GUIDE TO THE ZOO.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 252, 23 October 1924, Page 9

GUIDE TO THE ZOO.

A SPLENDID PUBLICATION.

REMARKABLE PHOTOGRAPHS,

A. good deal is heard concerning tho lack of enterprise in letting the outside public know about the charms and wonders of New Zealand, but this taunt cannot be levelled at the Auckland municipality, which is easily first in the Dominion in the matter of judicious advertising. The Mayor, Sir James Gunson, is fully alive to tbe importance of intelligent publicity, where the in-' terests of this desirable part of the Dominion are concerned. The council is particularly fortunate in its editor. Mr. Robert Hill, who has the faculty of seizing on the vital points of the subject and presenting them in an arresting form. In its latest publication, an 'Official Guide to the Auckland Municipal Zoological Park," the corporation is also fortunate in having secured the services of such a pastmaster of the camera as Mr. R. B. Walrond, of the "Star" staff, for some of the reproductions are unbelievably realistic pictures of wild animals. The reader will be puzzled to know how such pictures could be taken of the leopard, the grand lions, the fierce tiger, and I the bears. 'I Quite a number of the photographs are I worthy of a frame. Those of the bears, : both brown and polar are unsurpassable.' The sea lions and sea elephant have been caught in wonderfully telling poses. Januina, the idol of the kiddies, is shown | with her gaily dressed mahout, and surrounded by troops of youngsters, all anxious to ride on her broad back. The bison, the buffalo, the many kinds of deer, the splendidly hideous hippopotamus | (with his gigantic mouth wide open) all make splendid negatives. In photographing the birds, the art and patience of the camera-man receive their best certificate. The queer and beautiful birds have been snapped, but the illustrations (Jo not stop there; even the odd minute rat-like Golden Agouti and the lonely little Tasmanian Devil have their counterfeits reproduced in this fascinatI ing catalogue.

Apart from its interest as a souvenir of the remarkable collection of birds, beasts, and fishes that the municipality has collected out at Grey Lynn, the book is worth double the price, as an education in natural history. One could not suggest a better book on natural history for the schools. In addition to Mr. Walrond's wonderful work, the book has a fine panorama of the unique locale of the Zoo, taken by Mr. J. B. Arnold, and a couple of prints by the "Weekly News" photographer. There are in all sixtyseven photographs, a plan of the park and a map of Auckland showing the tramway routes.

The descriptive matter includes brief but admirably written descriptions of the animals, and this is what helps to make it such a valuable publication. Fortunate in editor and illustrator, the municipality is also fortunate in its printers. The Brett Printing Company has made a feature of this superfine block-making, and so admirably has the guide been done, it is difficult to tell some of the illustrations from actual photographs. The letterpress is in excellent taste, and the cover is appropriately ornamented with a fine head of one of the monarch* of the lion's den in colour. It is an interesting and valuable booklet, most artistically produced.