Evening star., 1927-07-24
zoo WILL ACQUIRE
F|ERCEST ANIMAL
African Buffalo Is Quaran.
tined at Boston-TurtIe
and Fish Are Received.

The fiercest of living animals, fear
ed by African natives far more than
the lion and responsible annually for
many more deaths, now is in quaran-
tine at Boston, destined for the Ma
tional Geological Park here.
This is the African buffalo, which
inhabits the swamps Of most Of South
and Central Africa. The particular
specimen coming to the Zoo probably
is not exceptionally fierce, since it
is only a calf which has been in cap
tivity since it's infancy. and it may
never develop the aggressive habits
of its type.
The African buffalo is not particu-
larly crafty, but it is an instructive
killer. It rushes head down. the fore
head protected by hard, bony plate,
and cores with it's long horns any
thing that stands in the way. Most
animals, even the lions and tigers,
ask nothing better Of man than to
leave them alone and are not partic-
ularly dangerous unless molested. But
the buffalo seeks his victims without
them waiting for them to seek him.
Obtained From Germany.
This animal was obtained from
Germany aud. since it is one of the
hoofed quadrupeds, must be kept in
quarantine for two weeks or more
until any symptoms of the dreaded
hoof-and-mouth disease have a chance
to develop.
The Zoo received this week as a
present from M. E. Musgrave Of the
Biological Survey giant Arizona
land tortoise. This is a close relative
of the Galapagos Island turtles and
is the second largest of the family
found in the United States. The
largest is the rare gopher tortoise of
Florida. This will be the first speci-
men of this type included in the Zoo
collection, although it is not rare on
the plains of Arizona and New
Mexico.
Relic OF Past.
Particular interest attaches to this
turtle among scientists because it is
one Of the few remaining relics Of
a vanished American fauna. Rep
tiles Of a somewhat similar type once
abounded on the North American con-
tinent. but the majority Of them be.
came extinct, for some unknown
cause, millions of years ago. The
Arizona tortoise thus occupies the
position Of a living fossil.
The turtle collection at the Zoo,
with several score Of rare African
types, now is one Of the largest in
the United States and frequently is
inspected by university professors
especially interested in the study Of
mammals.
Among the other recent arrivals at
the Zoo are some unusual fishes. One
Of these is the weather fish Of west
ern Europe and Asia. which looks
like a small eel. 1t is reputed to
storm is brewing and has been con-
prophet.
Champion Mosquito Eater.
Another is the black moonf1sh, from
Mexico, the worlds champion mosquito
eater. When this fish is obtainable
in greater quantities. it may replace
the carp in fetid waters as q mosquito
scavenger. The Public Health Service
of one Mexican State has promulgated
rigid orders that sufficient numbers of
these fishes must be kept in every
public water tank as a safeguard to
the health of the communities.
Probably the prettiest of the new
arrivals is the angel fish or leaf fish,
from Venezuela, which looks very
much like a brilliantly colored Au.
tumn leaf floating in the water. 1t
is yellowish, with red stripes, and as
broad as it is long, with ribs running
through the design like the ribs of a
leaf. Another is the pigmy carp, from
India, true member of the carp
family and as voracious as his larger
relatives, but less than two inches
long. 1t is covered with iridescent
silver dots, which vanish and reap
pear as it glides through the water.