AUSTRALIAN WILD LIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22173, 29 July 1935, Page 10

AUSTRALIAN WILD LIFE

SPECIAL ZOO SECTION CURATOR VISITS AUCKLAND " I have heard many interesting accounts of the Auckland Zoo and I am exceedingly keen to visit it," said Mr David H. Fleay, curator of the Australian section of the Melbourne Zoological Gardens, who arrived at Auckland by the Monterey on Saturday on a brief holiday visit. Mr. Fleay is of the opinion that much can be done in tho exchange of exhibits between zoos in Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Fleay said the section of the Melbourne Zoo o% r er which he had control was a comparatively recent development, as it had been thought that more specialised attention should be paid to animals and birds which were natives of Australia. A very fine collection had already been formed. Among the Australian exhibits was a duck-billed platypus. This species, although still fairly common in various parts of Australia, was difficult to keep alive in captivity. It required about 800 worms a day and, in order to cater for the diet of the platypus at the Melbourne Zoo, a special "wormery" had been established. It consisted of a large pit, filled with earth and decaying vegetation, into "which worms wero placed after being bought from children, who were given a shilling for a 21b. treacle tin lull of wriggling captives. In addition to payment for the worms the children were also admitted free to the zoo. Mr. Fleay said he was very keen to obtain a kiwi for the Melbourne Zoo. There were specimens, he understood, in other Australian zoos and, during his present trip, ho hoped to obtain permission from the Government and secure a kiwi to take back to Molbourno "with him.