174 K. Plath—Birds at the New Chicago Zoological Park


the Red-billed the throats and breasts are white while the Ariel has

this same region rich orange and the Sulphur and White breasted has it

white overlaid with rich yellow. These birds are all attractively tame

and their loud yelping notes are often heard. Then comes the Cock of the

Rock, flamboyant in its coat of radiant orange. The depth of tint on this

bird is indescribable, suffice to say it actually glows. The peculiar flat,

lateral crest can be brought down to completely conceal the yellow bill.

The female has a smaller crest and is entirely coffee-brown in colour.

A very rare specimen in zoo collections is the Imperial Ant-Pitta.

In shape it is like a typical Pitta but entirely different in colour, being

shades of earth-brown varied with buff and black in delicate markings.

It is quite amusing with its globular body (no tail) and long legs.

Adjoining it is a fine Brazilian Motmot, a great pet which really likes

to play. Its colour is rich green suffused on the under parts with russet

and shading to blue on wings and long tail which it regularly swings

and trims according to the custom of all Motmots. The head is gorgeous

with markings of turquoise and ultramarine varied with velvety black.


In this same section are the winter quarters of various Doves and

Pigeons which have outdoor aviaries in summer. We have three

varieties of the magnificent Crowned Pigeons, the Common, Sclater’s, and

Victoria. Our collection of Doves and gallinaceous birds is far from

complete as their building and runs are not yet ready. We have the

Bleeding-heart, Speckled, Wonga-Wonga, Nicobar, White-crowned,

White-bellied, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Tambourine, Blue-spotted, Diamond,

Australian, and Indian Green-winged Doves, etc.


So far as is possible we try to have the birds in this building grouped

geographically though it does not always work, out so. In the North

American division are several Hawks and Owls temporarily installed

because the outside quarters are not yet ready for them. A European

Kestrel shares a cage with several of the beautiful little Sparrow Hawks

and a Great Horned Owl and a Barn Owl live amicably together. A

Short-eared Owl is in an adjoining cage. White-necked Ravens from

Western North America and the Common Crow are part of the American

collection. The Raven is a small species, Corvus cryjptoleucus, no larger

than the Crow and named “ White-necked ” because the bases of the

neck feathers are white. One wonders at the application of this for a



