48 



HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 



to supply the heavy demand. Furthermore, Lon- 

 don and Paris have not yet made themselves felt 

 on the market. It is not at all improbable that 

 we shall find some really fancy prices being paid 

 for feathers before the supply balances the 

 demand. 



One thing is clear, and that is that this can- 

 not occur for at least a couple of years. During 

 recent years there has been a total lack of breed- 

 ing chicks. Of course, breeding is bound to start 

 right away, but the chicks which result cannot 

 give a marketable plucking for at least three 

 vears. Therefore, if the fashion is mainta'ned 

 for the next couple of years it is patent that the 

 ostrich farmer is going to> make good some of 

 the grievous losses he sustained during the War. 

 And no one will begrudge him his good fortune. 

 The industry has presented real benefits to the 

 country, and its prosperity will accentuate the 

 present progress of agriculture generally. As 

 for the feather merchant, he stands to lose or 

 gain with the farmer. At present he is gaining — 

 in handfuls. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



By John D. Hamlyn. 



THAT the Natural History Museum of New York 

 publishes a summary of scientific results ob- 

 tained in Uele by the expedition of Messrs. 

 Lang and Chapin, who were six years in the 

 Congo. The cost of the expedition was 

 290,000 francs, and resulted in the acquisition 

 of an enormous number of specimens of ani- 

 mals, birds, serpents, fishes*, and insects. M. 

 Chapin has also brought back 300 water-colour 

 paintings, whilst M. Lang has collected 9,890 

 photographs ! The Tervueren Museum is to 

 receive duplicates of all these acquisitions, in 

 the transport of which 38,000 natives were at 

 different times employed. 



THAT a Sea Cow has just arrived at New York 

 Zoo and is said to be the only specimen in 

 captivity. 



THAT a skeleton of a gigantic dinosaur has been 

 found in Wyoming. These great prehistoric 

 beasts, wh : ch lived in the water, had the most 

 enormous battery of teeth known to the animal 

 world, as they had 2,000 in the upper and lower 

 jaw. 



THAT the new tunnel at the Zoo will shortly be 

 completed. 



THAT the following is from a Somersetshire 

 paper : — 



"Mr. Wm. Manley, of this village, was 

 much surprised to find one day this week 

 one of his valuable ferrets running loose. 

 After close examination it was found that a 

 rat had eaten its way through the bottom of 

 the ferret's hutch, and thus released the oc- 

 cupant, and had devoured its food. Next 

 day the same thing happened, but with the 

 result that both ferret and rat were dis- 

 covered in the same trap. The rat was dead, 

 but happily the ferret was only caught by 

 the foot. It is generally understood that a 

 rat will not approach a ferret's box under 

 any circumstances. This may help to draw 

 readers' attention to the necessity of the 

 National Rat Week, which is to take place 

 in October, when everyone is asked to make 

 away with as many as possible of the daring 

 marauders." 



THAT some most interesting books on "The 

 Natural History of South Africa," Vols. I. and 

 II., by F. W. Fitzsimons, have just been pub- 

 lished by Longman's, Green and Co., 9/- each 

 volume. 



THAT the sales of skins, at College Hill Public 

 Sale Room on October 28th, was heartbreaking 

 to read— 200,000 Opossum, 3,00 Chinchilla, 

 100,000 Ermine, 4,000 Bear, 17,000 Wolves, 

 700 Leopard. How long is this slaughter to 

 continue? 



THAT 18 Skunks arrived on the s.s. "Michigan" 

 from New York for the Zoological Society, 

 Regents Park. 



THAT the old established house of Castang's, 

 Leadenhall Market, famous all the world over 

 for Waterfowl and General Live Stock, closed 

 down this month. I trust Mr. Castang will 

 long be spared to enjoy his retirement from 

 active work. 



Printed by W. J. Hasted & Son (T.U.), 306, Mile End Road, E. 1., and Published by J. D. Hamlyn, 221, St. George's 



Street, London Docks, E. 



