32 



HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 



the month of June showed that there had been 

 355 additions to the Society's menageries. 

 Among-st these, special attention was directed 

 to two cheetahs from Berbera, Somaliland; two 

 pandas, born in the menagerie on June 6; a 

 collection of birds from Gambia, West Africa, 

 consisting of fire-finches, quail finches, weavers, 

 and two black-shouldered kites, presented by 

 Dr. E. Hopkinson, D.S.O.; two Bateleur eagles 

 from Berbera, presented by G. F. Archer, 

 C.M.G. ; and two Glancour gulls, hatched in 

 the menagerie. 



The number of visitors during June had 

 been 214,769. During the year the total had 

 amounted to 672,431, and the money receeived 

 for admission at the gates, £18,167; showing 

 an increase of 352,148 visitors and £10,973 re- 

 ceipts as compared with the corresponding 

 period in 1918. The number of Fellows elected 

 or re-admitted during the year had keen 179, 

 being an increase of 74, as compared with the 

 corresponding period of 1918. 



THAT the following cuttings have been sent me 

 from South Africa :■ — 



"The Free State Provincial Council last 

 week referred to the Executive Committee 

 for consideration petitions from Boshof and 

 Jacobsdal urging the compulsory destruction 

 of vermin. Mr. J. J. Jacobs, in submitting 

 the motion, dwelt on the gravity of the posi- 

 tion, pointing out that during the last two 

 years no less than 9,816 jackals had been 

 killed, which meant at least that over 19,000 

 sheep had been killed. Yet there were per- 

 sons who left the destruction of vermin to 

 others, and gave no assistance to those who 

 killed the vermin. The only way of destroy- 

 ing all vermin was to get the co-operation of 

 the farmers, and to> do this they should make 

 the destruction compulsory. Their other 

 enemy was the "rooikat," of whom they had 

 killed over 300 las year. These could average 

 five sheep each, and they could therefore 

 estimate the farmers' losses due to vermin." 



"Our attention (says the 'Northern 

 News') has been drawn to the very important 

 part played by wild ostriches in connection 

 with gal-lamziekte since Sir Arnold Theiler 

 announced the cause of this insidious disease. 

 It is reported that there are thousands of 

 these wild birds scattered over Bechuanaland, 

 and they are especially numerous in the Kala- 

 hari and western portion of the district. We 

 are not aware if it is generally known that 

 young birds have been seen in herds of 150, 

 mothered only by a couple of old hens, the 

 young hens being driven off by the older 

 birds as soon as the chicks are hatched. It 

 is therefore easilv realised how the birds in- 



crease, especially where they are not often 

 disturbed in the less populated parts of the 

 country. One farmer recently informed us 

 that a mob of wild birds broke the fences of 

 his camp, and quite a number were killed in 

 the wire. Subsequently, he found that his 

 cattle had been feeding off these decayed 

 bones and meat, with the result that gal- 

 lamziekte soon made its appearance. Wild 

 ostriches are 'protected' by Act of Parlia- 

 ment in this area at present, and now that 

 farmers know the danger that stock runs 

 through eating putrid meat and bones, they 

 should urge Government to have the protec- 

 tion removed, or else call upon the Govern- 

 ment to remove the birds from their property 

 if they wish them preserved." 



THAT a Committee has been formed under the 

 Chairmanship of Lord Rothschild to establish 

 a memorial to the late Frederick Du Cane God- 

 man. I wish it every success. Subscriptions 

 can be sent to Mr. C. E. Fagan, Natural His- 

 tory Museum, Cromwell Road, S.W. 



THAT the Tropical Zoological Station in British 

 Guiana founded by the New York Zoological 

 Society before the war has been re-opened after 

 two years' suspension. A new laboratory and 

 dormitory have been built in the Government 

 penal settlement at Katabo, a few miles below 

 the rapids of the Mazaruni — a convenient place 

 for the study of jungle and river life. Mr. 

 William Beebe, formerly Curator of Birds in 

 the Bronx Zoological Park, is director. The 

 Government of British Guiana have given liberal 

 help to the station. 



THAT "John Daniel," the famous Gorilla, is still 

 doing well. He is lent to the Gardens on Mon- 

 days, Thursdays and Saturdays by his owner, 

 Major Penny. He is indeed a remarkable ani- 

 mal. 



THAT it was reported at yesterday's meeting of 

 the Zoological Society of London that last 

 month 168,758 visitors were admitted to the 

 Zoo, as increase of 79,819 on July of last year. 

 From January 1 to the end of July 841,189 visi- 

 tors paid gate-money amounting to' £23,110, 

 against £13,813 received from 428,967 in the 

 corresponding period in 1918. During the year 

 217 Fellows w T ere elected and readmitted, an 

 increase of 99 on the previous year. 



The Zoological Society and Mr. P. Chal- 

 mers Mitchell, the secretary, entertained yes- 

 terday a party of 400 children, half of whom 

 were cripples. This was the sixth annual visit 

 arranged by the Mile End and Stepney Cripples 

 Parlour (John Pound Mission), and another ex- 

 ample of Sir John Kirk's work in brightening 

 the lives of poor crippled little ones. 



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. 



