamus is not m- 
frequently called the water-elephant in the Bantu 
and Semi-Bantu languages of West-central Africa. 
The paraphrase is indeed a comparatively com- 
mon one, and especially in the regions whence t" e 
stories come of the existence of a water-elephant. 
I cannot help thinking, therefore, that the explana- 
tion of the whole rumoar lies in the too literal 
understanding of the African's terms. He has 
desired to inform theWhite man that in a certain 
river, lake, or swamp, there is a water-elephant, 
but what he means is nothing but the ordinary 
hippopotamus. 
I am, 
Yours obediently, 
H. H. JOHNSTON. 
IMPORTANT NOTICE. 
All Subscribers in Norway, Sweden, Den- 
mark, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Holland, 
who have not received their December and Janu- 
arv numbers, are requested to communicate at 
once with the Editor. They will in future re- 
ceive the Magazine through the Office of Messrs. 
W. H. Smith & Son, Strand, W.C. 
CHARLES JAMRACH. 
Born, 1815. Died, 1891. 
Aged 76 years. 
(This photograph was taken in 1868, when 53 
years old.) 
The Actual Founder of The Wild Beast, Bird and 
Reptile Trade in the World. 
I have received by the kindness of M. Wuir- 
ion, Societe Nationale d'Aviculture de France, 
Paris, the above photograph. 
It is the property of M. Geoffroy Saint 
Hilaire, the late Directeur du Jardin Zoologique 
d'Acclimatation de Paris. 
The thanks of the readers of this Magazine 
are cordially given to the above two gentlemen. 
It is my intention to write up fully the Life and 
History of this Founder of the Animal Trade in a 
later number of this Magazine. I should esteem 
it a favour if my readers will forward all inter- 
esting data, and any general information that 
they might have concerning the late Charles Jam- 
rac'h. 
It shall be faithfully and kindly recorded in 
this Magazine. 
I had the pleasure of being with this great 
man for twelve months some 38 years ago. It 
was a most interesting- and fortunate engagement 
for myself. His fund of humour was immense. 
His contempt for enormous losses and disappoint- 
ments were such as is seldom found in any man. 
I have known him lose £6,000 in one month and 
be absolutely cheerful over it. Yes; he was a 
great man in his day ! 
JOHN D. HAMLYX. 
February 5th, 1916. 
BIRD LIFE IN REGENTS PARK. 
By A. D. Webster. 
Having for many years kept a record of the 
visit of rare birds to the Park it has occurred to 
me that the following notes might prove of inter- 
est to some of your readers. 
Amongst the fifty-nine species that I have 
seen in the Park, several must be reckoned as 
extremely rare for London and include such un- 
common visitors as the Great Crested Grebe, 
Sandpiper, Nightingale, Golden Crested Wren, 
Y\ neatear, Snipe and Woodcock. 
When the general unfavourable conditions 
for bird life that exist in our parks are taken into 
account, the list must be considered as a long 
one, though the somewhat stringent rules of the 
Royal Parks and privacy of some of the shrub- 
beries and adjoining grounds have no doubt much 
to do with the appearance of the rarer kinds in 
this North Western corner of the great Metro- 
polis. A little over a century ago, when the pres- 
ent site of Portland Place was a famous Wood- 
cock drive and Snipe were shot by the Euston 
Road, old Marylebone Park Fields, now the site 
of Regent's Park, with their numerous hedges 
and thickets of trees were recorded as the haunts 
of several rare and interesting birds. Times have, 
