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!
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. |
MUTE AND TRUMPETER SWANS.