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!
[Illustration: 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.)
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_.
Harsh-Coated Pocket Gopher _Geomys hispidus_.
Squirrel-Tailed Dormouse _Myoxus glis_. Lesser Dormouse _Myoxus dryas_. English Dormouse _Muscardinus avellanarius_.