59 
(2) Herodiones. 
An Indian Open- bill Stork, Anastomus oscitans^ a very 
rare bird to see alive and well in captivity. Mr. Basu 
told me that he had had it now for over a year.’**' 
(3) Limicolae. 
Two Great Stone-Plovers, Esacus recurvirostris, one of 
which was presented several years ago by Mr. Frank 
Finn. As Mr. Basu writes in his “ Gruide,” page 44 : 
“No visitor can miss the stone-plover, which, with 
unfailing regularity, follows the footsteps of every 
passer-by in hopes of food or notice.” 
Reptilia. 
Two enormous Land Tortoises, probably Testudo gigantea. 
Five Gharials, Garialis gangeticus. 
Three Water Waran-Lizards, Varanus salvator^ one of 
these being a particularly big specimen. 
Calcutta Botanical Garden. 
The “ Royal Botanic Garden,” as it is officially called, of 
Calcutta, is situated at Sibpur, on the west bank of the River 
Hugh, opposite Garden Reach. 
This garden was “founded in 1786 on the suggestion of 
Colonel Kyd, who was appointed the first Superintendent” 
(Murray, “Handbook to India,” 8th Edition, 1911, p. 65); 
it is 278 acres (112*49 hectares) in area. 
This magnificent institution is too well known to require 
any description in this report. I will only mention the great 
banyan tree and give some details of the staff kindly given 
to me by Mr. G. T. Lane, who was so good as to show me 
over the gardens when I visited them on May 12, 1913, 
and to answer my many qustions on matters concerning the 
management of public gardens. 
The celebrated Banyan Tree, Ficns betigalen^is, is now 
* In the “ List of Animals in the Garden on 31st March, 191.3,” pages 36 to 46, of 
the “ Keport of the Honorary Committee for the Management of the Zoologi<‘al 
Garden, Calcutta, 1912-13,” this Anastomus does not appear to be mentioned. 
