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J, B. Housden—Where the Bahamas Bide 55



male Cocks of the Rock, who have lived there over three years ; it is

a wonderful sight to watch them jump and fly among the limbs of a

large banyan tree, and catch on the wing the grapes that their keeper

throws up in the air. To my amazement they never fight seriously.

Right round the public gallery, on the outer sides, are many compart¬

ments of various sizes, where an excellent collection is kept. On the

southern side there is a large planted aviary for Humming Birds. All

the compartments are separated from the public by plate glass. A long

corridor, with aviaries on both sides, some corresponding to outdoor

pens, is used for larger birds. There is also a huge and beautiful flying

cage. The St. Louis Zoo is very ably managed by Mr. G. Vireheller,

who is helped in his task by an enthusiastic amateur, Mr. E. A. Lemp,

whose country estate, 50 miles from St. Louis, contains many mammals,

living in semi-liberty, as well as birds. I regretted that I was

unable to visit it. Both Mr. Vireheller and Mr. Lemp showed me

round their Zoo and entertained me in the most cordial way. I went

to St. Louis and back by air from Chicago in one day.



“WHERE THE BAHAMAS RIDE ”


By James B. Housden


I want to suggest to any member of our Society if at any time they

should find themselves in New York City, and have the time, they

should pay a visit to the American Museum of Natural History,

77th Street and Central Park, West.


I have been there several times. On one occasion (on my way to

Southern Texas) I stayed with friends at Staten Island, N.Y., a

fortnight. Most days I found myself either at the Museum or the

Zoological Park ; a very pleasant steam-boat ride and view of New

York City and harbour, across the Hudson River.


Staten Island is very interesting in bird and bird life ; I found

there the first pair of American Robins nesting.


• Two cases of birds in the Natural History Museum are very

interesting, the one a large case of the extinct Passenger Pigeon

(Ectopistes migralorius). “ Audubon the naturalist wrote of these



