The Zoologist/4th series, vol 2 (1898)/Issue 681/Editorial Gleanings
EDITORIAL GLEANINGS.
At the meeting of the Zoological Society held on Feb. 15th, Mr. W.P. Pycraft read the first of a series of contributions to the Osteology of Birds. The present part (of which the following is an abstract) related to the Steganopodes:—
"The fact that in the Tropic-birds, Cormorants, Gannets, and Frigatebirds all the toes are united by a common web, has led to the belief that these forms are closely related; they form the suborder Steganopodes or Totipalmatæ of authors. A comparison of the osteology of the group confirms this opinion. Phalacrocorax may be taken as the type of the suborder, which may be divided into three sections according to the form of the basitemporal plate. In Phalacrocorax and Plotus this is seen in its most generalised form, and agrees with that of the Ciconiæ. Sula is the nearest ally of the Cormorants, as is shown by the close resemblance in the form of the fused palatines, and of the pectoral and pelvic girdles and limbs. Sula, it is evident by the form of the basitemporal plate, leads to Fregata. The Pelicans resemble the Cormorants and Gannets in the form of the palatines—which are, however, more highly modified than in these families—as also of the sternum, lachrymal, and nasal hinge. Phaëthon is the most aberrant of the group, but agrees most nearly with the Pelicans in the form of the basitemporal plate, which differs from that of the preceding families. Its sternum, though distinctly Steganopodous, differs in that the free end of the clavicle does not articulate with the coracoid by a flattened facet. Phalacrocorax, it is contended, must be regarded as the typical Steganopod. Sula and Fregata fall into places on the one side, Pelecanus and Phaëthon on the other side of this family. Phaëthon and Fregata represent the two extremes of the suborder; they alone retain the vomer, and in them the modification of the palatines and of the maxillo-palatine processes is comparatively slight."
The Annual Report, 1896–7, of the Director of the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, has reached this country. We read that very much work—essential to a museum—has been done in identification, inventorying, cataloguing, and labelling; work that, as the Director remarks, "is uninteresting, plodding, and tiresome, with nothing that appeals to the student and expert, or stimulates him to effort." With reference to the recent expedition to Somali-land, under Mr. Elliot:—"The collection obtained is very valuable, probably the most important, certainly so as regards quadrupeds, ever brought out of any country by one expedition, and consists of about two hundred mammal skins, three hundred of birds, numerous reptiles, and about half a barrel of fish, obtained on the coast and at Aden. Skeletons of every species, in certain cases two or three of the same species, were preserved, and casts of heads and parts of bodies showing the muscles of the large animals were made. These will be beyond price when it is desired to mount the species, exhibiting as they will every muscle, artery, and, in the case of heads, the proper lay of the hair and contour of the face. Besides these we have over three hundred negatives of the people we met, the scenery of the country through which we passed, and the animals, living and dead, which we had obtained. These last will be of as great value to the taxidermists in their work as the casts, and they are both unique assistants, such materials never before having been secured." We also learn that in the museum "the spirit formaline in which the specimens of fishes were preserved failed under the extreme low temperature which the exhibition halls reached at night during the winter, and alcohol has been or is to be substituted in all instances, and the specimens placed upon upright plaster slabs within the jars, thus showing them to better advantage."
"The final plans for the location of the buildings, ranges, dens, aviaries, and other enclosures for animals, and the ponds, walks, roadways, entrances, &c, for the Zoological Park in South Bronx Park, New York City, were lately submitted by the New York Zoological Society to the Department of Parks, and approved and adopted by the Park authorities. The Society has raised 65,000 dols. towards the 100,000 dols. necessary to receive from the city an appropriation of 125,000 dols. for laying out the grounds and providing drainage and water supply. The funds provided by the Society—namely, 250,000 dols. to be raised during the three years' limit—are to be applied to the erection of buildings and the purchase of collections. It is a work that may well interest people residing beyond the limits of New York City. The area allotted to the Zoological Park is four times larger than that of the largest zoological garden in Europe, and with the care that has been bestowed upon the plans, in order to secure the best results attainable, there is no reason why this country should not in due time be in possession of the best zoological garden in the world" (The 'Auk').
In last year's volume (1897, p. 44) we drew attention to an enumeration of "The Snakes found within fifty miles of New York City." We have now received from the same source—the 'Proceedings' of the Linnean Society of New York—a paper on "The Fishes of the Fresh and Brackish Waters in the Vicinity of New York City," written by Mr. Eugene Smith. The area included "embraces most of the territory immediately tributary to New York Harbour taken in its largest sense." The summary is as follows:—"Native fresh-water species known, 24; introduced species, 11; brackish water and anadromous species, 26. Total, 61. Adding thereto the probably occurring native species (12) gives a total of about 73, belonging to 54 genera and 24 families. This shows that while the number of species is not large, the families are well represented." Of introduced species, the Carp (Cyprinus carpio), Gold-fish (Carassius auratus), and the Brown Trout (Salmo fario) are of Eurasian origin. The Quinnat Salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha), from the Pacific coast, seems not to have become established.
In the official 'Wealth and Progress of New South Wales,' recently issued by the Agent-General, some interesting facts are available concerning the treatment of noxious animals in that colony. For the destruction of these, other than Rabbits, the amount paid by stock-owners in 1896 was £35,934. The numbers and animals for the year were: —
| Kangaroos | 80,639 | Native Dogs | 13,138 |
| Wallabies | 655,309 | Opossums | 7,142 |
| Kangaroo Rats | 160,808 | Eagle Hawks | 8,810 |
| Wombats | 112 | Crows | 48,308 |
| Bandicoots | 1,879 | Emus | 4,050 |
| Pademelons | 21,791 | Foxes | 66 |
| Wild Pigs | 23,000 | Flying Foxes | 3,591 |
| Hares | 551,548 |
The loss of stock from native Dogs is reported to have been 195,455 Sheep, valued at £35,670; while the loss from tame Dogs is returned as 62,135 Sheep, valued at £12,196.
The Scarborough Field Naturalists' Society have issued 'Natural History Records of the Scarborough District. Part I. Vertebrata (not including the Fishes).' This catalogue enumerates the Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians. The preface is by the members of the Vertebrate Sub-Committee, who state that "every care has been taken to make the list as complete as possible from the data available, whilst equal care has been exercised to exclude doubtful records. Many species have been omitted, the evidence of their occurrence not being considered sufficiently trustworthy."
The area defined is as follows:—"The extreme coast limits are Flamborough Head and Whitby (south of the Esk). The inland boundary follows the valleys occupied by the railway from Whitby to Pickering. Thence, in the absence of a natural boundary to the south of this point, an arbitrary straight line has been drawn to Weaverthorpe village, and thence to Flamborough Head."
An excellent example of comparing the faunistic records of old authors with the existing fauna of the present day has been set by Mr. J.W. Carr in 'The Naturalist.' He has written an article on "Fishes of the Nottinghamshire Trent in 1622, recorded by Michael Drayton in the 'Poly-Olbion'; with notes on their present occurrence." "In spite of the enormous growth of the city since Drayton wrote, and the pouring into the river of great volumes of foul water from the numerous dyeing, bleaching, tanning, and other works, as well as the effluent from the sewage farm, the fish-fauna seems to have undergone comparatively little change during the interval of 275 years since the publication of the 'Poly-Olbion.'"
In this month's 'Windsor Magazine,' Mr. C.J. Cornish gives some interesting particulars as to "How Animals come to the Zoo." We can only give the following extract:—"The readiest source from which to fill up lacunae in the 'Zoo' is the stock-in-hand of the wild beast dealers, such as the Jamrachs, Cross of Liverpool, or the surplus stock of foreign menageries, or of men like Mr. Hagenbeck, of Hamburg, who both own menageries and import wild animals obtained by their collectors abroad. The animals at the English dealers, are recorded weekly in the 'Field'; but the prices paid for really rare animals do not as a rule transpire. The first expensive purchase made for the 'Zoo' was an Indian Rhinoceros, bought in 1834. The price was merely alluded to as 'heavy'; but, as for that year the cost of purchasing animals was £1200, while in the previous year only £160 was spent, the animal probably cost not much less than £1000. The Society had extraordinary luck in their Rhinoceros collecting, whether by purchase or otherwise, though the animals cost a small fortune. In 1875 they bought of Mr. Jamrach a Rhinoceros, never before seen in Europe, for the great price of £1250. This was believed to be a Sumatran Rhinoceros, though it came from Chittagong. A few months later some undoubted Sumatran Rhinoceroses were shipped to England, and one was purchased, also of Mr. Jamrach, for £600. This was found to differ from the first, which was not only a new species, but at that time the only specimen known to exist! It was named the 'Hairy-eared Rhinoceros,' and several have since been obtained. Another Rhinoceros, from the Straits of Sunda, was then bought for £800, so that at a cost of £3850 the Zoological Gardens were able to exhibit all the species of Rhinoceros found in Asia. Other high prices paid are £100 for the first Chimpanzee, £800 for a young Hippopotamus, and £600 for a Giraffe."
"In all zoological collections there arises, from time to time, the need for some rough-and-ready surgery. A good example of work of this kind took place yesterday morning (Feb. 24th) in the Elephant-house at the Zoological Gardens, when the front horn of the female Hairy-eared Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros lasiotis) was removed. This operation was a repetition of one performed some ten years ago, when, as now, the front horn had become bent backward, and not only interfered with the growth of the posterior horn, but actually penetrated the skin, as would probably have been the case in a short time had the present horn not been removed. The operation was carried out by Mr. Bartlett, the Superintendent, and Mr. Thomson, the head keeper, who had for assistance the staff of the Elephant-house and a number of other keepers. A rope was passed under the body of the animal, which was thus securely girthed, and so drawn up to the stout wooden railings. When she was on her side, her feet were secured with straps, and so she was prevented from struggling. This, of course, was the longest part of the business, for she resisted violently and noisily, and, as may be imagined, a Rhinoceros is not an easy animal to handle. But when once the beast was in position, the removal of the horn was not a long operation, and was certainly unattended with pain. On being cast loose, the Rhinoceros, though at first enraged, soon became calm, and the chief signs of temper were the quick, fierce expirations from the nostrils, which scattered the loose straw on the bottom of the den. The malformation which rendered this operation necessary is of interest, since it throws light on the way in which some forms have been described as distinct species, owing to abnormalities in the horns, due to injury, disease, or excessive growth. It will, be remembered that a few years ago the head of an African Rhinoceros showing a third horn was exhibited at a meeting of the Zoological Society; and last year Captain Harrison shot a Black Rhinoceros with five horns, of which the third and fourth were outgrowths from the second, while the fifth seems to have been distinct."—Standard.
In 'L'Intermédiaire des Biologistes' for January (No. 5) is a reply to a query which is of interest to British zoologists. It is written by Prof. W.A. Herdman, of Liverpool, and refers to the Common Spiny Lobster:—"I think I can state that the northern limit of distribution of Palinurus vulgaris is that part of the Irish Sea which lies between Liverpool and the Isle of Man. It is commoner to the south. I have not heard of it further north, and it has only been occasionally found in our area,—the region which the naturalists here have called the L.M.B.C. district. I have two specimens which have been brought into Liverpool, and the fishermen at Port Erin, at the south end of the Isle of Man, occasionally catch the species. It is recorded in the 'Fauna of Liverpool Bay,' vol. iii. p. 53 (1892)."
The 'Times of Swazieland' lately received from Mr. John A. Major, of the Umhlaba Bomvu, Lubombo, an interesting communication on the subject of rinderpest amongst the game which at one time abounded on his farm and in its vicinity. Mr. Major writes:—"All the game of any consequence has pretty well died from rinderpest. I believe every Koodoo on the eastern range is dead, together with most of the Rooi-rheibuck; the mortality seems to have been greater amongst these two kinds of Buck than amongst others. From Mr. Whittaker and the natives I hear all the Inyala about the top end of the Tembi have died. Hearing of a Buffalo down near Wests' place in Portuguese territory, I went out with my boys to try and get a shot at same. We found the spoor well in Portuguese territory, as also a great number of dead game. I picked up and carried home no fewer than six pair of Koodoo horns, from a very old bull downwards. This does not include what the Kaffirs picked up. The game appear to die by the banks of the rivers; where the Palata runs through the mountain is a perfect charnel-house. From my own observation here the game seem to die, and the disease spread, in much the same manner as it has done with cattle, but sooner or later to become contaminated. The place where the disease appears to be absent is at the top end of the Umnyama River. Buffalo, Waterbuck, and Blue Wilderbeeste, appear to be the only game not affected with the disease; all other game are totally disappearing. Wild Pigs are particularly subject to the disease, and seven Pigs belonging to Karl Groening, which were herded with his cattle, died of the pest."
The Johannesburg 'Star' has received from King William's Town the following communication:—"Mr. J.D. Ellis, Honorary Secretary of the Society for the Acclimatization of British Fish in the Cape Colony, yesterday received from Messrs. Halse's farm at Carnarvon a magnificent Loch Leven Trout, weighing 9 lb., 25 inches long and 16 in girth, which escaped from the reservoir and was accidentally killed. It was one of a number of fry liberated in Messrs. Halse's dam only three and a half years ago, and is a great credit to the Pirie Hatchery, from which it was taken in the first instance."
From the last Annual Report of the Limerick Field Club we learn that "the capture of a fine specimen of the Royal Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) was made on July 8th last, by fishermen, near the mouth of the Maigue River, its length heing about 10 feet, and its estimated weight between four and five hundredweight.
In "Social Hours with Celebrities," being the third and fourth volumes of 'Gossip of the Century,' by the late Mrs. W. Pitt Byrne, edited by her sister, Miss R.H. Busk, are some interesting reminiscences of Charles Waterton. His 'Wanderings,' a book which had a large circulation, and was in every way successful, never brought its author a penny. The writer of "Social Hours with Celebrities" tells of going to his publishers with Waterton and inspecting the books and finding that the balance was against the naturalist. In his own grounds we read that "the Peacocks on the lawn, however depressing the weather, seemed to vie with each other the moment they saw him approach, in strolling eagerly forward, and spreading out the glory of their fantails for his delectation. Most remarkable of all, however, was it in the woods, where it was impossible not to believe the birds recognized their benefactor when one saw them come out to meet him, flying about him as he walked, settling on his shoulder, and even on his hand when he held it out to them, while a call from his voice would bring them from any distance." It is said that when his body was being conveyed in a boat across the lake for burial in a sequestered nook of the park, which he had himself selected, "a flight of birds suddenly appeared, gathering as it went, and followed the boat to its destination."
Dr. Nicolaus Kleinenberg, Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at the Royal University of Palermo, died on Nov. 5th last, at Naples, in his fifty-fourth year. He was born in the Baltic Provinces, whence he came to live in Italy about twenty years ago. His fame as an embryologist obtained his appointment at the University of Messina in 1882, from which he was transferred to Palermo. In 1888 he was appointed a member of the "Commissione consultiva per la pesca," to which, in addition to his scientific knowledge, he brought a large amount of practical information acquired by continual intercourse with fishermen. As a supporter of "experimental zones," he was appointed by the Minister of Agriculture to formulate the plan of studies to be pursued at the establishments in the Gulf of Castellamare and of Termini Imerse. The above particulars are taken from 'Giornale Italiano di Pesca e Acquicoltura.'