Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park 22
In captivity the Beaver is not wholly a satisfactory animal. Like some
human craftsmen, he positively declines to work under observation, and
performs nearly all his tasks at night. He thinks nothing of gnawing
down a tree a foot in diameter, and cutting its limbs into pieces which
he can handle while swimming. If he can secure enough food-wood of kinds
of his liking, he eats little else. Besides building dams to create
ponds in which he can take refuge when hard pressed, he constructs
canals, and houses for winter use. He also digs burrows into high banks;
but his entrances to his various homes always are under water.
THE ECONOMIC RODENT-REPTILE COLLECTION.
As an answer to a frequent question—“Of what use are reptiles?”—a new
collection has been installed in the Reptile House. It is supplied with
descriptive labels, and serves several purposes. In the first place
there is presented an elaborate series of the small gnawing animals, or
rodents, a number of the species of which are highly injurious to the
interests of agriculturists; secondly, the exhibition contains a large
series of those species of snakes that prey upon the destructive
rodents,—thus presenting for observation the serpents of marked economic
value. Finally, the entire series stands as a clear demonstration of the
perfect logic of Nature in which the production of all animal life is
carefully balanced; for a part of the exhibition is composed of
representative species of mammals that, in turn, prey upon the serpents,
thus keeping even the destroyers of the smaller injurious creatures
within bounds!
[Illustration: BRAZILIAN TREE PORCUPINE.]
During the past two years the collection of rodents has been steadily
growing in importance. The following is a list of the species on
exhibition at the close of the year 1912:
RODENTS IN THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK.
HARES AND RABBITS (_Leporidae_)
Mexican Swamp Rabbit _Lepus palustris_.
Cotton-Tail Rabbit _Lepus palustris mallurus_.
Domestic Rabbits, various breeds (Nursery stock.)
SQUIRRELS AND MARMOTS (_Sciuridae_)
Thirteen-Lined Spermophile _Spermophilus 13-lineatus_.
Desert Spermophile _Spermophilus leucurus_.
Richardson Spermophile _Spermophilus richardsoni_.
Woodchuck _Arctomys monax_.
Prairie Dog _Cynomys ludovicianus_.
European Squirrel _Sciurus vulgaris_.
Mexican Squirrel _Sciurus aureogaster_.
Central American Squirrel _Sciurus variabilis_.
Cuban Squirrel _Sciurus chrysurus_.
Variable Squirrel _Sciurus griseo-flavus_.
Gray Squirrel _Sciurus carolinensis_.
Black Squirrel _Sciurus carolinensis niger_.
Fox Squirrel _Sciurus ludovicianus_.
White-Headed Squirrel _Sciurus macrouroides_.
Malabar Squirrel _Sciurus malabaricus_.
Chipmunk _Tamicis striatus_.
African Ground Squirrel _Xerus capensis_.
Flying Squirrel _Sciuropterus volans_.
BEAVERS (_Castoridae_)
American Beaver _Castor canadensis_.
KANGAROO RATS (_Heteromyidae_)
Kangaroo Rat _Dipodomys merriami_.
POCKET GOPHERS (_Geomyidae_)
Harsh-Coated Pocket Gopher _Geomys hispidus_.
DORMICE (_Gliridae_)
Squirrel-Tailed Dormouse _Myoxus glis_.
Lesser Dormouse _Myoxus dryas_.
English Dormouse _Muscardinus avellanarius_.
MICE AND RATS (_Muridae_)
Domestic Mouse—Unusual Color Phases _Mus musculus_.
Japanese Waltzing Mouse _Mus musculus_.
Black Rat _Mus rattus_.
Black-and-White Rat _Mus norwegicus_.
Gray-and-White Rat _Mus norwegicus_.
Porcupine Mouse _Acomys cahirinus_.
Egyptian Gerbille _Gerbillus pyramidum_.
Muskrat _Fiber zibethicus_.
Cotton Rat _Sigmodon hispidus_.
JERBOAS (_Dipodidae_)
Greater Jerboa _Dipus aegyptius_.
COYPU AND SPINY RATS (_Octodontidae_)
Coypu Rat _Myocastor coypu_.
Hutia: Cuban Tree Rat _Capromys pilorides_.
Short-Tailed Hutia _Capromys browni_.
PORCUPINES (_Hystricidae_)
Canada Porcupine _Erethizon dorsatus_.
Brazilian Porcupine _Sphingurus prehensilis_.
African Porcupine _Hystrix cristata_.
VISCACHAS AND CHINCHILLAS (_Chinchillidae_)
Viscacha _Lagostoma trichodactylus_.
AGOUTIS (_Dasyproctidae_)
Golden Agouti _Dasyprocta agouti_.
Gray Agouti _Dasyprocta prymnolopha_.
CAVIES (_Caviidae_)
Domestic Cavy _Cavia porcellus_.
Capybara _Hydrochaerus capybara_.
Patagonian Cavy _Dolichotis patagonica_.
[Illustration: MUTE AND TRUMPETER SWANS.]
SECTION II.—BIRDS.
THE GOOSE AVIARY, No. 3.
There are no birds which take more kindly to captivity, or which better
repay their keep and their keepers, than the ducks, geese, swans and
pelicans. The only drawback to the maintenance of large collections of
these birds in this latitude is the annual struggle with our arctic
winter. On account of the fierce winter storms to which we must pay
tribute, many species of swimming birds require to be taken out of their
aviary, and housed in sheltered buildings, with moderate warmth. For
this reason the pelicans, tree-ducks of all species, and all species
from the tropics, must necessarily be absent in winter from their summer
quarters.
For the accommodation of a large, systematic collection of wild geese,
an aviary two hundred and fifty feet long by one hundred and forty-three
feet in width has been constructed in the north end of Bird Valley. To
secure as much space as possible, the entire width of the open valley
has been taken into the enclosure.
The Goose Aviary consists of a pond containing three islands, two of
which are subdivided by low fences of wire netting into twelve separate
enclosures. The collection of geese has become so large and important
the original Duck Aviary has been taken for it, and the Ducks will
hereafter be found on the Wild-Fowl Pond and in the Flying Cage.
The Geese.—The collection of wild geese, in the Goose Aviary, is
unusually large, there being generally about twenty out of the
thirty-five known species. Among these one of the best known is the
Common Wild, or Canada Goose, (_Branta canadensis_). Once common
throughout many parts of the United States, continual persecution by
sportsmen and market hunters has so generally reduced its numbers that
now it is of comparatively rare occurrence.
This exceeding rarity made the arrival of nine superb wild specimens on
November 8, 1900, on the Wild-Fowl Pond, a most interesting event. Seven
of the birds, including a fine gander, through the artifice of a trap,
were induced to remain with us, and have taken up a peaceful abode on
the little lake, with others of their kind presented by Mr. A. B. Frost.
The African Spur-Winged Goose, (_Plectropterus gambensis_), although of
large size, is more properly a duck than a goose. A long sharp spur
arises from the bend of each wing, which the birds use in fighting with
each other for their mates.
The Gray-Lag Goose, (_Anser anser_), is, perhaps, the most interesting
of all geese, as being the wild species from which our domestic birds
are descended. The white color and large size are the chief differences
between the domestic and wild birds.
The White-Fronted Goose, (_Anser albifrons_), is worthy of special
notice because it is the handsomest of the ten species of North American
geese. The breeding grounds are far to the north, and in Alaska the
nests are mere hollows in the sand, lined with moss and down.
The Bar-Headed Goose, (_Eulabia indica_), inhabits the mountains of
Central Asia, nesting always over a mile above the sea. It is perhaps
the handsomest of all geese.
The Swans.—Usually at least six out of the seven known species of swans
may be seen on exhibition here.
The Mute Swan, (_Cygnus olor_), is the commonest swan in captivity, and
is the one made famous in European history and legend. It may always be
known from the other species by the black knob at the base of the bill.
It breeds freely in captivity and the young birds are known as cygnets.
The Trumpeter Swan, (_Cygnus buccinator_), being the largest bird in the
aviary, and also snowy white, is therefore the most conspicuous. Several
fine specimens are shown on the North Island, living contentedly with
other species. Some of these specimens were captured in Idaho, when
young enough to take kindly to captivity.
The Black Swan, (_Chenopsis atrata_), of South Australia and Tasmania,
is as glossy black, excepting its primaries, as other swans are white.
It is a large and handsome bird, and much sought by all persons who form collections of water fowl.
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