48 
HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
GENERAL NOTES. 
THAT several mascots have been presented to 
the Zoological Society, London, lately, amongst 
which is "Jacko," the mascot of one of H.M. 
ships, but has now been pensioned off and put 
in the Zoo on account of the service he has 
seen. 
Originally saved from a banana boat which 
was torpedoed by the Germans, he was in the 
battles of Heligoland and the Dogger Bank. 
His troubles have made his temper uncertain. 
He wears an iron cross round his neck, on which 
are inscribed the names of his battles. 
THAT the following stock arrived on the "Ex- 
plorer" consigned to Mr. Westley T. Page : — 
1 Red Lory, 12 Ground Thrushes, 6 Barbets, 
4 Goldfinches, 1 Blue Jay, 3 Bulbubs, 60 
Finches. 
THAT no less than 5 Chimpanzees arrived dur- 
ing the last three weeks : — 1 in Liverpool, 4 
in London. Of the latter, 1 went to Copen- 
hagen, and 3 to New York. 
THAT about 30 Baboons and Monkeys arrived 
at alocal outport: They were in exceptionally 
fine condition. 
THAT a consignment of Australian Birds was re- 
ceived by a Midland Dealer, the first for some 
time. 
-@- 
THA1 the Lo .don arrivals have been practically 
nil. 5 Mongooses, 2 Rhesus, 3> Ring Parra- 
keets, 300' Canaries, 600 Shell Parrots, 22, Afri- 
can Birds. 
THAT the Performing Animals Defence Com- 
mittee held a meeting on Friday afternoon at 
Caxton Hall, London, when an appeal was made 
for the abolition of the practice of training wild 
animals for show purposes. Miss Douglas 
Hume said that as animals were bery like in- 
fants, their physical sufferings were more than 
those of adult human beings. It was one thing 
to develop tht understanding of a wild animal 
by scientific methods, but quite another to force 
it for show purposes. 
THAT there was a little excitement at the Zoo 
last week when the crocodiles keeper, Collins, 
who, when entering their tank, slipped and fell 
into the water. The noise of the splash roused 
the reptiles, which seemed to think food had 
been thrown in. Collins, however, escaped by 
vigorously beating them off with the stout pole 
which past experience had taught him to take 
into the tank. 
THAT "The World's Fair" gives the following 
description of the visit of the band of the Garde 
Republicaine : — 
"The band of the Garde Republicaine 
had a great time in London on Sunday after 
their enthusiastic reception at the Mansion 
House on Saturday. They visited Bucking- 
ham Palace, played to a vast audience in the 
Horse Guards Parade, visited the Zoo, and 
explored the Gardens at Kew. 
" But perhaps the greatest surprise of all 
turned up at the Zoo. 
" Going- from cage to cage the Frenchmen 
at' length reached the tortoise house, where 
they saw the giant tortoise with his head 
buried in the earth,. 
" 'Oh, la la,' they cried. Then there was 
a roar of laughter. One of the wags of the 
party cried 'Le tank,' and the joke went 
round until all the members of the band sent 
up the shout, 'Voila le tank.' " 
THAT further interesting information has been 
sent as regards the mammals in the trenches; 
needless to say the rodent order has asserted it- 
self. The ubiquity and iniquity of the rats, 
and, in a less degree, of the mice, are com- 
mon knowledge : some of the rats, indeed, have 
been of such exceptional size as almost to de- 
serve recognition as a trench "race." Field 
voles, too, in at least one locality, so swarmed 
in the trenches that they got killed by the men 
walking upon them. Hares appear to have 
been fairly plentiful; one observer records five 
having been killed by shrapnel — all of them 
within 500 yards of the front trench. In the 
"Zoologist" of last April, Captain Philip Gosse 
enumerates sixteen species of wild mammals, 
fourteen of which he himself caught close to 
the trenches. Six of these were insectivorous, 
nine were rodents, and one — the weasel — was 
a carnivore. But foxes have also been seen, 
and at least one polecat. 
THAT all my readers having any Norwich and 
Yorkshire Canaries, British Birds and Ferrets, 
Australian and Indian Birds, will kindly offer 
same to me without any delay. Lowest prices 
for prompt cash. 
JOHN D. HAMLYN. 
October 15th, 1916. 
Printed by W. J. Hasted & Son, (T.U.), 306 Mile End Road, London, E. 
