Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park 26

Popular Official Guide to the New York Zoological Park 26

WILD-FOWL POND,

_Heretofore Called the Aquatic Mammals’ Pond_.

 

As the birds on this pond have been transferred from the Duck Aviary,

the interest of this exhibit is of special character, and greatly

enjoyed by hosts of visitors. This is the nursery of the ducks and

geese, where, in the tangle of long grass, briars and underbrush along

the east side of the pond, the nests are built in early spring, the eggs

are laid and patiently incubated. Finally the broods of ducklings are

led to the water, to feed to repletion, throughout the summer, on the

worms, bugs and insects so dear to the appetite of these amusing little

fellows.

 

Cope Lake is the especial province of the nesting pairs of Canada geese,

and sometimes as many as eight golden-colored goslings are hatched in

one nest on the small island.

 

The Mallard Duck, (_Anas boschas_), is one of our finest swimming birds,

the joy of the sportsman who finds it in its haunts, the delight of the

epicure who finds it on the bill of fare. Sluggish indeed must be the

blood which does not beat faster at the sight of a flock of wild

Mallards, free in Nature, and ready to leap into the air and away at the

slightest alarm. After the pintail and the wood duck, this is one of the

handsomest ducks of North America, and also one of the finest for the

table. Its range covers practically the whole of the western continent

down to Panama, and even extends to the Azores, north Africa, and

northern India. The drakes are readily recognized by the splendid

irridescent green of the head.

 

The Green-Winged Teal, (_Nettion carolinensis_), and Blue-Winged Teal,

(_Querquedula discors_), are very delicate birds, and therefore rather

difficult to maintain in captivity. A flock of each will be found in the

Flying Cage.

 

The Pintail Duck, (_Dafila acuta_), is specially commended to the notice

of visitors because of its great beauty, both in color and form. Its

colors form an exquisite harmony of soft brown and gray tones which

fairly rival the more gaudy color-pattern of the wood duck. The species

is yet found occasionally along the Atlantic Coast, but like all other

edible birds, its numbers are rapidly diminishing. A large flock of

these birds will be found on the Wild-Fowl Pond.

 

[Illustration: DUCKS FEEDING: WILD FOWL POND.]

 

The Gadwall, (_Chaulelasmas strepera_), is a handsome gray bird, well

known to gunners along the Mississippi Valley, but rarely seen along the

Atlantic coast. Its chief breeding grounds are in the great marshes of

central Canada.

 

The Baldpate, (_Mareca americana_), one of the finest of water-fowl, is

now so scarce that it is difficult to obtain specimens for exhibition.

These birds are poor divers, but gain a good livelihood by feeding on

floating sea lettuce, disturbed from the bottom by the better equipped

canvas-backs and redheads.

 

The bill of the Shoveller, (_Spatula clypeata_), has become so

specialized for mud-sifting that it has actually assumed the shape of a

shovel, and is out of all proportion to the size of the bird’s body. The

sides of the bill are equipped with bony plates, through which the mud

is strained, the particles of food being caught and swallowed.

 

The Canvas-Back (_Aythya vallisneria_), and the Red-Head, (_A.

americana_), two prime favorites with the sportsman and epicure, are

exhibited on the Wild Fowl Pond. Of the latter, a good-sized flock is

shown. Canvas-Backs, however, are difficult to capture unhurt, and still

more difficult to keep alive in captivity, and for these reasons the

number exhibited always is very small.

 

The Lesser Scaup, (_Marila affinis_), is one of the sea ducks, and, like

its congeners, a very expert diver. It feeds chiefly on mollusks, which

it finds in the mud, often at considerable depths under water.

 

The Paradise Sheldrake, (_Casarca variegata_), of Australia, is a

striking bird, occupying a position mid-way between the ducks and geese.

It is interesting to note that the female is much more attractive than

the male, the head and neck being pure white, in contrast with the more

sombre body. This species is very quarrelsome in captivity.

 

The Ruddy Sheldrake, (_Casarca casarca_), is a bird of wide

distribution, being found from the Mediterranean countries to Japan, and

also in northeast Africa. Both sexes are of a uniform light chestnut,

the male being distinguished by a black ring around the neck. The nest

is always well sheltered, often being placed in a hollow log.

 

The Common or Tadorna Sheldrake, (_Tadorna tadorna_), is a remarkably

colored bird, but unfortunately difficult to keep alive in this climate.

It nests in holes in the ground, preferably in disused rabbit burrows.

 

The Mandarin Duck, (_Aix galericulata_), is the Chinese counterpart of

our beautiful Wood or Summer Duck, (_Aix sponsa_). Of all living ducks,

the males of these two species are the most gorgeously colored and

plumed, and they are also of elegant form. Although both species are

much sought after, the number of available specimens continues to be

limited to a comparatively small number.

 

 

THE PHEASANT AND PIGEON AVIARY, No. 40.

_Entire Collection is the Gift of Mr. Jacob H. Schiff._

 

The Pheasant Aviary is a building like a corridor 240 feet long with a

cross pavilion at each end. The main structure is divided into 22

shelters connecting with a like number of wire enclosed outside runways,

each of which is 8 feet wide, 24 feet long and 8 feet high. The two end

pavilions furnish 32 smaller shelters and runways, making a total of 48

compartments. The shelters are divided into two stories, the upper

series being designed for pigeons, doves and perching birds of various

kinds. Each bird in this aviary can at every moment of his life choose

according to his needs from the following series of accommodations that

are available to him: An open, sunlit yard, a storm shelter with an open

front, or a closed room with one small door and a large window.

 

[Illustration: PHEASANT AVIARY AND WILD FOWL POND.]

 

This beautiful and generous installation, 240 feet long, with 48

runways, accommodates the true Pheasants of the world, the largest group

of birds of the Pheasant Family (_Phasianidae_), which in turn is one of

the grand divisions of the sportsman’s own Order _Gallinae_, or upland

gamebirds. Of the whole Order _Gallinae_,—which includes the Grouse,

Ptarmigan, Partridges, Pheasants, Turkeys, Guinea-Fowls, Jungle Fowl,

Quails, Brush-Turkeys, Curassows and Guans—the group of the Pheasants

can justly claim the distinction of possessing the most beautiful birds.

Indeed, I think there is not to be found in the whole avian world a

group of game birds all the members of which, taken species by species,

are so gorgeously apparelled as these.

 

In this brief notice of what is really one of the finest pheasant

collections in the world, it is not possible to do more than direct the

visitors’ attention to its chief items of interest. It must be stated

well in advance, however, that these are birds of very shy and retiring

habit, which owe their existence as species to the success with which

they retreat from danger, and conceal themselves from man and beast.

These birds must not be forced to spend all the daylight hours in their

runways; for some of them could not long survive such exposure and

excitement. To preserve their lives, and keep them in health, they must

have the privilege of retiring into their shelters whenever they desire.

But they roam in and out, and by the exercise of a little effort in

returning to them, the interested visitor will find no great difficulty

in seeing all the species.

 

There are few species of pheasants whose members are sufficiently

peace-loving that many individuals can be kept together without deadly

combats. Of most species save the golden, silver and ring-neck, the

cocks are so quarrelsome that even two can not be kept together; and

this fact constitutes a handicap upon those whose duty it is to maintain

the full strength of the exhibition. If a rare and quarrelsome male

pheasant dies unexpectedly, it is not always possible to fill the

vacancy on short notice.

 

Out of the half-dozen species which claim first place in an enumeration

based on beauty and luxuriance of plumage—the Amherst, Reeve, golden,

silver, impeyan, Argus or Soemmerring—it is difficult to choose. Each

has its share of strong points, and it seems as if there is no “finest

of all.” Let us take them as they come to mind, for by reason of the

changes so often necessary in the runways, it is inexpedient to attempt

an end-to-end enumeration.

 

[Illustration: MANCHURIAN EARED PHEASANT.]

 

The Golden Pheasant, (_Chrysolophus pictus_), is a universal favorite;

and it well deserves its wide popularity. Although small, it is as

beautiful as the most entrancing sunset ever seen. It is very alert and

_chic_, it is so good tempered that we can have the rare pleasure of

seeing a whole flock in one runway, and it is a good breeder. To crown

all these fine qualities, it is so hardy, and so competent a “rustler”

in seeking food that under fair conditions it is easily transplanted

from its native home in western and southern China. It has been

introduced and acclimatized with gratifying success in Oregon,

Washington, southern British Columbia near the Pacific coast, and

elsewhere. In the shooting season, the shops of the taxidermists of

Vancouver and Portland are filled with these gorgeous creatures, which

appreciative sportsmen have found “too beautiful to eat.” One might as

well try to describe a sunset as to pen a mental picture of the

wonderful combination of golden yellow, orange, lapis-lazuli blue and

deep crimson that appear in the plumage of this gorgeous bird.

 

The Amherst Pheasant, (_Chrysolophus amherstiae_), is the nearest

relative to the golden species, and also a strong candidate for first

honors on the score of beauty. As far as you can see the cock bird, you

can recognize it by its marvellous cape of pure white feathers marked

with semicircles of black and steel-blue, which reaches from its eyes

far back upon the shoulders. It is also easily recognized by its

enormously long tail, the middle feathers of which are conspicuously

marked by a regular series of diagonal bars of black laid on a light

ground color. This bird is of small size, and fortunately for the

public, it breeds in confinement with sufficient readiness that a good

supply for exhibition purposes is thereby maintained.

 

[Illustration: INDIAN PEACOCK.]

 

The Silver Pheasant, (_Gennaeas nycthemerus_), of China, is Nature’s

“running mate” for the golden pheasant, not only in the rocky hill

forests of southern China, but in acclimatization, in captivity, and

everywhere else. Wherever you see a golden pheasant, look for the Silver

also, with its showy, snow-white tail, and white mantle of feathers

which covers the whole upper two-thirds of the bird from its ears to its

tail. Its dark-colored under surface serves well to accentuate the

whiteness of its other parts. It is a larger bird than the golden and

Amherst pheasants, but it is so good tempered that every summer two or

three cock birds are kept in the great Flying Cage along with many small

and defenseless birds which might easily be molested. In parks which are

not visited by great numbers of people, both this species and the golden

are easily domesticated, and permitted to roam at will.

 

The Reeves Pheasant, (_Syrmaticus reevesi_), of northern China, is a

most beautiful species, closely related to the Japanese, Elliott, Hume

and Soemmerring pheasants,—all of them fine, showy birds. Like the

Amherst, the Reeves Pheasant has a very long tail, which in fully adult

or old male birds often attains a length of five feet. When you see in

captivity a pheasant with an enormously long tail, it is safe to assume

that it is either an Amherst or a Reeves.