Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park 18

Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park 18

The Bay Lynx, Red Lynx, or Wild Cat, (_Lynx rufus_), is the smallest of

American Lynxes, and it is the one that inhabits the United States

eastward of the great plains. Until further notice, this species will be

found in the Small-Mammal House. It may have a few dark spots, or none

at all. Its color varies so greatly that it is at times impossible to

determine where this species leaves off, and the more heavily spotted

subspecies of the southwest takes its place. The latter is known as the

Spotted Lynx, (_L. r. maculatus_).

 

The large and important group of Viverrines, or long-faced cat-like

carnivores of the East Indies, (Family _Viverridae_), is well

represented. It is the true Civets which furnish—some of them—the

evil-smelling civet of commerce—an odor which we would gladly do

without. The Common Civet-Cat, (_Viverra zibetha_), is the best known

member of this Family, and it is easily recognized by its large size,

heavily-spotted body and ring-streaked tail. It is common throughout the

Malay Peninsula, and in many other portions of the Malay Archipelago.

The larger Malayan Civet-Cat, (_V. malaccensis_), strongly resembles its

understudy, but its black spots and blotches are larger and more

intense, and in form it is much more robust.

 

The large and handsome White-Whiskered Paradoxure, (_Paradoxurus

leucomystax_), has been in the Park about six years, and to-day it

coughs and snarls at the visitor just as it did in the beginning. It is

a smooth-coated creature, colored like a puma, and comes from northern

China. Other members of the Family _Viverridae_ contained in the

collection are the Malayan Paradoxure, (_P. hermaphroditus_); the Black

Paradoxure, (_P. niger_); the African Ichneumon, (_Herpestes

ichneumon_), the strange black creature from the Malay Peninsula called

the Binturong, or “Bear-Cat,” (_Arctictis binturong_), and the Suricate,

or Slender-Tailed Meerkat, (_Suricata tetradactyla_), of South Africa.

 

Into the Small-Mammal House have drifted and comfortably settled down

several canine species which are not so well satisfied, elsewhere. The

Black-Backed Jackal, (_Canis mesomelas_), of Africa, is one of the most

interesting, and it is also the one that thrives best in captivity. It

is very much like a dark phase of the Azara Dog, of South America, and

it is the handsomest of all the Jackals. The Cape Hunting Dog, of

eastern Africa, has for years been present in this building, and it will

be kept as continuously as circumstances will permit.

 

The New Mexico Desert Fox, (_Vulpes macrotis neomexicanus_), is a small

understudy of the better known Swift or Kit Fox of the northern plains,

but it has larger ears. Neither of these delicate little species seems

to thrive in our large Fox Dens, which seem to be too large for them;

but in this building they thrive and are quite content with life. The

Swift Fox is the four-footed elf of the plains, and it is unfortunate

that the poison laid for the fierce and cruel stock-killing wolves

should prove its extermination—as it surely will, ere long.

 

The Arctic Fox, (_Vulpes lagopus_).—This creature of the polar world is

a striking example of climatic influence on a species, and also of the

danger that lies in describing a species from a single specimen. In the

far north, the Arctic Fox is snow-white all the year round. Farther

south it is white in winter, but in summer is bluish-brown. In the

southern part of its range, the Aleutian Archipelago for example, except

for an occasional white individual, it is dark all the year round, and

is known only as the Blue Fox. At first it may seem difficult to believe

that these two widely-different extremes are only color-phases of the

same species; but it is quite true. The dark-colored animal is not even

accorded subspecific rank.

 

On various islands along the Alaska coast, especially in the Aleutian

Archipelago, about forty commercial companies are engaged in breeding

Blue Foxes for their fur, some of them with satisfactory success. The

foxes are fed daily, on cooked corn meal and dried fish. They come up to

be fed, and when the time comes to handle and sort them previous to

killing the annual allotment, they greatly facilitate matters by the

readiness with which they enter box traps.

 

The great decrease in the annual supply of good fur has caused many

persons to hope that fox-breeding may be developed into a remunerative

industry. Except in Alaska, no extensive experiments in that line have

been made. It is quite desirable that fox-breeding in the United States

should be taken up under state or national auspices, and worked out to a

successful issue. There is good reason to hope and believe that it might

be developed into an important industry.

 

From Argentina, South America, have come two fine specimens of the Azara

Dog, (_Canis azarae_), which, but for their half dog-like tails might

pass anywhere as rather odd-looking gray foxes. But they are a visible

reminder of the fact that the pampas of South America contain an

extensive series of foxes and wild dogs, which thus far is practically

unknown everywhere north of the Amazon.

 

The Dingo, or Australian Wild Dog, (_Canis dingo_), is represented by

two specimens which look like ordinary yellow dogs. By many persons it

is believed that this animal was not indigenous to Australia, and was

planted there by man, but the evidence in support of that supposition is

by no means conclusive.

 

The Coati-Mundi, (pronounced coy-ty mon-day), is for its size one of the

best exhibition animals that can be found outside of the Primate House.

It is closely related to our raccoon, but is far more showy and

interesting. It has a very lively and industrious disposition, is a good

climber, and from dawn until dark is almost constantly on the move.

Although it is a carnivorous animal, and provided with powerful canine

teeth, it is not naturally quarrelsome, but on the contrary is quite

gregarious in its habits. The genus _Nasua_ inhabits Mexico, Central and

South America. We have two species, the Red Coati-Mondi, (_Nasua rufa_),

and the White-Nosed, (_N. narica_).

 

The Raccoon Dog, of Japan, (_Nyctereutes procyonoides_), is to all

outward appearances a raccoon, but its feet are digitigrade, not

plantigrade, and it is a true dog.

 

The American Badger, (_Taxidea americana_), is represented by a fine,

large and very light-colored specimen that was presented by President

Roosevelt. The European Badger, (_Meles taxus_), is shown near by.

 

Our collection of Rodents contains the following important and

representative species of squirrels:

 

North American.

 

Gray Squirrel _Sciurus_ _carolinensis_ New York.

Black Squirrel “ “ Ohio.

Fox Squirrel “ _ludovicianus_ Kansas.

Southern Fox Squirrel “ _niger_ Louisiana.

Red Squirrel “ _hudsonius_ New York.

Eastern Chipmunk _Tamias_ _striatus_ “

Western Chipmunk “ _speciosus_ California.

Parry’s Spermophile _Citellus_ _parryi_ Alaska.

Thirteen-Lined _Spermophilus_ _tridecem-lineatus_ Iowa.

Spermophile

 

Foreign Species.

 

Malabar Hill Squirrel _Sciurus_ _malabaricus_ S. India.

Indian Hill Squirrel “ _bicolor_ N. India.

Prevost Squirrel “ _prevosti_ Malayana.

Golden-Bellied “ _aureogaster_ Mexico.

Squirrel

Columbia Fire-Backed “ _variabilis_ S. America.

Squirrel

 

No collection of Rodents is worthy of acceptance by the public without a

fair representation of Porcupines. The most wonderful species is the

African Porcupine, (_Hystrix cristata_), which when disturbed erects a

threatening array of enormously-long, shining black-and-white quills

that are a wonder to behold. The lofty white crest of this animal is one

of its most conspicuous features.

 

The Indian Crestless Hill Porcupine, (_H. longicauda_), usually present

in our collection, is merely a quiet understudy of the former. Strange

to say—and also provoking—our old friend of the North Woods, the Canada

Porcupine, (_Erethizon dorsatus_), is much more capricious and difficult

to keep for a long period than either of the fine foreign species

already mentioned. It is only the men who know all about animals who can

tell us why nothing seems to exactly satisfy them, and why they will not

breed here, live ten years and be happy. Even the best cage life does

not seem to be good enough for them; but we are still experimenting.

 

In order that visitors to the Park may at all times be able to see a

Beaver, (_Castor canadensis_), and not be thwarted in that desire by the

very shy habits of the animals in the Beaver Pond, we have a specimen on

exhibition in the Small-Mammal House. This individual came from the Rio

Grande, as a small kit, and has been reared in its present quarters. It

is kept constantly supplied with food--wood, chiefly of poplar and

maple, and clean water in which to bathe.

 

[Illustration: AFRICAN PORCUPINE.]

 

The Capybara, (_Hydrochaerus capybara_), is the largest of all gnawing

animals, and the most remarkable rodent in our collection. In form and

size it suggests a large, gray, coarse-haired pig. It is a water-loving

animal, of the American tropics, and lives on the grassy banks of the

delta of the Orinoco, and similar places farther south. It is one of the

best divers of all land animals, and when attacked on land always

plunges into the water and dives for about 100 feet before coming to the

surface. It is strictly a vegetable feeder, and its flesh is very

palatable food. It takes kindly to captivity, and in disposition it is

very affectionate.

 

The Agouti, (_Dasyprocta_), is to the jungles of South America as the

cotton-tail rabbit is to the forests of the eastern United States; but

structurally it is not closely related to the members of the Rabbit

Family. It lives wholly on the ground, in dense cover, and is very

difficult to shoot. As a rule, it is impossible for dogs to catch it

because it runs so swiftly through the dense cover that they cannot keep

it in sight. There are a number of species, varying in color from dark

brown to golden yellow.

 

[Illustration: TAMANDUA.]

 

The Toothless Mammals.—The Order _Edentata_ contains some of the most

odd and remarkable mammals that ever find their way into a zoological

park. They are the armadilloes, ant-eaters and sloths. Without

exception, they are delicate feeders, and difficult to keep for long

periods, and for this reason the number on exhibition constantly varies

between half a score and none at all! As far as it is possible, the

species named below will be kept on exhibition; but these rarities are

difficult to obtain, and the supply must be regarded as intermittent.

 

The Nine-Banded Armadillo, (_Tatu novemcinctum_), of southern Texas and

Arizona, and southward, is the only edentate found in the United States.

Its total length, from nose to tail-tip, is about 26 inches, and it is

about as large as an opossum. Its strangest feature is the horny shell,

with 9 jointed bands in the middle, which Nature has designed for the

animal’s protection. It lives in burrows in the earth, and in a wild

state it feeds on a mixed diet of worms, ants, snails, beetles,

grasshoppers and other insects.