HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
21 
Hamlin's Jlfanajjm* jKaga^itu. 
Published on the 15th of each month. 
Editorial and Business Office (pro tem) : — 
221, ST. GEORGE'S STREET, LONDON, E. 
Telephone: Avenue 6341. 
Telegrams: " Hamlyn, London Docks, London." 
Advertisement Rates, very reasonable, on application. 
The Editor will be glad to receive for publication articles 
and all interesting photos, the imports and exports of all 
stock, and foreign adventures with all wild stock. 
BIG GAME IN THE GOLD COAST. 
Lecturing before the Royal Geographical 
Society on Monday, Mr. A. E. Kitson, Director 
of the Gold Coast Geological Survey, said that 
lions are to be found in parts of the Northern Ter- 
ritories and Northern Ashanti, where they may 
often be heard roaring at night along the main 
routes. Leopards are common in the thick for- 
ests and the open forest country where caves 
afford shelter. The elephant frequents many parts 
of the Northern Territories and some parts of 
Ashanti and the Gold Coast Colony. The hippo- 
potamus is not uncommon in the deep pools of all 
the larger rivers in the Territories and the dry 
zone portions of the colony and Ashanti, and is 
also said to exist in the thick forest in the west 
of the colony. The warthog and wild pig are 
common in the dry country north of Ashanti. Of 
the antelopes there are several species more or 
less plentiful. The hartebeest, roan, reed-buck, 
water-buck, cob, oribi, and duiker roam over the 
lightly-timbered country, especially in the Terri- 
tories and Northern Ashanti. The duiker is com- 
mon in the thicker forests, where also the bush- 
buck is found. Buffaloes are numerous in many 
parts of the country where high grass affords 
cover. The native hunters frequently shoot them, 
but they are not often seen when one is hunting 
big game. During the dry season, when water 
is very scarce except in the large streams, ante- 
lopes especially do not wander far from the 
streams. Good shooting can then be had by 
those who do not object to heavy walking through 
long grass, half burnt and trailing. 
BIRDS IN THE TRENCHES. 
The following interesting letter appeared in 
"The Times" lately :■ — 
"Sir, — In your last issue you ask for infor- 
mation on birds around the war area. I have been 
in the trenches barely three months, but quite 
long enough to convince me that birds care little 
or nothing for (he noise of war, although, of 
course, it must interfere with them to a certain 
degree. I happen to be in a very pretty part of 
the country which favours observation; neverthe- 
less it is a very active part of the line. Often 
when doing my tour of duty in the trenches at 
night I have heard the nightingale near by, and 
the cuckoo by day, while in "no man's land" the 
kestrel habitually hovers, and we are reminded 
that dawn is approaching by a lark which soars 
to the heavens and pours forth his song. Even a 
oloud clearing the moon has made him do this- 
In the trenches we also hear owls and the whistle 
of birds on migration overhead. In a small thin 
copse running from our front line into "no man's 
land" magpies may be seen busy at their nests, 
and this same copse is a favourite shelling ground 
of the enemy. As I sit now in the dug-out linnets 
are perched on the ground singing- outside the 
door. My first swallow of the year was seen 
shimmering in "no man's land" amidst flying 
lead. Four or five common partridges were shot 
from the trenches with a rifle, and, being neatly 
shot, went to swell our daily menu. 
"All this occurs amongst shells, trench mor- 
tars, grenades, rifle fire, and all the other horrors 
or war. Their extraordinary disregard of all 
these seems astounding. But enoug-h has been 
said to show that the birds "carry on" with "busi- 
ness as usual," and that is what I believe you 
wished to know. 
"As regards the effect of gas upon them I 
have no experience, but even a bird could not 
withstand that foul atmosphere, and no doubt, 
like the rats in the trenches, succumb rx> it in 
thousands, as the gas carries for miles. 
"Not only birds but insects too the trenches 
hold; butterflies and moths of various species, 
and often the eye is gladdened by the pretty vision 
of a scarce or common "swallow-tail" poised on 
the front line parapet, lightening- the subaltern's 
dreary round or tour on duty. 
Erxest E. Johxsox. 
2nd Batt., The Queen's R.W.S. Regiment." 
WONDERS OF THE GREAT DEEP. 
It is well known that at certain depths of the 
sea tota darkness prevails, hence fishes thai in- 
habit these depths have by nature been provided 
for making their own light. Great devilfish, cut- 
tlefish, and octpuses, as well as shrimp and 
prawns, flicker through the water like will-o'-the 
wisps, and the most extraordinary of all of these 
illuminated fishes perhaps is the Eunoplotheutis 
diadema, discovered bv the naturalist Chun at a 
depth of about 5,000 feet, and photographed by 
its own light. The body of this fish is adorned 
with diadems resembling many-coloured jewels 
of the first water. The lights on its sides arc' iri- 
descent as pearls, others shine with pure ultra- 
marine blue, and still others glow like rubies. A 
