HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
"Skunks behave, with regard to hydro- 
phobia, exactly like other animals; that is to 
say, that when a mad dog traverses the dis- 
trict they live in, they are more likely to be 
bitten than any other animal, owing to the 
slowness of their movements and their reluc- 
tance to run away. In this way it has come 
about that several epidemics of hydrophobia 
have broken out in certain places, but they 
have remained localized in the infected dis- 
tricts. I have never identified this disease 
among Skunks in countries where it could 
have shown itself spontaneously, and I think 
the idea that it could be communicated by a 
healthy Skunk as absurd. I have several 
times been bitten very severely by Skunks, 
and I have done nothing but bathe the wound 
with a solution of peroxide,. Many of my 
friends have been bitten as well, and none of 
them ever contracted rabies." 
To conclude this unsavoury subject, I will 
add that the Skunk's secretion has been, it ap- 
pears, successfully employed against asthma. It 
is said that a pastor was in the habit of treating 
his attacks by inhaling the scent of Skunk-glands 
which he kept in a smelling-bottle ! One day 
when he had recourse to this remedy when he was 
in the pulpit, the stench which pervaded the chapel 
when he opened his bottle was so intolerable that 
his congregation fled in a hurry and the poor man 
was left to conclude his homily by himself ! 
It strikes me that Skunk-glands might have 
their uses at certain sittings of Parliament ! 
XOTE. — To those contemplating Skunk farming 
I beg to refer them to the advertisement on in- 
side cover. There are only twelve left. The 
only arrivals in Great Britain during the past 
three years. They were imported at very 
great expense, in consequence of the frequent 
enquiries and orders biven for thes animals. 
When they arrived, the usual thing happened 
— the supposed buyers began to make offers; 
when these liberal offers were refused, they 
hinted if they waited long enough they might 
get cheaper. I am pleased to say the price 
still remains the same. — Ed. 
THE SCOTTISH ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 
The lion cub born in the Zoological Park, 
Edinburgh, some six weeks ago has now been 
placed on view. Two living cubs were born, 
one of which, unfortunately, died when about 
a day old, but the other one. has thriven extreme- 
ly well, and the group of the mother and cub is 
a very interesting and attractive sight. Another 
very interesting birth which took place in the 
Park recently was that of lour Indian wolf cubs. 
The mother refused to nurse them, and two of 
them died soon after birth, but the remaining 
two are being 1 reared by hand, and are doing well. 
They also will probably be on view at an early 
date. 
ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
OF IRELAND. 
The Council met on Saturday, 2i7th March. 
W. E. Peebles, Esq., President, in the chair. Also 
present were : — Prof. G. H. Carpenter, Hon. 
Slec. ;, Dr. MacDowel Gosgrave, Hon; Treas. ; 
Prof. A. F. Dixon, Charles Green, Esq., M. F. 
Headlam, Esq., James Inglis, Esq., Lieutenant- 
Colonel W. E. Johnstone, Dr. Leeper, C. J. M' 
Carthy, Esq., Alfred Miller, Esq., Prof. Mettam, 
Sir F. W. Moore, Dr. O'Carroll, Prof. Scott, 
Dr. Scriven, H. E. Stephens, Esq., Sir R. H. 
Woods. 
The following gifts were noted since March 
16th : — a badger from Dr. Hearn; a Madagascar 
love bird, Mrs., Cusack; a herring gull, Miss 
Blood Smyth; horses for the carnivoira, Messrs. 
Nichols, Sir Horace Plunkett and E. D'Olier; 
apples, Mrs. Cusack, Abbeyleix. Number of 
visitors to the Gardens, 2:,523. Captain Len- 
taigne, 4th Gurkhas, and the Army and Navy 
Club, Piccadilly, was elected a life member of 
the Society, and Colonel Cowan and Mrs. de Gex 
were entered as Garden subscribers. Notwith- 
standing the cold weather on St. Patrick's Day, 
l*,44'2l .'persons passed the turn-stiles, and the 
tea room was kept exceptionally busv supplying 
lunch and tea and coffee. 
GENERAL NOTES. 
That the Zoological Society of London have 
turned Poultry Farmers and Egg Producers. 
They are opening an Exhibition illustrating the 
best methods of Poultry Keeping for Egg Pro- 
duction by the Town Dweller during the spring 
and summer months of 1916, commencing in 
April. May their laudable efforts be crowned 
with success. 
That "George," the well-known multi-coloured 
mandril at the Zoological Gardens, died yester- 
day afternoon after a 10 years' stay there. 
He was forty years old, which was a record 
for a captive monkey, and equivalent to seventy- 
five years of a man's age. 
Concerning "George's" strength, it lias 
been said it took ten men to hold him down, bul 
a Zoological Gardens official doubted whether 
even ten men would have dared the attempt. 
