THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 3 
Se the parents are shot and the young ones taken. These 
have to be transported and shipped to dealers, chiefly in 
Europe, from whom they are purchased by the Zoological 
Gardens, and this means another long and exhausting jour- 
ney for the exhibit. It can easily be imagined that the 
drastic change of conditions, with unsuitable food and small, 
cramped quarters, prove very disastrous to the animal, and 
it is safe to say that for every specimen exhibited six have 
been killed in one way or another. However, as soon as 
they arrive in the Gardens every care is taken to make them 
as happy and comfortable as the circumstances will permit, 
though in the present state of the Gardens this does not 
amount to what could be desired. This brings us to the 
pessibilities of getting animals in a natural state, and as free 
as possible from any artificial conditions. Up to a few years 
ago practically nothing was attempted in this way, but Carl 
‘Hagenbeck, a very clever German, with his great natural 
love for wild things, set himself the task of solving this 
problem in his own private Gardens in Hamburg; and so 
well has he succeeded that now even the wild Carnivora can 
be kept in spacious quarters, in every way resembling their 
‘natural habitat, where they have ample room, fresh air and 
sunlight, and, most important of all, no bars between them 
and the public; for iron bars spell captivity, and to eliminate 
them is a very great triumph. These compartments are 
made of stone, with a moat in front, so that the animals can 
be seen with nothing to stop.the view. Then, again, moun- 
tain goats and sheep are put on miniature hills, and enjoy 
their natural surroundings to a great extent, and the Herb- 
ivora generally, instead of being enclosed each in his own 
little paddock, have in common large areas in which to roam. 
And it is found that they keep to themselves, and no injury 
results to any of them. Smaller animals have neatly con- 
structed rock cages, or are allowed loose on enclosed trees as 
occasion requires. Birds have immense wire aviaries, in 
which they can fly and have a large amount of liberty in the 
fresh air. 
Under these conditions captives do well, and reproduce 
their kind to an extent which was not possiblé under the old 
regime. We hope to follow this course in Sydney immi- 
diately good quarters can be procured, where the specimens 
will be free from the dust and bustle of the city. In passing, 
it is well to emphasise the fact that wild specimens the 
world over are rapidly decreasing. In North America: the 
few that remain are shut up m reserves. This system’ is 
being followed out in Africa, and specimens are not available 
