Join our zoo community

Der Fuhrer im Zoologischen Garten zu Berlin 1866 - English Translation

Discussion in 'Zoo History' started by TeaLovingDave, 4 Jan 2023.

  1. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    As I recently mentioned over in my thread devoted to reviews of zoological guidebooks within my personal collection, I have been methodically reading and translating the 1866 guidebook to Zoo Berlin which opened the thread in January 2022 with the intention of posting the entire guidebook to Zoochat - both as a means of sharing the information within, ensuring it is preserved for future generations and possibly provides insights into the early years of the collection which may not have been published in English-language until now.

    Due to the length of the document, and the historical relevance of same, I have decided to post the translated guidebook within this dedicated thread rather than my existing guidebook thread - I will naturally post a link to this thread there.

    A few notes first:

    • the original guidebook contains numerous footnotes, primarily providing information on given individuals who donated animals to the collection; I have approximated these using the "spoiler" tool.
    • the guidebook appears to have been originally accompanied by a map, given the use of regular numbered references within the walkthrough account therein, but my copy lacks any such material; as such I will post a pair of images which I have taken from German-language books on the subject of the history of Zoo Berlin, depicting a copy of the map from the 1864 guidebook (two years prior to the publication of this guidebook) and a modern-day diagram showing the general footprint of Zoo Berlin in the 1860s. The first of these does not fully correspond with the numbering within the guidebook, but represents a pretty good second-best option.
     
    Chlidonias likes this.
  2. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  3. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    FOREWORD: Establishment, purpose, administration of the zoological garden.

    The Zoological Garden in Berlin, the main ornament of the city we live in and which few strangers leave unvisited, is located next to the new Landwehrkanal, directly adjoining the most beautiful parts of the magnificent Tiergarten.

    It owes its origin to the efforts of the deceased Privy Medical Councillor, Professor Dr. Lichtenstein, who founded the Actien-Verein des Zoological Gardens. For his use, the prestigious King Friedrich Wilhelm IV - exalted promoter of all scientific and technical undertakings - granted the former royal pheasantry enclosures within the Tiergarten for the purposes of the association. The zoo received its first inhabitants through the same royal munificence, as the animals on the Pfaueninsel near Potsdam were moved here free of charge.

    In addition, the sum of 25,000 thalers from state funds was granted interest-free for several years, a loan period which has been extended again more recently; this was for the use and purposes of the Zoological Garden.

    The garden design was created under the ingenious direction of the late General Director of the Royal Gardens, Dr. Lenne; the construction of the buildings, all of which stand out for their tasteful expediency and elegance, was completed by the court architect Professor Strack, the royal architect Cantian and the architect and admiralty counselor Herter.

    On August 1, 1844, the Zoological Garden was opened to the public, which continued to show great interest in this institute through frequent visits, participation in the stock company, and gifts to enlarge the collection.
    The names of donors are always given on the plates under the names of the animals.

    The Actien-Verein des Zoologischen Gartens has the objective to form a zoological society, which through the collection of living animals will promote scientific observation and investigation, as well as artistic studies, and to spread natural history knowledge amongst the people. Each shareholder has free entry for his person and his dependents. A family subscription has also been set up for the price of 5 thalers per year.

    The affairs of the Association are conducted under the supervision of the State by the Royal Ministry of the Ecclesiastical, matters are dealt with by appointed commissioners and by the board of directors elected from the company.

    The current commissioners:

    • Senior Privy Councillor Knerk, the Chairman
    • Professor Dr. Peters, the General Secretary of the Association.

    The current board members:

    • Senior Privy Medical Councillor Professor Dr. Gurlt
    • Councillor of Commerce Brunzlow, Treasurer of the Association.
    • Councillor of Commerce Schemionek
    • Bookseller Reimer.
    • Landlord Splittsgerber
    • Landscape painter Julius Helfft

    Syndic of the Association is the Supreme Court councillor and university judge Herman Lehnert.


    .
     
  4. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    Deaths, as well as new acquisitions of animals, often necessitate their rearrangement; any deviations from the information given here can then be seen from the nameplates on the other frames. Follow the signs posted throughout the garden in the direction of the arrowheads on them.

    ---

    On entering the Zoological Garden, we draw the visitor's attention to the fact that, no matter how extensive it is, the viewer is not tired, because the most diverse changes in the landscape keep the eye occupied.

    We are immediately captivated by the beautiful avenue of firs that cuts through the front part of the garden; the alternating cast-iron stands within demand attention, as do the lavishly-coloured ornaments on the brackets
    ---

    Parrots and Cockatoos
    During unfavorable weather and in the winter season, accommodated partly in the monkey house (No. 2) and partly in the inspection house (No. 16)

    The macaws from the Americas are the largest parrots, and have a wedge-tail and bare cheeks displaying rows of bristles; they can be tamed, but do not learn to speak. There are blue and red macaws.

    The Scarlet Macaw, Ara Macao, over 2 feet long and a brilliant red colour; it is among the most beautiful of the parrots, and is an adornment of the primeval jungle, where it attracts the attention of travellers with its cry, which sounds like its name. They prefer to roost in coconut trees. The savages adorn themselves with their feathers, and the Brazilians use them to write and attach them to their arrows. They live to a very old age.

    The Blue Macaw, Ara ararauna, has a tail two-and-a-half feet long, and is blue with yellow below and a black head and beak; comes from the West Indies and South America, and has the habits of the scarlet macaws just described.

    The Cockatoo's, Cacatua cristata, get their name from their voice, are 16 inches long and are snow white. Some are yellow or red at their plume and at the base of the tail. Often coming from the East Indies, they learn to talk and are easy to tame.

    We also find here:

    Ara aracanga, a red-and-blue macaw from South America.
    Cacatua rosacea, red-plumed, from the Moluccas.
    Cacatua triton, yellow-plumed, from New Guinea.
    Cacatua galerita, a large yellow-crested cockatoo from Australia.
    Cacatua ducorpsii, a blue-eyed cockatoo from the Solomon Islands.
    Cacatua leadbeateri, pink-breasted and plumed, from Australia.
    Licmetis tenuirostris, a long-nosed parrot with white feathers, red-yellow on the beak, from southern Australia.

    The first path that cuts through the avenue of fir trees leads to the right:

    1) DEER ENCLOSURE.
    The Nilgai, (Antilope picta); lives both in pairs and isolation within the dense forests of India, surpasses all related species in malice and remains dangerous even when in captivity and accustomed to humans. The buck greatly exceeds the hornless female in size; he is 4 feet high at the shoulders, slate-gray overall, with entirely white lips, chin and belly, and has a white patch on cheeks and forehead. Females and young are reddish. A bundle of long black hair hangs down the front of the neck, and a short upright mane stands on the back of the neck. The black horns are about 7 inches long.

    Wapiti or giant deer from Canada, Cervus strongyloceros; it is distinguished from other deer by its colossal body, as it is around a third larger than our red deer to which it is otherwise very similar. Like all deer species it sheds its large antlers, which grow to over 6 feet long, every winter. The body is reddish-brown, grey-brown in winter, with white-yellow hair around the anus, edged with black. It lives in northern America, chiefly on the upper Missouri. It is used in the same way as red deer; the meat is tasty game, and the skin and antlers are often traded to Europe.

    Following the path leading to the deer enclosure, you reach the:

    Buffalo Bay.
    The Bison, Bos americanus; its homeland is North America, where it parallels the aurochs, to which it yields nothing in size and strength, and likewise has experienced the fate of partial extermination. They live together in large herds of up to 20,000 individuals, are wild and treacherous, and defend themselves with mad determination when attacked. The bison exceeds the common cattle in size, being 8 feet long, 5 feet in front, 4 feet in back, and weighing between 1200-1500 pounds. The body is thick and heavy. In the bull, the neck, nape and withers are covered with long hanging hair, which becomes a beard under the chin, giving the animal a terrible appearance. Both sexes carry their heads low, and have short, thick, round and black horns.

    From here you return to the deer enclosure and turn along to:

    2) MONKEY HOUSE

    04.jpg


    It is divided into a central building and two extensions. In the central building (wire pavilion) are:

    The Maki, Lemur; they belong to the prosimian family and differ from the actual monkeys mainly in their teeth, but like these only have hands on their legs. Their figure is slender, the head pointed like that of a fox with a bare snout; the large red eyes unmistakably belong to a nocturnal animal. The fur is dense and woolly, almost completely covering the short ears, and the tail is long and bushy. Their homeland is the island of Madagascar. They move with grace and agility, and Linnaeus gave them the name Lemur (ghost) to evoke their nocturnal life and quiet ghostly movements.

    The Affen (French, singe, English. monkey) are found in the warm zones of the whole world, and differ from humans by having hands on both the front and rear limbs; however they match humans in the shape and number of their teeth. When walking they use all 4 feet because they have difficulty walking upright. They feed on fruit, eggs and insects, and prefer to live in trees. They only give birth to a single young, which they love very much and carry with them clinging to their backs and around their bodies. They are wicked, false, thieving and indecent. The following species are particularly noteworthy:

    Capuchin monkeys, brown-bodied; face, neck and chest off-white; live in Guiana. They are the most slender of all known monkeys, and use their tails as a balancing pole. The Indians say that they sink their tails into the hollows of trees to extract eggs and other things.

    Baboons with protuberant, callused buttocks, an elongated canine snout and short tail; mostly native to southern Africa; they are so strong that they can overpower people.

    Guenons, baboons in miniature; 1.5 feet long, with an equally-long tail, a brown face with ears and hands black, tame but lively. They live in large flocks in Africa and the East Indies, and often devastate fields and gardens.

    Within the annexe through the door on the right:

    The North American Skunk, Mephitis chinga; it has the ability to spurt a liquid of the foulest smell from a glandular sac located around the anus at its enemies, from up to 4 feet away. The almost-inextinguishable odour can only be removed from clothing with the greatest difficulty. It lives in hollow trees and burrows, and feeds on eggs, young birds and frogs, is about 12 inches long excluding the 6 inch tail, and is black with two distinctive white streaks.

    The Marmoset, Hapale jacchus; differs from all other monkeys through its small size; it has long, soft fur with wavy horizontal stripes that are a mixture of black, white and reddish-yellow, the ear has a tuft of white hair, and the head and throat are completely black, with only a white spot above the nose. His fatherland is Brazil; it feeds on fruits and insects, which it pursues very eagerly. The female generally gives birth to 2-3 young at a time.

    The Rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus; they inhabit America and are extremely venomous, so that their bite quickly leads to death. They have a rattle of horny rings on their tail, which makes a rattling noise when moved. They are sluggish and drowsy, but will climb trees, do not readily attack humans when unprovoked, and feed particularly on frogs and mice.

    The South African Python, Python natalensis, from the Cape of Good Hope. It used to live in the Cape Colony area, but was pushed out there by the increasing population, and is now only found in large numbers in Port Natal. It is in no way inferior to its Indian relatives in size, and its way of life corresponds entirely with that which is generally known with regard to these giant snakes. The basic colour of the upper side is olive yellow, with a brown longitudinal stripe on the back which is interrupted in places by light yellow spots; the sides are reddish-white. They grow up to 15-25 feet long.

    The Footless Lizard, Lacerta apoda, inhabits much of southern Europe and northern Africa, has the shape of a snake, and grows to 3-4 feet in length. It is particularly common in southern Russia, and is known there under the name “Scheltopusik”.

    In the opposite containers:

    The African Spectacled Snake, Naja-Haje; known to the ancients by the name of “Aspis”, and is not only identical with Cleopatra's snake, but was also depicted on monuments by the ancient Egyptians. It inhabits the crevices and holes of old ruins, and differs from the Indian Spectacled Snake through the lack of markings on the posterior neck and much less extensible throat. They are fierce and bold, and are fearsome because of their dexterity, and because their bite is extremely venomous.

    The Howling-or-Bullfrog, Rana mugiens; it lives in the eastern United States of North America and is solitary, grows to about 18" long, i.e. with outstretched legs, and weighs about three-quarters of a pound. It is said to be able to jump over 4-foot high fences, and its call is said to be similar to the distant ox roar.

    Ancistrodon contortrix; Mocassin from North America. The head is triangular and flat, the body covered with diamond-shaped lobed black scales, with whitish curved spots on the sides. It is much more venomous than the rattlesnake, and even more dangerous because it has no rattle.

    Footless Lizard. (See above.)

    Within the annexe through the door on the left:

    The Caiman, Alligator Lucius; has a broad tongue which is fused to the throat, wedge-shaped teeth, a spade-shaped ear opening behind the eye, and webbed toes. The body is covered at the top by bony shields with a raised ridge. It lives in all the fresh waters of the warmer parts of the United States of America, grows to over 20 feet in length, and is very dangerous to man and animals coming to drink. The female lays 10-60 eggs in holes in the bank, in nests made of vegetable matter, which develop the necessary brooding heat through fermentation. They are killed by the thousands to use their skins for footwear and saddles.

    Armadillo, Dasypus villosus and setosus, from Brazil. The armadillos are covered with a carapace of bony plates, and roll up like a ball when threatened; They only live in the hotter regions of America, and dig underground passages with their claws, into which they flee when pursued. They feed on ants and other insects, and also on roots and fruit.

    On the lawn in front of the monkey house:

    Various Land-Schildkroten (French tortue, English tortoise) from Greece and North America (Testudo graeca and carbonaria); these have a broad shell, into which the head and feet can completely or partially withdraw, which reaches over 2 feet long. Their food consists of parts of plants. The colour of the shell itself is never very lively, and alternates between black, yellow and brown, but often has a very delicate appearance due to the regular furrows and ridges.

    These are kept in the monkey house during cold weather.

    .
     
    Last edited: 4 Jan 2023
    Dylan likes this.
  5. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    The path running from the annex on the left leads to:

    3) CASSOWARY HOUSE
    06.jpg

    The New Holland Cassowary or Emu, Dromaeus novae Hollandiae, grows to 6 feet in height and is therefore closest in size to the ostrich; it has bristly black quills instead of flight feathers, long bald feet with three toes and claws, a pointed beak and no tail. Their favourite foods are apples and chicken eggs.

    The Helmeted Cassowary, Casuarius galeatus; it is found on Java, Sumatra, the Moluccas and several islands, particularly in New Guinea. The cassowary's ability to fly is even more limited than that of the ostrich, since the bone structure of the wings is weaker and shorter, and the wing feathers are only thick quills that have no vanes and broaden forwards. The bony helmet of the head develops more and more with advancing age.

    The South American Ostrich or Rhea (Rhea americana), is the largest American bird, but is considerably smaller than the African Ostrich and differs in several respects; their head and neck is feathered; there is only one spike on the wings; their feet have 3 toes; the plumage is lead-gray. They live in troops, are not very shy, and trustingly will approach human dwellings; they are easy to tame. Its flesh is eaten.

    The path that leads to the bridge on the left is not taken, but rather the path that leads to the right from the front; always keeping to the right, this leads to 4, 4a and 5.


    4) FLAMINGO AND STORK PONDS
    Left at the bridge:

    The White Swan, Anas olor; a well-known bird found almost everywhere in Europe on lakes and large ponds. It is a courageous animal, which dislikes the white colour just as much as the red; it hisses and grumbles when unfamiliar people dressed in white approach him. They are said to reach between 30 and 100 years old. The wild swans usually migrate south in October, e.g. to Sardinia, but return to us in mid-March. They move in troops of 40 to 60, and form a crooked line in the air.

    The Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea, is a little smaller than the stork, with a long, thin curved neck and a deep-set golden-yellow beak. On the back of the head lies a black plume consisting of 3 long black feathers. The plumage is bluish ash-grey. It lives throughout the temperate zone along rivers and swamps, and feeds on fish and amphibians. Standing in water up to its heels, it waits for hours almost motionless and catches its prey with remarkable speed.

    The Purple Heron, Ardea stellaris, lags behind the grey heron in size, and has soft brown owl-like feathers, with beak and feet a greenish-yellow colour. It inhabits temperate Europe and Asia and is found even in Sweden, but is a migratory bird that is very sensitive to cold and seeks out milder areas for wintering early on. It leads a nocturnal life, is very shy and only lives in very dense swampy areas where it then lets its uncanny loud call ring out.

    Cormorant, Colymbus cristatus, inhabits freshwater, especially the larger reedy lakes of the northern countries, from where it migrates southwards in the autumn. It swims and dives very well, and does great damage in lakes and ponds by catching so many fish. The beak is of medium length and compressed, with the upper jaw bent over into a hook, and the throat skin expandable. The body is long and somewhat flattened, with a long and thin neck. The plumage is green-black with a bronze sheen.

    The White Stork, Ciconia alba; their feathers are white, and only the tail and flight feathers are black; their legs and beak are red. It is 3.5 feet high, and is found throughout Europe and southern Russia, often as far north as southern Sweden, and also breeds there; in the winter it migrates to Italy, Greece and Africa, but does not breed there. They return to us at the end of March. It loves water-rich swampy areas, and feeds primarily on amphibians, but also eats young birds and mice.

    Black Stork, Ciconia nigra; their plumage is blackish, with a white belly and breast; and their beak and legs are dark yellow. It lives in the same way as the white stork and in the same area.

    Right from the bridge:

    Pelican, Pelecanus Onocrotalus; inhabits south-eastern Europe, and appears to be widespread over much of Asia and Africa, has a very long and flat beak, lives especially in warm countries at the mouths of rivers and lakes, and feeds on fish. The skin between the jaws expands into a large throat-pouch, in which it collects stores of food.

    The Marabou, Ciconia marabou. It has a bare head and neck, with gray-blue plumage above and white below. The beak is of an unusually-large size. It inhabits a large portion of Africa, and is said to be very common on the west coast. By his gluttony he is very useful, indiscriminately devouring carcasses, bones, snakes and other reptiles, smaller mammals, and the refuse that pollutes the air in cities. Both the marabou and the larger Goiter Stork (Argala) living in India possess the marabou feathers which all the ladies are looking for, which are the actual tail coverts of the bird.

    The Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber; this has the longest neck and legs of any bird, and the beak is bent downwards in the middle like a knee. The plumage is rose-red on the upper parts of the body, and reddish-white on the lower parts; the flight-coverts are crimson, and the wing-feathers are black. They live sociably on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, and occasionally stray into Germany. Its food consists of small shellfish and fish, which it brings up from the bottom with its neck upturned and its upper beak down. When brooding, she sits, as it were, riding on the high nest made of mud, so that her long legs hang down on either side of the nest. The ancient Romans considered their tongue and brain to be exquisite delicacies.

    The Little Egret, Ardea nivea; their plumage is pure white, and the beak is black. It grows to 1-1.5 feet tall and lives in Asia, Africa and southern Europe, where it nests in Hungary and also on the Rhine. The long back feathers grow into the magnificent plumes which are especially used by military officers.

    The Sacred Ibis, Ibis religiosa; their beak is long, thin and curved, and the gular pouch is bald and without feathers. The body is as large as that of a domestic duck, and the plumage is snow-white except for the wingtips, the beak, head, neck and feet, which are all black. They were held in high veneration by the ancient Egyptians, as is proved not only by many passages written by classical historians, but above all by the unmistakable illustrations that appear so often on Egyptian monuments. They live in a similar way to our storks, are shy and difficult to exterminate. Their home is the interior of Africa; in Egypt it is now only known as a wintering migratory bird.

    4a) Reindeer Paddock

    Reindeer of Lapland (Cervus Tarandus) are the size of fallow deer and vary greatly in colour when tamed. Their large, round hooves, which spread out as they step quickly, indicate an animal capable of enduring long-distance running on snowy surfaces. They find a suitable home only in the coldest countries, and endure degrees of cold without disadvantage which very few other land mammals can tolerate. Their diet primarily consists of the well-known reindeer lichen. It is well known that they serve the Arctic peoples partially as draft animals, and partially as beasts of burden, with their meat and milk used for food, their fur for clothing or tent coverings, and even their sinews and bones are not thrown away unused.


    5) DEER BAY


    Red Deer, Cervus Elaphus (French le cerf, English the stag)(footnote) Gift from Herr von der Goltz of Voigtsdorf. (end footnote); these are among the largest and most beautiful wild deer, and are to be found throughout Europe and Central Asia. They live together in herds separated by age, and in winter they lie close together in order to stay warm. They shed their antlers every year. In July and August the ends turn hard and the deer brush them off on bushes. The new antlers are initially white, then yellow, and after 14 days brown. The deer are gentle and sociable, curious, but quick to flee when danger arises. During the mating season in September and October the stags lose their gentleness and often fight furiously with each other.

    The Hog Deer, Cervus porcinus, from East India; it is delicate in build, and very like our Roe Deer, stands 3.5 feet tall, is brown in colour, and has long, thin three-pronged antlers. In its fatherland it is often kept tame; this is from where its peculiar name probably derives, as well as from its fat, round body.

    The Axis Deer, Cervus axis; this is the best known of all Indian deer, and is frequently found in menageries and in England in deerparks where it breeds. Shape and size are like the fallow deer, but the antlers only have three ends, are flat and thin. The body is reddish-brown in colour, spotted with white, with a black stripe running down the back; the underside of the body is white. They lives on the banks of the Ganges, generally in Bengal and on the larger Indian islands.

    The Goat Deer of Aristotle, Cervus Aristotelis, only lives in the East Indies and is also called the black stag. Its antlers are only three-pointed, similar to those of the Roe Deer, but with the eye point pointing upwards. The body is black-brown and is said to be larger than that of our Red Deer.

    .
     
    Dylan likes this.
  6. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    The path that branches off to the left at the end of the deer paddocks leads to:

    6) THE NEW POULTRY HOUSE

    08.jpg

    Turn right and look at both sides.

    The Peacock, Pavo cristatus; at what time this well-known bird, originating from East India, was introduced into Europe is unknown; it must have already been common in Italy in early times, as it appeared on the table at feasts in the glory days of the Roman Empire. and the Emperors Vitellius and Heliogabalus set before their guests dishes made from the tongues and brains of peacocks. It surpasses all other birds by the magnificent ornamentation of their erect tail, has become acclimatized in the most diverse range of countries, and breeds without any particular difficulty.

    The Common Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo; their homeland is all of North America, from the Isthmus of Panama to all the northern provinces where mighty streams pursue their way through lonely forests. It was first introduced to Europe in the 16th century, and became rapidly commonplace with ease. The wild turkey is more slender and long-legged than the domesticated variety, which is 4 feet long and 5 feet wide, dark bronze-green with a strong iridescence. The beak is yellow, feet are red, and their weight is sometimes 40 pounds.

    The Numidian Crane, Grus virgo; although the name indicates African origin, it is more widespread, also inhabiting a large part of Central Asia, Syria, Persia, and mainland India; even appearing very occasionally in southern Italy. Like the Common Crane, it is shy, watchful and flighty, and also generally resembles it in terms of behaviour, the type of flight and gait. The colouring of the plumage is grey, with a tuft of white feathers springing up from behind each eye and reaching over the back of the head, forming a beautiful adornment. Feet are black, and beak yellow.

    The Japanese Pheasant,. Phasianus versicolor, bears a close resemblance to the Bohemian Pheasant in size and colouring of plumage, but the colour is brighter and more vivid.

    The Isabell Pheasant, a hybrid variety of the Bohemian or common Pheasant with the Silver Pheasant.

    The White-crested Pheasant, phasianus albocristatus; like most pheasant species, it lives in Asia and is distinguished by the white plume covering the back of its head.

    The Black-backed Pheasant, Gallophasis melanotus. all have bare, warty cheeks, and a long, wedge-shaped tail, which consists of 18 narrow, pointed, roof-shaped feathers. They live wild in Asia and are bred in pheasant gardens because of their rich, tender meat.

    The Guan. Penelope cristata, inhabits the northern part of South America, and measures around 30 inches long. The upper part of the body is dirty dark-brown with green iridescence, and on the brown underside, especially the breast, there are regular white spots; a feathered plume rises up on the head. The throat wattles are bright red, as are all the bare patches of skin on the head; the feet are also red. In Brazil, with their tasty meat, they take the place of pheasants – which they also surpass in size.

    The Golden Pheasant, phasianus pictus; is not surpassed in colour by any of the domesticated birds living in Europe. It is little wonder that the Romans, who had received inadequate and perhaps exaggerated descriptions of him, believed them to be the real Phoenix. Its native land is China, but in the Levant, Egypt, and much of Africa, where breeding has few difficulties to content with, the pheasant has become an entirely wild, feral bird.

    The Silver Pheasant, phasianus nycthemerus, originates from northern China and has found such a suitable climate in Europe that it lives and reproduces without any difficulty. The hen appears in much simpler plumage than the richly adorned male, being reddish-brown with grayish-white underneath. The cock is snow-white with elegantly-drawn fine black transverse lines, and a black breast; on his head he has a long, flowing black plume, and the skin of the face, which is featherless, is a vivid red colour.

    The Curassow, Crax mitu, of Guiana, is the size of a turkey; the upper beak, which is strongly swollen, is coloured bright red. The plumage is glossy blue-black; with the feathers on the top of the head ruffled into a dainty bonnet. They live socially in the jungles of southern America, solely nesting in trees, and are hunted for their tender, tasty meat.

    The Cochin-China Fowl, which are well-known, always decorate chicken yards in various varieties, and are very popular with housewives because of their size and their large, very tasty eggs. The following chicken races are found here; Weisse-Haarhuhn; Prinz-Alberts-Huhn; Spanisches-Huhn;. Weisstollige Polands; Gold-Bantam; Weisses Englisches Huhn; Polands-Huhn; Zwerghuhn aus Japan; Campiner.

    The Swamphen, Porphyrio hyacinthinus, lives in North Africa, western Asia, the Greek Islands and Sicily. The colouring of their plumage is indigo-blue merging into sea-green, and the red feet have very long toes which they use to catch their food and bring it towards the beak. The beak and eyes are both red. They build their nests amongst the rushes and the reeds of large swamps.

    Take the path that turns right from here, after:


    6a) HOUSE FOR SMALL PREDATORS

    The Dingo, Canis Dingo, or New Holland Hound; it belongs to the group of greyhounds, and provides a rare example of simultaneous existence in the wild and half-tamed states. At what time and under what circumstances the dog, which may not be regarded as a native animal of New Holland, was introduced there is unknown. In some regions it roams about in great numbers as a true plague, robbing the colonists of many animals from their herds. Its appearance is wolf-like, betraying malice, cunning, and savagery; the colouring is mostly red-brown.

    The Marsupial Bear of New Holland, Sarcophilus ursinus, takes the place of the martens of the old world, feeding on nocturnal small mammals, but does not climb. The head is thick, the body is squat, and the snout is blunt and wide. The hair is shiny black brown; the ears are rounded and hairless. Posture and some behaviours are reminiscent of the bear; it brings food to its mouth using its forefeet. The female gives birth to 4-5 young, which, like all marsupials, are born immature and remain within the pouch on the female's abdomen. In the wild state, as well as in captivity, he is untameable, fierce, and quick to bite.

    Raccoon, Procyon lotor, of North America; about the size of a badger, lies in hollow trees by day, and seeks its food by night; they eat fruit, and choke the hens and eat their eggs. In stormy weather they can remain in their nest for a whole week without eating. They allow themselves to be tamed like domestic animals, love delicacies and treats, and dip all of their food in water before they eat it, washing it with their front feet; they have much the same nature as monkeys and dogs.

    The Civet Cat, Viverra zibetha, lives in southern Asia, and is similar in habits to the cat, climbing trees and eating birds and other small animals. It only hunts for food at night and not infrequently invades chicken coops, like martens and polecats do with us, but has a predatory nature of its own.

    The Egyptian Lynx, Felis chaus; their colouring is grey-yellow overall, with the underfoot reddish-yellow. A black stripe runs from the corners of the eyes to the blunt snout, the tail is ringed with black at the tip, and the tufts of hair on the ear are of short length. It lives in swampy regions overgrown with brushwood, and feeds on mammals, birds, and fish.

    The Serval, Felis Serval, lives from the east coast of South Africa to the coast of Sierra Leona, inhabits the wooded mountains of the interior, and is a dangerous neighbour of the dairy farms; it makes nocturnal raids on the chicken yards, and inflicts great losses even among lambs. The length of the body is about 2-3 feet, with a shoulder height of around 1.5 feet. The colour of the fur is pale yellow with black spots, and the tail is surrounded by 8 black rings. The head is not spherical as in other types of cats, but rather elongated, and the eyes have round pupils.

    A Dingo bitch

    The Saddled Jackal, Canis mesomelas, from South Africa - like all jackals - belongs to the nocturnal beasts of prey and is very similar in general appearance to the foxes. Their body hair is brownish-yellow, with the back overrun with blackish-grey, the ears are pointed, and it carries its bushy tail horizontally. The jackals build underground burrows, are not very suspicious of humans, and have been notorious since ancient times for their distinctive howling.

    The Malayan Bear (Ursus maleianus) is characterized by a long flexible tongue, short hair and very large claws, is 4.5 feet across its back when fully adult, and is jet-black with a yellowish muzzle and chest patch. They are very adept climbers, walk upright with ease and are blessed with very sharp claws. In captivity, they are good-natured and become very tame.

    The American Lion, Cuguar or Puma (Felis concolor) is sallow-brown with faintly noticeable dark spots, grows to over 4 feet in length and is found throughout the Americas; it fears humans but is very dangerous to cattle and other livestock, which it kills and drags into the bush. Like other cats, they climb trees. Raised young, they allow themselves to be tamed; its flesh is eaten by the Indians.

    The Leopard, Felis leopardus from Africa; it is distributed throughout Africa and part of Asia, and measures 5 feet when fully grown. The buff-coloured base layer of fur is marked by rows of numerous brown spots, which consist of several dots that flow together. The tail is slightly spotted, ringed with black at the end. The leopard is distinguished by gracefulness, lightness, and undeniable strength above all other cats, and primarily lives in forests, climbing trees with great ease in order to pursue monkeys and birds. In southern Africa, they feed on the antelopes that are numerous there. In captivity they are quite good-natured and patient.

    The Jaguar, Felis Onza, lives in the forests of South America, in the vicinity of large streams and rivers, swimming as skilfully as it climbs, and catching its prey just as well in the water as on land. Fish, turtles and monkeys are its primary diet, and in inhabited areas it fears people so little that it kills poorly-guarded domestic animals at night and carries them away. It is very similar in appearance to the African leopard, differing only by darker spots and larger ringlets.

    A Spotted and a Striped Hyena; both young.

    Striped Hyena, Hyaena striata, from North Africa; they resemble wolves, have a curved back, usually with a bristled crest along the centre, and live only in the hotter regions of the Old World, where they hunt their prey at night and dig up carrion. They are so strong that they can carry a man away.

    Spotted Hyena, Hyaena Crocuta. South African farmers know this animal only too well under the name of the “Tiger Wolf”; it breaks into their courtyards at night and kills and maims any domestic animals that are not brought to safety. In [some regions] they are numerous and bold, are said to prefer human flesh to any other food, and the nightly attacks thereof cost the lives of many children and young adults.

    In the enclosure next to the southern side of the house:

    The Mexican Deer, Cervus mexicanus, from Texas; it is more delicate in build and smaller than our fallow deer, lives in numerous herds throughout most of America, and produces tasty meat and very useful hair which is almost-indispensable for the Indians to make their essential clothing.

    White Fallow Deer
    The white deer are a gift from His Highness Prince von Metternich.
    See below.

    The Two-humped or Bactrian Camel, Camelus bactrianus; less common than the one-humped Arabian Camel, it is found in Central Asia, north of the Taurus and Himalayas to the southern border of Siberia. According to older reports, it is said to live in a wild state in Turkestan, the Bactria of the ancients. In any case, it endures cold climates far better than the Arabian camel, and surpasses it in overall carrying capacity, being able to make long journeys laden with 1000-1200 lbs. It feeds sparsely on herbs and shrubs, and is said to be able to go without food for almost 40 days, water on the other hand only 8 days, and is therefore of primary value and importance in the plant-poor desert. It is very gentle-natured, but during the mating season the excitement of the male camel is such that one must be careful when approaching it; in a blind rage, it then tries to seize people and animals with its dangerous teeth, and resembles a terrible beast of prey more than a peaceful ruminant.

    The Fallow Deer, Cervus dama, is smaller than the common or Red Deer; however, its antlers are broader and shovel-shaped with small, pointed ends. It is mostly reddish-brown with white spots and lives all over Europe, but nowhere truly wild, but only feral. There are some doubts about the original homeland of this most dainty of those deer found in Europe; southern Europe, northern Africa and western Asia seems to be the natural, albeit extensive homeland.

    .
     
  7. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    7) PIG PENS

    11.jpg


    The Larval Pig, Sus larvatus, gets its name from the calloused or warty ridges which arise behind the upper canine teeth and extend down the cheeks to under the eyes, giving the face a larva-like appearance. Their homeland is southern Africa and Madagascar; in England and Holland many are bred and crossed with domestic pigs, and the race produced in this way is said to produce very tasty meat

    In the enclosure on the right:

    A Wild Boar from the Cape of Good Hope. It is very similar in shape and colour to our wild boar and leads the same way of life. They live in groups of 20-30 individuals in the deciduous forests, are wild and unruly, and are dangerous game for the hunter because of the canines protruding from the mouth, which arch upwards and give the animal a terrible weapon.

    The first path on the left leads to:


    8) HOUSE FOR LARGE PREDATORS

    12.jpg


    This house is by far the most valuable and interesting ornament of the Garden. Follow the kennels to the right in summer. (Since the summer kennels correspond to the winter kennels, the order inside is also the same.) The viewer coming from No.7 first encounters:

    The American Lion, Felis concolor and the Leopard, Felis leopardus; discussed under 6a.

    Lion from Africa, Felis leo; the male differs from the female through the mane around his neck and shoulders, and the bush of hair on his tail. Their homeland is Africa. The ancients considered them the strongest, most fearless, and most courageous of animals, and when fully grown they have such strength that they can take away an ox. The lion proves to be better than the majority of ravenous beasts, inasmuch as it seems to take no pleasure in pointless slaughter, but only kills to satisfy its hunger. The conflicting views of its generosity and cruelty are based on the contradictory accounts of travellers, and will be best explained by considering the very different moods of the starving or satiated beast.

    A young Lioness.

    Two young Bengal Tigers, Felis tigris; the Tiger, light brown with black horizontal stripes, is almost the same size as the lion, but leaner and more elongated. It inhabits only the warmer regions of Asia, namely the East Indies where the lion is not to be found at all. The tiger is one of the most terrible plagues of the East Indies, killing many people every year, so that whole villages have been depopulated by them. They are the most terrible and bloodthirsty of all beasts of prey, and attack larger animals such as buffalo, horses and young elephants; even fully grown elephants sometimes succumb. His boldness and strength are matched only by his ferocity and cruelty; he lusts for blood and will kill without being hungry. Warm blood is his preferred treat, likewise human flesh after he has tasted it once. The female gives birth to 3-4 young, which are often eaten by older tigers. In the hope of reducing the number of these terrible beasts, the Indian princes conduct hunts for which 20,000 to 60,000 soldiers are mobilized, as a result of which tigers have been completely exterminated in some areas.

    A young Javanese Tiger; the way of life and colouring is that of the Bengal Tiger, but it does not reach the same size.

    Cheetah or Hunting Leopard from Africa, Felis guttata.; differs from other cats in that its paws are not broad and rounded, but rather stretched out in length like the paws of a dog, through which it forms the mediation point between the otherwise sharply-separated groups of the dogs and cats. It is easy to tame and is used as a hunting companion in Abyssinia.

    The Maned Cheetah, Felis jubata from East India, differs from the African Cheetah in its light yellow-tan colour, which tends to turn grey; a low 2-inch long mane runs down the back beginning on the nape, which is reddish and paler than the rest of the body. Very numerous round black spots, scattered without any particular pattern or order, cover the whole body. Like the African Cheetah, it is used for hunting other animals.

    An African Lion
    Gift from his Serene Highness the Prince of Ples

    The path on the north side of the house leads to:


    9) ELEPHANT HOUSE
    13.jpg


    The Indian Elephant, Elephas indicus; the elephant immediately elicits thoughts of irresistible strength in the observer. Their face is without trace of intelligence, and even the trunk, although an extremely well-designed organ - which nature has produced, together with the large tusks, as a weapon of attack - does not contribute to giving the animal any appearance of higher expression. With its muscular trunk, the elephant plucks the fallen grass from the ground, tears branches from the trees, seizes its opponent with it and hurls them with crushing force into the earth, and yet through its fine sense of touch is able to pick up a straw. The tusks, which do not fully develop for 10-12 years, are the source of the well-known ivory, and attain a weight of 60-80 lbs.; in the female elephant they do not reach the same level of development. Adult elephants measure 8-10 feet. The females always have only one young and carry 20 months and 18 days. In the wild they live perhaps 200 years; that they live 120 years in captivity is an established fact. The skin is of considerable thickness, rough and almost hairless. The diet of the wild animal is exclusively vegetable, however the tame find all food delicious, love sweets and are the only animals to which spirits appeal. They devour amazing portions of the strongest brandy with great zeal.

    The Tiger Horse, Equus burchellii; travellers have long-confused it with the true zebra, as size and stature are pretty much the same in both. The zebra has horizontal black stripes on its legs, whereas the legs of the Tiger Horse are completely unmarked. It resides in the frontier lands of Abyssinia and is said to be able to be tamed to a certain extent without difficulty. It is strong and muscular and could perhaps be made useful to man.

    The Quagga, Equus quagga, lags far behind the Tiger Horse in beauty and delicacy. The basic colour of the fur is brown, darker on the head and neck, which are streaked with gray-white stripes that continue into the erect mane. A black stripe stretches over the back and up to the tail, reminiscent of the donkey. Their homeland is South Africa.

    The path leading directly from the central rotunda brings us to:


    10) SWAN POND
    The Black Swan, Cygnus atratus, is coal black with the exception of the white wing feathers, the bright red beak has a white transverse band towards the front, and the males have a spherical hump at the base. Living in the interior of New Holland, it has been introduced frequently into England, where it breeds very easily.


    11) WINTER HOUSE

    The One-humped Camel, Camelus dromedarius, is slightly lighter in construction than the Two-humped Camel, was domesticated in primeval times, and has completely disappeared from the ranks of wild animals. It is distributed from Nubia to Syria, from Persia to India, and over a large part of northern Africa; his actual fatherland is unknown. It does not interbreed with the Two-humped Camel, or at most produces sterile hybrids. Its way of life is like that of the Bactrian Camel.

    In the enclosure in front of the house:

    A Roe Deer, Cervus capreolus; in terms of size, the roe deer is far smaller than the red deer, but is similar in its body proportions. It lives in small family groups in low, scrubby woodlands throughout Europe and much of Asia, and feeds on the leaves and buds of various young forest trees. Mating lasts from late November to mid-January; after 21 weeks the female, which like Red Deer hinds is without antlers, gives birth to 2 young, which are usually of different sexes. In January, the colour of the Roe is reddish-brown, in winter reddish-grey.

    .
     
    Dylan likes this.
  8. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    12) BEAR KENNELS
    15.jpg


    The heads decorating the bear enclosure are a gift from Professor Franz


    Siberian Bears,
    Gifts from His Majesty the King, and Prince Wittgenstein
    Ursus collaris; these bathe and climb in the central room. The bear has shaggy brown hair, an arched forehead, a rapidly-tapering snout like that of a pig, small eyes, and grows to be five feet long. In addition to meat, it also eats plant matter and particularly likes honey; they do not attack man except when provoked, especially when the she-bear feels her cubs are at risk. When raised young, they can learn to dance and perform other antics. It lives in the temperate and colder climates of the Old World.

    In the side cells to the right:

    Grisly Bear from North America, Ursus ferox; it lives in the Rocky Mountains, differs from the other bears in its light brown colouring, and is very feared because of its ferocity. They dig very skilfully, but do not climb trees; a circumstance to which many a hunter owes their life, as a single bullet is never enough to kill an opponent who is just as terrible as he is tough.

    In the side cells to the left:

    The Japanese Bear, Ursus japonicus, does not differ much from the Siberian Bears in shape, behaviour and colouring.

    The Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus, is one of the largest and most fearsome of its kind, and only lives beyond the Arctic Circle. Capable of enduring extreme cold, it roams between icebergs and snowfields, swimming from one floe to the next driven by hunger; it is able to capture its prey, which consists of fish and seals, even beneath the rolling waves of the polar sea.

    In the water basin on the grassy plateau in front of the Bärenzwinger, with a wire cage built over it:

    The Beaver, Castor Fiber( Footnite*Gift of His Majesty the King ), seems to have formerly been native to most of northern and central Europe; in North America and northern Asia it still lives in its natural habitat as a social, colony-founding animal. Its body structure is designed for life in water; it has webbed hind feet, and swims very dexterously. The flat, scaly tail is mainly used for quick diving. His fur is much sought-after. Castoreum, which used to be used as an antispasmodic, is secreted from two glands on the anus.

    There is a path to the left of the bear pit

    13) EAGLE OWL HUT

    Eared Owl or Eagle Owl (French le grand due, Eng. the gread orn-owl)
    Gift from Mr. Brose in Cöslin
    Strix Bubo; at 2 feet long, this is is one of the largest of all owls and is found throughout the world on high mountains , where it howls terribly at night and is so strong that it can even attack the hunter. Among the nocturnal birds of Europe it has the most adventurous appearance, surpassing all others in size, courage and power of its talons. The plumage is tawny-brown, mottled untidily with black or dark brown, and the eyes are very large and a vivid orange-red colour.

    The Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus; this North American eagle owl is found from Florida to near the Arctic Circle. Its customs and way of life correspond to those of its European relatives, which it is, however, slightly inferior to in size. The basic colour of the plumage is more grayish, dotted with dense black and white dots, and the eyes are yellow.

    Harrier, Milvus regalis, and Buzzard, Buteo vulgaris, from the local area; they belong to the common birds of prey, and occur in deciduous forests and plains. They are too lazy to hunt their game actively, quietly spying on it before, with rapid, even and noiseless flight, they fly to the spot and catch the mouse with their claws.

    The Barn Owl, Strix flammea, is very widespread and common, found almost all over Europe and only shies away from the coldest areas. It deserves the title of extreme beauty beyond her relatives who live in the northern reaches of the world. They do not fear human contact and often settle in the heart of large and busy cities in the roofs of large buildings, where they spend the day sleeping, and only flies out at night to hunt.


    14) POND WITH SWIMMING BIRDS

    The Musk Duck, Anas moschata, comes from the primeval forests of tropical South America, but has become established on the chicken yards in the milder countries of Europe. In Germany it is commonly known under the name of Turkish Duck and is easily recognized by the red fleshy protuberances on the head.

    The Common Wild Duck, Anas boschas, is light gray with a fine mottling of dark brown, with iridescent green on the head and neck, and a white collar framed in violet, white and black; the, beak is yellow, the feet red. It is very widespread and is found in pretty much every country in the Northern Hemisphere. The common tame domestic duck descends from the wild duck.

    Stone Ducks; probably a variety of our common duck, and remarkable for its beautiful black-green plumage.

    Odessa Geese are a variety of the domestic goose, originate from southern Russia, and differ only in their forked and therefore ruffled feathers.

    The Chinese Swan Goose is grey with a black, humped beak

    White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons, their bill and legs are orange-yellow, the neck and upper body grey-brown; the forehead has white rings, and they have large black wings. Lives in northern Europe, in the vicinity of the coastline.

    White-cheeked Goose, Anser leucopsis; the forehead, cheeks and throat are white, and the crown, rear of head, neck, chest and legs are black. Lives in the far north of Europe; sometimes comes to Germany.

    The Egyptian Goose, Anser aegyptiacus, is distributed in the wild state all over Africa, but is found in England, France and Germany as an introduction to parks. In terms of voice, behaviour and diet, it behaves like other geese. Their body plumage is reddish brown, with black streaking, the throat and belly are white, and it has a brown spot on the temples; the feet and beak are red.

    The Ringed or Brent Goose, Anser bernicla, has a black head, neck, wings and tail, with a white patch in the middle of the neck; the sides are blue-grey and the tail coverts white. Lives in the far north of the Northern Hemisphere, and comes to German shores annually.

    Ross Duck, Anas casarca; the bill is black without protuberances, the plumage rust-red, flight-feathers and cheeks whitish. Wings and tail are black. Lives on the Caspian and Mediterranean Sea

    Wigeon, Anas penelope. The wing-mirror is shiny green, the breast and belly are whitish without spots, and the large wings are grey-white. Lives in northern Europe.

    Pintail or Pheasant Duck (Anas acuta); the head and neck are dark brown, the wing-mirror is green. Plumage is mottled grey throughout. Wings are white.

    There are paths on both sides of the pond leading to the:


    RESTAURANT.

    16a.jpg

    After crossing the bridge, take the path that leading off to the right to:


    15) STABLE FOR RUMINANTS

    17.jpg

    Buffalo, Bos bubalus, French buffle English the buffalo; common as a wild animal throughout the East Indies, and thence spread as a domestic animal over Italy, Greece, and Hungary in the sixth century. He is very strong, defiant and hard to tame, and is used primarily as a draft animal because he can carry as much as two horses can.

    Goats from Africa. The Common Goat, Capra hircus, whose origin is as doubtful as that of most other domestic animals, is distributed all over the world in many varieties, all said to be descended from the wild Persian Goat. They are mischievous, whimsical animals, whose way of life is well known.

    The Nubian Sheep, Ovis recurvicauda, is a variety of the domestic sheep, whose ancestry cannot be traced with certainty to any known species occurring in the wild. In this variety, the mass of fat surrounding the rump and tail gives a very strange appearance; the short tail almost disappears between the nearby pads of fat, and the peculiarity of the appearance is enhanced by the glaringly contrasting black colouring of the head.

    A 6-year-old female Elephant.(footnote*) Gift of her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Viktoria of Prussia.(end*) (See under No. 9.)

    The Indian Buffalo. Bos Arni; the existence of completely wild Indian buffalo has long been doubted, but recent research shows that there are even two species from which the tame buffalo could be derived. The Arni lives alone or in small families in the eastern forest-covered provinces of British India bordering the foothills of the Himalayas, and is considered - next to the tiger - the most dangerous animal of these primeval forests. It surpasses all other species of the genus in size, strength and courage; the horns, which are said to be about 6 feet long, are bent sideways. Their hair is sparse. Little is known of the behaviour of the animal; the hunt for them is said to be the most dangerous in India.

    Zebu or Humpback Ox, Bos taurus indicus; the zebu is the common domestic cattle throughout India, Persia, Arabia and Africa from the Atlas Mountains to the Cape; some have a shoulder-hump of fat weighing up to 50 pounds. They produce fertile young with our cattle, and even in Germany they thrives quite well. He is held sacred by the Brahmins.


    16) INSPECTION HOUSE

    18.jpg


    In this house, through the door on the left there is, in addition to the macaws and cockatoos already mentioned, a collection of many rare parrots, all of which (as large flocks of very different but at first sight similar species) live within the evergreen jungles of Brazil and Guyana. They climb and, alone among all birds, use their feet to carry their food to their beaks, cry unpleasantly, but have brightly coloured plumage, are easily tamed and can learn to speak. Their ability to fly is low. Over 230 species are known.


    Gracula (Acridotheres) tristis, the Indian Mynah from the East Indie. A bird with a yellow beak and feet; and naked skin around the eyes and neck-flaps which are orange-yellow; is the size of a thrush, and far-surpasses the parrot in dexterity and ability to speak whole lines with a very sonorous voice.

    A Collection of Bengalis

    (Small lovely songbirds from Africa and India)

    The Lesser Parrots Inseparables do not survive long in captivity; everyone knows that they cannot live individually, and that the death of one always leads to the death of the others soon afterwards. They stick together in flights of thousands, visiting the cornfields and inflicting considerable damage there, and are easy to catch.

    The Cardinal, with a bright red, stiff, pointed plume covering the whole head.

    The Wavy Parrot, Melopsittacus undulatus, has a short beak and a long tail which is wider at the end than at the base. The plumage is wavy, with the crown and throat pale yellow, the head, neck, shoulders, and wing-coverts olive-brown; and the underside pale green; the neck is marked with blue spots. They occur in the interior of New Holland in massive swarms.

    In the next room there are 4 aquariums, recently acquired. They contain many domestic aquatic animals, fish of various kinds, salamanders, water beetles, snails, etc. and offer many opportunities to observe the reproduction and development of the animals mentioned.

    In the rearmost aquarium:

    The Giant Salamander, Cryptobranchus japonicus, belongs to the newt family, but lacks gills on the side of its throat like these. The eyes are covered by the general skin of the body and are lidless; the head is broad and rounded, the front feet bear 4 digits whilst the hind feet bear 5 digits; the body is rather flattened, and brownish with darker spots; The body length is said to be able to increase to 4 feet. Their fatherland is Japan.

    The Marsupial Hound from New Holland, Dasyurus viverrinus, lives on small mammals and insects, which it catches at night like a marten. They cannot climb, but like to sneak into people's homes, steal food and strangle poultry. Its colouration is brown, with white spots on the back and tail.

    Climbing Marsupial, Phalangista vulpina; it is about the size of a cat, and has fine woolly fur of a greyish-brown colour with a densely hairy tai which is bare at the base. Domesticated types are common. It is an arboreal animal, which almost never descends to the ground and feeds on fruits, buds and leaves, but also on bird eggs and insects. They are only active at night, but are not agile by any means, and use their firmly gripping coiled tail at the slightest inducement to secure themselves. On New Holland and in Van Diemen’s Land they are very common.

    The Angora Cat is just a variety of our domestic cat and is characterized by long, silky hair and a long furry tail; it is bred within households as a hobby..

    The Dormouse, Myoxus glis, inhabits Germany and Central Europe, and sleeps throughout the day and roams about at night, where it seeks its food, - this is said to consist not only of plant matter but also young nesting birds. They adapt easily to captivity. The Italians consider their meat to be very tasty; the ancient Romans even created special containers for breeding dormouse on a large scale. Its colouring is ash-grey above and white below; the tail is 5 inches long; the body 5-6 inches.

    A cage with white rats

    ,
     
    Dylan likes this.
  9. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    17) WINTER HOUSE
    NB. The animals listed here will be exhibited within 25) in the near future.

    The Tasselled Porcupine, Atherura africana, is named after the prickly tuft on the tip of its tail, is the size of a rabbit, and is a rare animal in Africa. Like the other porcupines, it lives in burrows or in hollow trunks of trees and is more active at night than during the day.

    The Climbing Marsupial. (See under No.16.)

    The Marmot, Arctomys marmota, is a heavy and clumsy rodent about the size of a rabbit, and is very common in the Swiss Alps. It inhabits burrows 3-7 feet deep which contain between 5-15 individuals, which hibernate continuously during the cold season in a curled-up position. It is easy to tame, learns all sorts of funny tricks, and obeys its master's cues.

    Trunk Bear or Coati, Nasua rufa and socialis; the teeth and way of life of the Coati, which is distributed across tropical South America, are akin to those of the Raccoon, but it differs from the latter in that it has a trunk, which is suitable for stirring up the soil. It climbs trees to plunder birds' nests, and also feeds on insects and worms. In captivity, they sleep through the day, are easily angered, and can be treacherous and snappy with strangers.

    The Ferret, Mustela Furo
    A gift from Herr Schneider
    is only found wild in North Africa, from where it was first brought to Spain to restrict the rabbit population which was ravaging the country. It is now distributed almost all over Europe in a domesticated state but is very sensitive to cold. We use it for hunting rabbits, but it should only be sent into the burrow wearing a muzzle if it is not to cause a completely wasteful bloodbath; it drives the rabbits out of the burrow into the hands of the waiting hunter.

    The Porcupine, Hystrix cristata, has a mane of long bristly hairs at the nape of the neck, with the black-brown spines ringed with white; these are shorter on the tail. It can shake the spines and rattle with them. It lives in southern Europe and Africa. Their meat is edible and is sold in marketplaces in Rome.

    The South African Porcupine
    Gift from the Lord Consul King
    Hystrix Africae australis, differs little or almost not at all from the preceding species; their way of life is the same, however the mane standing on the nape, as well as the spines covering the body, are longer and finer.

    The Striped Sable
    Gift from Herr von Bothwell
    Arctogale trivittata, from Celebes. It climbs the tallest of trees with ease, and feeds on meat as well as plant matter. The snout is long and tapered and the tail long and curled; instead of a glandular pouch, between the anus and genitals it has a bare patch of glandular tissue with a longitudinal fold. Its colouring is dark brown.


    18) AVIARY AND PADDOCKS

    Aviary on the east side of the Winter House.

    The Silver Pheasant; the Golden Pheasant; the Black-backed Pheasant (See under number 6.)

    In the enclosure on the right:

    The Llama, Auchenia llama; this is nothing other than the tamed and relatively-unchanged form of the wild Guanaco (see under No. 26). At what time it was domesticated is unknown; the Spaniards, who first landed in Peru, found large herds everywhere, which were used for carrying loads. Only the Indians of the highest mountainous regions still keeps Llama's, because they are cheap and require little or no maintenance. Through living in a tame state, it has lost the lightness and gracefulness of form that characterizes the Guanaco.

    The Kangaroo, Halmaturus benetti, belongs to the herbivorous marsupials, the females of which hide their young - which are born small and immature - in a pouch and carry them around with them. The kangaroos are characterized by long hind legs and a strongly-muscular plump tail. They are found only in New Holland, where, like the rabbits and Roe Deer that live in our woodlands, they usually sit upright on account of the shortness of their forefeet; at the slightest noise and without any preparatory movement, they make leaps which exceed all expectations by speed and distance by simply stretching out their hindlimbs together. Their meat is popular game in New Holland.

    The Kashmir Goat is a variety of the well-known Common Goat (Capra hircus); the number of domestic goat varieties currently occurring in warmer countries is very large, and the Kashmir Goat in particular is one of the best-known and most important. It is found throughout Tibet and into the Kyrgyz steppes, and supplies the material for the famous shawls, which have a very high value in Asia.

    The path that deviates from this point leads past No. 21.


    19) FOX VERANDA
    20.jpg

    The Pine Marten, Mustela martes, has chestnut-brown fur, with the throat and breast a nice yolk yellow. It lives in hollow trees within the woodlands of northern Europe; is a master climber, and is particularly dangerous to gamebirds and young hares. They produce very high-quality furs.

    The Stone Marten, Mustela foïna, lives in almost every town and village in Europe; it is particularly dangerous to domestic fowl and is so murderous that if it gets within a pigeon or chicken-coop at night, it kills everything in a blood-frenzy and often only eats a small portion. It not only steals eggs, but also grapes, cherries, etc.. It is distinguished from the pine marten only by its white breast and throat, and like the latter it is persecuted mercilessly.

    The Fox, Canis vulpes, from the local area; They attain the size of a shepherd dog, are reddish-yellow with a bushy brownish-red tail, and are the most cunning of all animals. They are native to the northern regions of Europe, Asia and Africa.

    .
     
  10. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    20) BADGER ENCLOSURE
    The Common Badger, Meles Taxus
    A gift from the master bricklayer Schulz
    , comes from the local region, but are found in all three parts of the world in the temperate zone; they dig holes and feed on small animals and fruit. Their burrows are twenty or thirty feet long, and have two exits, at the end of which is a small chamber of grass and moss, within which they sometimes sleep with foxes, and give birth to their young; They are very clean and have their own plot for their excrement and filth. They hunt at night in search of small animals, and also eat roots and grapes. They are fattest in the later months of the year, and enter hibernation as soon as it begins to freeze. They then lie curled up on their stomachs and hold their heads between their hind legs. They can be tamed, but are mischievous and unsociable. Their fat is used in medicine, and their fur and hair are also used.

    Here pay close attention to the path; to get to No.21, turn around the overhanging bush and take the footpath to the left. You then walk a half-loop around the large, hilly lawn, past No.. 22 and 23.


    21) PONDS

    The Mandarin Duck, Anas galericulata, is said to be very commonplace within and nests in trees. It is a favourite of the Chinese, and is often well-represented by them in paintings. Pairs have often been brought to Europe, which have acclimatized and multiplied with ease in England, but they cannot tolerate the German climate. The male is distinguished by very beautiful, silky feathers; the vane of the second flight feather is very broad, brownish-red, and curves upwards.

    The Bridal or Carolina Duck, Anas sponsa, is native to America, where it can be found from the Canadian border to the Antilles, including all of Mexico. Unlike all but a few other ducks, it has the habit of never nesting on the ground, and chooses the deserted dwelling of a squirrel for its nesting place, or else a cavity made by a broken branch. The tree used for this is never far from the riverbank, often hanging over the surface of the water; this easily permits the young to enter the water. The male is copper-red above with a greenish tinge, and the throat and abdomen are white. Their chest is brown; the head and the plumes hanging down from the temples are golden-green, the flight-feathers are violet, and the feet are red. The edges of the red beak are black, edged with yellow; the cheeks have a black crescent on the front and a number of black and white horizontal stripes on the back.

    In the covered pool next door:

    The Common Fish-Otter, Lutra vulgaris, has a very elongated body and a thick head with short ears. The colour of the fur is dark brown. It is found throughout Europe and North Asia on the banks of rivers and ponds, where it dwells in its own burrows. It eats fish, amphibians, and crabs, and causes great damage in fishponds, killing more than it consumes. The skin, which supplies the best German furriers, is particularly valuable.

    At the crossroads turn right:

    22) EAGLE AVIARIES

    21.jpg

    The Condor Vulture, Sarcoramphus gryphus, has blue-black plumage, the head and neck are bare, with a white ruff of feathers at the base of the neck. The male has an smooth crest of flesh on his forehead and is significantly larger than the female. The condor is the largest of the flying birds at 4 feet long, with outspread wingspan of 14 feet. It exclusively inhabits the Andes of South America near the snow-line, and flies the highest of all birds. Humboldt saw one hovering at a height 6 times that of the clouds, estimated at 49,000 feet. From this height, they descend in a few minutes to sea level. It feeds on the flesh of newly-deceased llamas and horses, and will also steal lambs and calves, but does not attack humans.

    The White-headed Vulture, Vultur fulvus, of Moldova must be regarded as a native inhabitant of all the Mediterranean countries, and of a very large part of Asia and Northern Africa. It feeds on carrion, and does not attack living creatures, even weaker ones. It flies well and climbs to the highest regions with ease. Their body plumage is blackish-brown, the head and neck are covered with a short and hair-like off-white down; their ruff consists narrow and pointed brown feathers.

    The Wedge-Tailed Vulture, Aquila audax, is the size of a golden eagle, has deep brown plumage throughout, and the tail feathers are arranged in a peculiar wedge-like manner. Their homeland is Australia.

    The Caracara, Polyborus brasiliensis, from Brazil, belongs to the numerous carrion birds of South America, and feeds on fallen animals. It flies clumsily and slowly, never soaring high, and replaces the crows and ravens, which are quite absent in America.

    The Golden Eagle (Aquila fulva) comes from the local area, surpass all other native falcons in size and boldness, and possess great acuteness of mind and skill in flight.

    The King Vulture, Gyparchus papa.(*) *) A gift from Senior Consul Maßmann.(*); when young it is blackish brown, but later a mixture of black and yellow, and by their fourth year are rusty-yellow with black tail and wings; the reddish crest of flesh standing on the forehead is serrated. They live in South and Central America. Lesser vultures, when gathered around carrion, retreat quickly as soon as the King Vulture approaches, and only rush in again when it has satisfied its hunger and has gone away.

    The Vulture of the Cape of Good Hope, Vultur Kolbii, bears so much resemblance to the Griffon Vulture that for a long time it was thought indistinguishable as a species, since their size and plumage colouring are the same. Like all other vultures, they are very gluttonous, and gorges to the point they can be struck with sticks, but will defend themselves with courage and determination.

    Monk Vulture, Vultur cinereus.**) Gift from von Kröcher of Vinzelberg.**) Inhabits the warmer countries of the eastern hemisphere on both sides of the equator from India through Persia and Arabia, into southern Russia and Turkey. It seems to reach the limit of its natural distribution in Hungary. In gluttony and laziness, after sufficient food, it resembles the related species closely.

    The White-headed Vulture, Vultur fulvus. (See above.)

    In the adjacent enclosure:

    The Maned Sheep, Ovis Tragelaphus; this belongs to the same genus as the goats, with which it has as much outward visual affinity as with the sheep. The hair is short and dark brown, and the horns of the buck are about 2 feet long. It is distributed all over North Africa and is in no way inferior to the chamois in terms of agility and climbing ability. The coarse-haired throat mane, which begins at the lower jaw and runs down the neck to the chest, Is the reason for the name of the animal.

    Next to this is the marble bust of the deceased Privy Medical Councilor, Professor and Director of the Zoological Museum Dr. Lichtenstein, which the board and the members of the shareholder association built for him, in recognition of his great services to the garden as co-founder.

    .
     
  11. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    16 May 2010
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Wilds of Northumberland
    23) PAVILION ON THE HILL
    22.jpg

    This is available for use as a restaurant during the summer months.

    Directly over the hill from here, then turning left, follows:


    24) DUCK POND

    The Bridal or Carolina Duck, Anas sponsa – (see under No.21)

    The Australian Chicken-Goose, Cereopsis cinereus, is similar in size to the domestic goose, is light grey in colour, paler on the crown and darker on the shoulders. The feathers of the wing bear a round blackish spot towards the flight-feathers; the beak is black and the cere a greenish-yellow. The British settlers in New Holland keep it on their farms as a very tame domestic bird, and it tolerates the European climate without difficulty.


    25) WOLF PEN
    Wolf from Lithuania, Canis lupus ( footnote ) Gift from Herr. Grundmann(.) ; the wolf is distributed throughout almost all of the northern hemisphere and, despite all persecution, can still be found in Europe from the Pyrenees to Lapland; only Great Britain has exterminated it. Its senses are very keen, especially the sense of smell; it is very strong and attacks sheep, deer and horses, and - when driven by extreme hunger - people.


    26) LLAMA HOUSE
    23.jpg

    The Llama or Guanaco (Auchenia guanacus); in the New World, the camels are replaced by the guanaco and llama, which have an unmistakable family affinity with them. However, like most animals in America, they lag far behind their counterparts in the Eastern Hemisphere. The Guanaco is the true wild ancestor of the llama, which occurs in many varieties, is native to South America and is white-and-black in colour; the size of a small donkey, resembles the sheep. It is very tame and carries more than 80 lbs. on the back and thus takes the place of the draft cattle, grazing in the fields.

    The Sika Deer, Cervus sika from Japan; very similar to our Roe Deer, and also much the same size. The colour of the fur is dark grey-brown, lighter on the belly; the tail and the anal area are white. The antlers are spear-like and without knobs..

    Deer hinds from Siam; their physique is finer and the size smaller than that of our stags; the colour of the fur is light brown, the ears are large and broad. The way of life is that of the other deer species

    The path to the left behind the house leads to the newly built house for the yaks.

    24 - rear cover.jpg

    The Yak, or Grunting Ox, or Horse-tailed Buffalo, Bos grunniens; their horns are twisted and curved backwards; the hair is long and shaggy, especially on the chest, and the tail is long and covered in fine hair. These tails are prized by the so-called Turkic Cossaks, who bestow them upon their dignitaries as a sign of power. The size of the animal is that of our domestic ox. It lives wild in the mountains of Tibet, has been domesticated by the Kalmyks and Mongols, and is used primarily for riding and carrying loads over the high Alpine passes; it also provides them with excellent milk.

    The path turning right from here leads to No. 27 and from there to the exit.

    27) SEA EAGLE AVIARY
    The Common Sea Eagle, Haliaetos albicilla
    Gift from His Serene Highness the Prince Carolath, Sir William Schönlank and Count Keuserling
    is fairly widespread over the northern hemisphere and is well-known everywhere in Germany. The back and wings are brownish-black, the head, neck and upper breast are yellowish-white,and the feet and beak are waxy yellow. He prefers fish as food, but also pursues rabbits and deer, and does not disdain even rats and mice. It measures 2.5 to 3 feet in length and has a wingspan of 7 to 8 feet.

    The Griffon Vulture or White-headed Vulture, Vultur fulvus. (Listed under No. 22.)



    Printed by Eduard Weinberg in Berlin
     
    zoo_enthusiast likes this.
  12. zoomaniac

    zoomaniac Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    17 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    1,329
    Location:
    Schwerzenbach, ZH, Switze
    Wow. Great work. I bet many english speaking members will appreciate that.

    By the way: There are two interesting points hidden in the (original) headline "Der Führer im zoologischen Garten zu Berlin". First the claim "zu Berlin" indicates, that the Zoo was outside of the city and not within ("in"). Second point - and probably the weirdest - is the clain "Der Führer IM ... instead of "Der Führer DES zoologischen Gartens zu Berlin". This means (at least nowadays) that a person (= Der Führer) has visited/was visiting Berlin Zoo. Beside the fact that "Der Führer" is a synonym for Adolf Hitler, Hitler wasn't even born in 1866...:confused:;):rolleyes:
     
    Batto and Dassie rat like this.
  13. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    19 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    3,356
    Location:
    Everywhere at once
    Big thank you for this thread! I will read it with interest.

    I especially like the list of unfamiliar and fascinating animals which Berlin zoo brought to interest people, and succeeded. Modern zoos usually go in reverse - ask people which animals they already know well (ABC approach).

    This deserves a second thought. Until today, design of Berlin Zoo is such, that contrasting animals, exhibits and other features keep people interested. It takes artistic skill. No doubt, people at Berlin Zoo and hired designers are influenced by museums and art galleries of the metropoly.

    For example, Carnivore House has huge lions and tigers in rocky exhibits, and little cats and mongoose in artificial habitats with lush rainforest vegetation - but little in between, which exaggerates contrast. Most other zoos fail it (even when they keep many of the same animals and exhibit types as Berlin Zoo).