SPRING AT THE ZOO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20987, 25 September 1931, Page 6

SPRING AT THE ZOO.

•TOY AMONG ANIMALS.

MEW AIR OF CHEERFULNESS

THE WHISTLING PARAKEETS.

PELICANS CAUSE AMUSEMENT.

The arrival of spring weather has been marked at the Auckland Zoological Park in the laist few days by a livelier playfulness among the animals, the donning 0 | a gayer plumage on the part of the tropical birds, and a general quickening i„ the pace of that zoo symphony which greets each sunrise and sunset. There i s a new air of cheerfulness; the summer is i n sight, and lions, tigers, hippopotami and baboons hail the sun's warmer rays with delight. Few animals, except the polar bears enjoy winter's rigours. Like human beings, they respond kindly to the warmth of summer. In the early morning, when the sun peeps over the hill, they wake all eagerness to see the day, and startle the echoes with excitable morning greetings. The monkey pit becomes a shriek iag Playground, the lion's den a gladia* torial arena, and the aviary a dedicatory hall of song. Every bird joins in a hymn of praise to the spring. A Music Hall Song. The influence of spring is nowhere more noticeable than in the little-known aviarv somewhat of! the beaten track, between the pelican-pond and the quarters of the hippopotami. Passing the vicinity of this large wire enclosure the innocent visitor is certain to be deceived by a voice which calls, "Hullo! Hullo!" and then whistles a tune. If he turns round he will see nobody, because the voice i s that of a diminutive parakeet, in gaudy red and blue plumage, that jauntily broadcasts its knowledge of the human tongue at every opportunity. —' This parakeet, together with its companion, an exact replica in appearance, is the joke of the zoo. In addition to the familiar "Pretty Cocky," the stock vocabulapr of all the parrot tribe, these two birds know two music hall tunes, which they whistle solo or in chorus. As each bird pitches its tune in a different kev th» harmony that ensues is quaint and intriguing. What makes the duet amusing is that one bird cannot pipe up without the other joining in, too, with the result that one bird is always half a note ahead f er ;u hen the y break off in the middle of the tune to peck at a twi 2 tne effect is very comical. The Foolish Pelicans. The pelican-pond is another corner the zoo where the spring feeling is in th--1.1 Se • ° S rav ely-abeard birds resemble a pair of simultaneous music-hall dancers and poseurs; they look alike, they act alike and they obviously think alike. Ihey clean their feathers, pick at a crumb and cock their eye at the spectators as though by numbers. What one does tne other does. They never miss catching that is throwu to them, the essence of the game, apparently, being to snatch the fish out of each other's bill—a rude proceeding that prompts loud laughter and applause from the delighted spectators. „ ■ . Down by the stream where the willows are bursting into leaf the paradise ducks are putting on their courting plumagt, disporting themselves in the ponds from morning until dark. The large lake has been stocked with goldfish, which fla<h in the sunlight like streaks of fire. On the grassy banks lordly peacocks preen their gorgeous-hued tails with a grand and courtly air. The Bishop birds in the aviary are beginning to don their brilliant spring plumage,- the brown tints in their feathers giving way to velvet blaclt and brilliant orange. Emu's New Chick. The emu that has, been sitting on 14 eggs has hatched out only one .chick. The other 13 eggs were ruined by the recent heavy thunderstorms, which appear to have killed the chicks before they could be hatched in the shells. Next time the emu sits on her nest the keepers intend to protect her eggs with cnshions, designed to minimise earth shocks. The solitary chick is about 6in. in height, absorbed with the serious business of feeding and jealously watched over by its father, worried and restless in a neighbouring enclosure. The rare Natal bluebuck has another baby. These animals are thriving in the Auckland climate and breeding more freely than they do even in their natural habitat. The red and fallow deer are growing new velvety antljrs. The new wild-bred lion from the Kalahari Desert has been transferred to the large arena, together with his consort, while the two old lions, Tommy and Rowdy, have been put in a den to themselves, where they agree amicably like brothers. There is one creature that is singularly unresponsive to spring's that is the Madagascar tortoise, a recent addition. A fine specimen, with unique markings on his shell, he displays little reaction to his new surroundings. He has been given the freedofn of the storehouses! through wfiich he ambles slothfully, stopping every now and then for a breath, his stumpy legs shaking and faltering as though his shell were a frightful burden to him.