Evening star., 1925-07-05

tree, in order that the specimens may
be studied more eeasily.
The cages of the present birdhouse
now are being altered so that the
occupants, with their unrivaled
plumage, can be viewed better by the
public. At the same time the build.
ing behind the birdhouse is being
fitted up; with cages, where new ar
rivals or creatures temporarily Un-
suited for exhibition can be cared for
comfortably. When a creature is
received 1t is not the policy TO place
IL before the public at once, but to
get it fat with good food. tame IL
with kindness and nurse 1t into per
feet health in semi-privacy. The
spare building also is used for nesting
birds, which are prone to leave the
nests and spoil the eggs in the
presence of crowds.
Besides the births, which have been
especially numerous this Spring, the
Zoo has received the following rare
acquisitions in the past couple of
weeks. in addition 10 the Philippine
monitor and the gelada:
A pair of viscuchas from Chile.
rabbit-iike animals with long tails
and short ears.
n
a bird Of the turkey family, but
smaller than the American species.
A pair Of diamond rattlesnakes, a
gift from Mrs. H. X. Ferguson of
Florida.
A turoucou or plaintain eater
from Africa, a vividly-colored green
bird with pink around the eyes.
A golden agouti, a strange. gold
colored African monkey, also a gift
from Mr.. Grant.
An Australian and South Ameri-
can snake-necked turtle-small rep
tiles with necks about three inches
long, which they curl around the out
side of their bodies instead of drawing
inside the shell.
A Chinese terrapin.
An American boa, a. rare snake of
the same family as the giant ana
conda, received from California.
A pair of American kingsnakes.
A cage of Western field mice, kept
in a specially constructed cage In
DR.. Mann's office.
Sacred Baboon Arrives.
A sacred baboon received from the
Sudan, the same animal which figured
so prominently in the religion of the
ancient Egyptians.
A brown lemur, a woolly creature
very close to the monkeys, gray with
an orange patch on the top OF its head
This creature, in common with the
ring-tailed lemur from Madagascar, its
cage mate, is especially interesting in
view of the present conflict over evolu-
ton, Eyolutionists place the lemur as
the next step back in mammal develop
ment from the monkey. 1t has not
quite arrived at the monkey stage. To
the evolutionist the pretty little crea-
lures, great pets and always playing
together are mans third nearest rela-
tives in the animal kingdom, coming
after the manlike. apes and then the
monkeys.
A serval from South Africa, an ami
NAL somewhat like the American wild
cat, but longer, slenderer and fieeter.
This is the most valuable OF the recent
additions.
A baby Arabian gazelle, very tame,
which comes from western Arabia.
A baby Dorcas gaZelle, with long
horns, from northern Africa, also very
tame. 1t also is rather pugnacious.
A bateleur eagle from Africa south
of the Sahara, a blackish-brown bird
smaller than the American eagles,
with a brilliant orange cape and an
orange beak. DR.. Mann expects the
birds coloring to become much more
vivid after it becomes acclimated and
Is fed scientifically.
A niemv falcon from Abyssinia, lit
tie bigger than a sparrow and the
smallest of the hawk family. Both the
eagle and the falcon are gifts OF b.
H. Swales, Washington scientist and
explorer.
A Cuban parrot, vivid green with
red rings around its eyes.
A shrew, the smallest Of mammals,
ABOUT half the size of an ordinary
, house mouse.
Practically all these creatures are
on exhibition, with the exception of
the turtles.
Smaller Animals Often Best.
In his appeal to Government agen-
cies to help in the collections. DR.
| Mann points out that the smaller
animals often have the most interest
| ing habits, are the rarest and the
most valuable from a scientific stand
point. He expects to, obtain soon a
collection of bumble-bee mice from
| West Africa, very small creatures
| which can be secured cheaply, but
which are unusually interesting tc
the scientist.
He is particularly interested in OBJ
tanning further collections from
| Australia, New Zealand and NADIA
gascar, islands where the most prim
| tive of mammals are found, creatures
which have remained unchanged fol
millions of years. These animals are
becoming extinct rapidly and prob
ably would not be allowed to leave the
country for anything short Of a Gov
ernment collection. The Washington
Zoo at present has none of the egg