A record of the progress of the Zoological society of London during the ... online

The herd of Wapiti had increased beyond the means of
accommodation, and a male and two females were sold to
Lord Hastings for his park at Melton Constable. A
young Bactrian Camel, born in their camp on the Heights
of Sebastopol in February 1855, was presented by the
Corps of Boyal Engineers on their return from the
Crimea ; and the Society was indebted to Mr. Alderman
Finnis for a pair of Mesopotamian Lions, interesting as
affording opportunity for comparing them with the Indian
Lions from Gujerat. A collection of Himalayan Phea-
sants had been made chiefly by the assistance of Viscount
Canning, Governor-General of India, in response to a

o 2



Digitized by



Google



180 A Short History of the

request made by H.E.H. the President ; and, in September,
Mr. James Thomson, the head-keeper, was sent to India
to receive the birds and bring them home. The Queen,
the Marquis of Breadalbane, and Viscount Hill each con-
tributed £100 to the expense of this undertaking, on the
understanding that an equivalent proportion of the birds
should, on their arrival, be at the disposition of the donors,
so as to increase the probabilities of their acclimatisation.

The residue of the specimens in the Museum was
disposed of in 1856, and the Museum was closed.

The income of 1856 amounted to £15,279, and the
expenditure to £15,839. The number of Fellows was
1,773. The admissions to the Gardens were 344,184.



1857.

President : H.B.H. The Prince Albert, K.G.

Treasurer : Charles Drummond, Esq.

Secretary : D. W. Mitchell, Esq.



In 1857 the principal works at the Gardens were the
strengthening of the fence on the south-west borders, to
keep out dogs, which " in some instances had occasioned
actual loss of life in specimens of value ; " and the clearing
of a large space on the north side of the Terrace to afford
more accommodation for the spectators. The King of
Portugal, Lord Fitzwilliam and Viscount Canning headed
the list of donors.

The list of Species exhibited for the first time in 1857
consisted of six mammals, fifteen birds, and fourteen
reptiles, besides a number of marine invertebrates. Among
the most important additions were a Mexican Jaguar,
a Southern Eiver Hog, the Purple Plantain-eater, and
the Crested Guinea-fowl. The collection of Himalayan
Pheasants arrived, diminished in numbers by the difficul-



Digitized by LjOOQ IC



Zoological Society of London. 181

ties of the voyage. The Council, however, reported that
the Cheer, the Purple Kaleege, the White-crested Kaleege,
the Black-backed Kaleege, and the Hill Partridge had
arrived in sufficient numbers to afford a reasonable
prospect of acclimatising them in this country. During
Dr. Livingstone's short stay in London he offered to
co-operate with the Society, and the King of Portugal
transmitted orders to the Governor of Zambesia for the
acquisition and transport of such animals as Dr. Living-
stone might be able to procure.

The income of 1857 amounted to £14,822, and the
expenditure to £14,352. The number of Fellows was
1,736. The admissions to the Gardens were 339,217.



1858.

President : H.E.H, The Prince Consort, K.G.

Treasurer : Charles Drummond, Esq.

Bobert Drummond, Esq.'

Secretary : D. W. Mitchell, Esq.



Few new works were undertaken in the Gardens in
1857, the principal being a new walk from the South
Entrance to the Eeservoir, to meet the walk leading up
from the Swine Sheds.

The list of donors in 1858 included the Queen, the
King of Portugal, and Prince Alfred ; and the new
species exhibited consisted of ten mammals, twelve birds,
and eleven reptiles. Among the more notable was a male
Quagga, presented by Sir George Grey, Governor of Cape
Colony, the last specimen of this now extinct animal ever
received by the Society.

In this year the Bennett's Cassowary (named in honour
of the donor, the late Dr. George Bennett, of Sydney), and
Darwin's Bhea were exhibited for the first time. Among



Digitized by



Google



182 A Short History of the

the animals that bred were some of the Himalayan
Pheasants ; while the Cheers and Kaleeges, which had
been sent to Lord Hill at Hawkstone, throve in an open
enclosure.

The income of 1858 amounted to £14,034, and the
expenditure to £12,195. The number of Fellows was
1,716. The admissions to the Gardens were 333,980.



1859-

President : H.E.H. The Prince Consort, K.G.

Treasurer : Eobert Drummond, Esq.

Secretary : D. W. Mitchell, Esq.

P. L. Sclater, Esq.



At the Anniversary Meeting of 1859 Mr. Mitchell,
having undertaken the direction of the new Jardin d'Ac-
climatation at Paris, retired from the office of Secretary,
and Mr. Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A., Fellow of Corpus
Christi College, Oxford, and Barrister-at-law, who had
been a Member of the Council during the previous two
years, was elected in his place.

In this summer the first section of the present Antelope-
house was opened, and here for some time the Zebras
and other Equidce were also kept. There was a long list
of donors, headed by H.M. The Queen, who presented an
African Leopard. Examples of seven mammals, four-
teen birds, and eight reptiles were exhibited for the first
time. The most important acquisition was a female
Kiang (Equus hemionus), presented by Major W. E. Hay,
the first example of this animal ever received. The
breeding-list of 1859> contained the names of twenty-five
species of mammals and twenty-three of birds.

The Silver Medal of the Society was awarded in 1859
to Viscount Canning, Lord William Hay, Capt. Hay,,



Digitized by



Google



Zoological Society of London. 183

Capt. James, the Rajah Bajendra Mullick, and Mr.
Bichard Green, for their assistance in forming the first
collection of Himalayan Pheasants; and to Mr. Christie
William Dougall, for his many valuable donations.

On June 30th, Mr. John Thompson, the Superin-
tendent of the Gardens, died, and Mr. A. D. Bartlett was
appointed as his successor.

The income of 1859 amounted to £15,194, and the
expenditure to £14,345. The number of Fellows was
1,721. The admissions to the Gardens were 364,356.



i86a

President : H.B.H. The Peince Consoet, KG.

Treasurer : Bobeet Dbummond, Esq.

Secretary: P. L. Sclat^se, Esq.



The new Antelope-house, a portion of which had
been opened in 1859, was completed in 1860 at a. total
cost of JB4,289. It was described by the Council as " one
of the most useful as well as one of the most ornamental
additions that has been made to the Society's grounds
for many years." For the convenience of visitors all the
houses, in the Gardens were conspicuously labelled with
the names given to them in the ' Garden Guide.'

The Queen, the King of Portugal, Prince Alfred, and
the Duke of Oporto headed the list of donors in 1860.
Examples of seven mammals, sixteen birds, eleven
reptiles, and two fishes were exhibited for the first
time. The most important of these were a Javan Wild
Hog- (Bus vittatus), two Shoe-birds (Balceniceps rex),
which had been obtained on the White Nile, and were the
first brought alive to Europe, and a Gigantic Salamander
(Megalobatrachus maximus). The Himalayan Pheasants
produced 141 3ggs, of which 82 were hatched, and .45 chicks



Digitized by



Google



184 A Short History of the

were reared. In 1859 the same number of hens had laid
168 eggs, of which 62 were hatched and 50 were reared.
In the preceding year eleven hens had laid 184 eggs, of
which 126 were hatched and 116 chicks were reared. _ On
Dec. 31st the number of animals in the menagerie was
1,590, showing an increase of 270 since the corresponding
period of 1859.

The income of 1860 amounted to £16,863, and the
expenditure to £15,949. The number of Fellows was
1,716. The admissions to the Gardens were 394,906.



l86i.

President : H.B.H. The Pbincb Consobt, K.G.

Treasurer: Bobebt Dbummond, Esq,

Secretary : P. L. Sclateb, Esq.



In 1861 the Deer sheds in the North Gardens were
rebuilt. The larger Antelopes were removed to the new
house in the South Garden. The collection in that house
then included : —

1 Bless-bok. 8 Leucoryx.

1 Leohee. 2 Nylghai.

1 Sable Antelope. 1 White-tailed Gnu.

1 Hartebeest. 1 Brindled Gnu.

2 Addax.

Two valuable collections of mammals and birds were
received from Sir George Grey, Governor of Cape Colony.
Among these the most noteworthy were a female Koodoo,
believed to be the first received alive in Europe ; a Bless-bok,
a Steinbok (the first received alive in Europe), a Grysbok
(new to the collection), and a BurchelTs Zebra. In this
year also a specimen of ^Elian's Wart-hog (Phacochcerw
africanus) was added to the Menagerie for the first time.

The total number of species exhibited for the first time



Digitized by



Google



Zoological Society of London, 185

in 1861 comprised eight mammals, ten birds, nine reptiles,
and one fish. Fifty-four chicks were reared from the
Himalayan Pheasants, and satisfactorily disposed of among
the Society's Members and correspondents. Two Eland
fawns were born, making a total of twenty since the
bequest of the herd in 1851. In all, nineteen mammals and
twenty-four birds are entered on the breeding list of 1861.

A new series of ' Proceedings ' was commenced in 1861,
under the title of ' Proceedings of the Scientific Meetings
of the Zoological Society of London.' These were con-
tinued in nearly the same form until 1890, and Index
volumes were issued for each of the three decennial
periods.

On December 14th, the Prince Consort, President of
the Society, died at Windsor.

The income of 1861 amounted to £16,072, and the
expenditure to £16,974. The number of Fellows was
1,725. The admissions to the Gardens were 381,837,



l862,

Presidmt ; Sib Geobge Clebk, Bt., F.E.S.

Treasurer: Eobebt Dbummond, Esq.

Secretary : P. L. Sclateb, Esq., F.E.S.



At the first Council Meeting of this year, it was agreed
that an address of condolence on the death of the Prince
Consort should be forwarded to the Queen ; and, at the
Anniversary Meeting, the election of the Eight Hon. Sir
George Clerk, who had been chosen to fill the chair on the
death of Prince Albert, as President of the Society, was
confirmed.

The series of Wild Sheep was removed from the pens
opposite the Museum building to the new sheds in the
South Garden, and on the site of the old pens the Kangaroo



Digitized by LjOOQ IC



186 A Short History of the

sheds were erected. The Pheasantry at the western side
of the South Garden was built, and an additional gate
and money-taker's lodge were constructed at the south
entrance.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the King of Portugal,
and the King of Italy were among the principal donors to
the Menagerie in 1862. The list of species new to the
collection comprised fourteen mammals, sixteen birds, six
reptiles, and three fishes. Among the mammals was an
Aye-Aye, from Madagascar, till then only known in
Europe by preserved specimens. Two Lesser Birds of
Paradise (Paradisea minor), brought home by Mr. A. E.
Wallace, were acquired ; and a Kagu (Bhinochetusjubatus)
was presented by Dr. G. Bennett, to whom, in acknow-
ledgment of his numerous valuable donations, the Society's
Silver Medal was awarded. The breeding list of this year
enumerated twenty-six species of mammals, twenty-nine
birds, and one reptile; and the number of chicks of the
Himalayan Pheasants reared was sixty-nine. The number
of animals in'the Menagerie on December 31st showed an
increase of 334, the figures being 1,748, as compared with
1,414 on December 31st, 1861.

The first edition of the ' List of Vertebrated Animals,*
prepared by Louis Fraser under the direction of the
Secretary, was issued this year. It contained a list of the
animals living in the Gardens on December 31st, 1861,
and of those that had been received subsequently up to
the 1st of June, 1862. It recorded the names of 1,450
specimens, belonging to 188 species of mammals, 409 of
birds, 62 of reptiles, and 23 of fishes ; altogether 682 species
of vertebrates.

In 1862 the fourth volume of the Society's quarto
' Transactions ' was completed by thejissue of Part VIII.
In this volume will be found four more of Professor
Owen's memoirs on Dinomis, and the first description, by
Strickland, of the new Didine genus Pezophaps, from the
Island of Bodriguez; also three memoirs by Professor
Owen on the Chimpanzees and Orangs.

In this year the by-law entitling every Fellow to the



Digitized by



Google



Zoological Society of London. 187

letter-press of the 'Proceedings' without payment was
repealed ; and in its place it was agreed to supply those
Fellows, and Foreign and Corresponding Members, who
paid a subscription of £1 Is. before the Anniversary
Meeting, with the whole of the publications for the year.

The income of 1862 amounted to £27,397, the largest
ever received up to this date. The expenditure was
£18,713. The number of Fellows was 1,731. The admis-
sions to the Gardens were 682,205, an increase of 14,962
as compared with 1851.



1863.

President : Sib Geobge Clebk, Bt., F.E.S.

Treasurer: Eobebt Dbummond, Esq.

Secretary: P. L. Sclateb, Esq., F.E.S.



In 1863 three new entrance-lodges were built, to
replace L the wooden boxes previously occupied by the
money-takers in the Gardens. The Eastern Aviary was
rebuilt on what was practically the old site, though the
new building was larger than the old one and afforded
much more light and air to the inmates, while the elevated
floor gave the visitors a better view of the birds. The
Cattle-sheds were constructed, and a new Monkey-house
was commenced.

There was a large list of donors this year, and the list
of species new to the collection included twelve mammals,
thirty-five birds, twenty-two reptiles, and eight fishes.
Soemmerring's Pheasant, the Eufous-tailed Pheasant, and
the Black-headed Tragopan were the most noteworthy of
these additions. In April, the Secretary read a paper at
one of the Scientific Meetings on the Phasianidae, enu-
merating fifty-six species, of which twenty-nine had been
exhibited, at various times, in the Menagerie. In order
to assist the Society's correspondents, copies of this paper



Digitized by



Google



188 A Short History of the

were sent out to India and China, with coloured figures of
such species as were wanted to fill gaps in the collection,
and with instructions as to the best method of keeping
these birds in confinement and packing them for con-
veyance to England. Several of the Corresponding
Members in India had sent notice that collections were
waiting for transmission to England, and Mr. John
Thomson, the head-keeper, was despatched to Calcutta
to take charge of them and bring them home. The
Council sent out, under his care, a selection of living
animals for the Eajah Eajendra Mullick, as some return
for the many valuable donations he had made from time
to time to the Menagerie. The breeding list of 1863
included twenty-four mammals, twenty-nine birds, one
reptile, and two fishes.

The first edition of the ' List of Vertebrated Animals '
having been found of great use for transmission to foreign
correspondents, and for naming the animals in the
Gardens on a uniform system, a second edition was pub-
lished this year, containing the names of the animals that
were living in the Gardens on January 1st, 1863, together
with those received up to the end of May, 1863. It
included altogether the names of 822 species of vertebrates.

The income of 1863 amounted to £20,284, and the
expenditure to £21,252. The number of Fellows on
December 31st was 1,815. The admissions to the Gardens
were 468,700.



1864.

President: Sir George Clerk, Bt., F.E.S.

Treasurer: Eobert Drummond, Esq.

Secretary : P. L. Sclater, Esq., F.E.S.



In 1864 the Eastern Aviary and the new Monkey-
house were completed and opened to the public. The
last-named building, erected at a total cost of £4,840,



Digitized by



Google



Zoological Socieiy of London. 169

including fittings, was announced to be a great success.
The old wooden fencing of the Giraffe Tard was replaced
by an iron palisading, and the platform opposite the
Carnivora Dens, from which the visitors witnessed the
feeding of the animals, was reconstructed.

The Indian animals collected for the Society by the
exertions of their corresponding members — the Babu
Eajendra Mullick of Calcutta, Mr. A. Grote of Alipore,
Dr. John Squire, and Mr. William Dunn of Akyab —
arrived in July. The most important were : —



2 Khinoceroses.


2 Rufous-tailed Pheasants.


2 Black Cuckoos.


1 Peacock Pheasant.


2 Rose-coloured Pastors.


2 Indian Tantalus.


1 Rhinoceros Hornbill.


2 Indian Jabirus.


2 Concave Hornbills.


2 Saras Cranes.


2 Green-necked Peafowl.


2 Land Tortoises.


2 Liaeated Pheasants.





Very few losses were experienced on the passage home,
and the Council voted Mr. Thomson a gratuity of £50
and their special thanks for his services.

The species new to the collection in 1864 comprised
eight mammals, twenty-three birds, two reptiles, and two
fishes. The most noteworthy were a Saiga Antelope, the
Hornbills and Lineated Pheasants of the Indian collection,
and a Tooth-billed Pigeon from Samoa, which, when it
died, filled a gap in the bird-galleries of the British
Museum. In this year the first specimen of the order
Cetacea was exhibited, being a Common Porpoise from
the British Seas. The number of specimens in the
Menagerie on December 31st was 1,858.

The income of 1864 amounted to £21,713, and the
expenditure to £24,889. The number of Fellows on
December 31st was 1,918. The admissions to the Gardens
were 507,169.



Digitized by LjOOQ IC



190 A Short History of the



1865

President: Sib George Clerk, Bt. ? F.K.S.

Treasurer : Eobert Drummond, Esq.

Secretary: P. L. Sclater, Esq., F.R.S.



in 1865 the Eagle Aviary was built on the site of the
old Monkey-house, railings and gates were put up at the
main entrance, and among the minor works carried out
were the construction of the Beaver Pond, the fencing of
the Antelope Paddock, and the sheds for smaller deer
near the Superintendent's house.

In 1865 Dr. James Murie was appointed Prosector,
with the duty of making an anatomical examination of
every animal dying in the Menagerie, and a Dissecting
Boom, with the necessary fittings, was provided for
his use.

The Queen and the Prince of Wales were among the
list of donors, and the list of species new to the collection
included twenty-one mammals, fifty birds, and four
reptiles. The more remarkable additions to the Menagerie
were a Prong-buck (the specimen upon which the fact of
the animal's horns being deciduous was established by
Bartlett*), a three-banded Armadillo, a Tree-Kangaroo, a
King Penguin, a pair of Fruit Pigeons from the Seychelles,
and an Abyssinian Hornbill. In June the first African
Elephant ever seen alive in England was received (in
exchange for an Indian Rhinoceros) from the Jardin des
Plantes, Paris. This was the famous Jumbo, and in
September a female of the same species (Alice) was
bought from Mr. Bice, the dealer, of St. George's St., E.
The breeding list of 1865 contained thirty mammals and
thirty-six birds. The number of animals in the Menagerie

* See P. Z. S., 1865, p. 718.



Digitized by



Google



Zoological Society of London. 191

at the close of the year was 1,956, showing an increase of
ninety-eight as compared with December 31st, 1864.

The third edition of the ' List of Vertebrated Animals '
in the Society's Gardens was issued this year, and
recorded the names of all the species of which specimens
had been exhibited in 1864. It contained altogether the
names of 1,730 specimens.

The income in 1865 amounted to £23,457, and the
expenditure to £23,571. The number of Fellows on
December 31st was 2,143. The admissions to the Gardens
were 525,176.



1866.

President: Sir George Clerk, Bt., F.B.S.

Treasurer : Bobert Drummond, Esq.

Secretary: P. L. Sclater, Esq., F.B.S.



The old Eagle Aviary in the centre of the Gardens
was pulled down in 1866 and the site was laid down with
turf to enlarge the lawn. New cages for Eagles and
Vultures were erected on the walk leading eastward from
the south entrance. The erection of a set of sheds for
hardy Bodents was commenced by the side of the Swine-
sheds. An exhibition of Mr. Wolf's sketches was opened
in the upper part of the old Museum-building, which had
been fitted up for that purpose.

The animals exhibited for the first time this year
comprised fifteen mammals, forty-five birds, and five
reptiles, and the breeding list included twenty-one
mammals, twenty-three birds, and one reptile. The most
noticeable additions were a young male Sea-lion from
Patagonia, purchased of Lecomte, who afterwards entered
the service of the Society as keeper, a male Gayal, a
Formosan Deer, a Pudu Deer, a pair of Straw-necked



Digitized by



Google



192 A Short history of tU

Ibises, three Trumpeter Swans, and three Buddy Flamin-
goes. Mr. Clarence Bartlett (now Superintendent) was
sent by the Council to Surinam to bring home a young
Manatee, but the animal unfortunately died a few hours
before the vessel arrived at Southampton. A second
example, forwarded from Porto Bico, died under similar
circumstances.

On December 6th a fire broke out in the Giraffe-house,
and, though it was quickly extinguished, an adult female
Giraffe and her fawn were suffocated by the smoke. The
cause of the fire was never discovered. The loss, esti-
mated at £545, was covered by insurance.

In the winter of 1866 a heavy snowstorm destroyed the
covering of the breeding-aviary for Pheasants, near the
cattle-sheds. The birds (many of which were worth £50
each) escaped into the Park, but were mostly recovered.

The number of animals in the Menagerie on December
31st, 18*6 was 2,013, showing an increase of fifty-seven
over the previous year.

The Scientific Meetings of the Session 1866-67 were
held, by the kind permission of the Linnean Society, in
their rooms at Burlington House.

Up to this date an edition of the Proceedings without
illustrations had been issued ; but it was now decided to
discontinue it, and to issue instead a cheap edition with
uncoloured plates.

The fourth edition of the ' List of Vertebrated Anmrnlfl '
living in the Society's Gardens was prepared by the
Secretary and published in July of this year. The names
of all the animals received in 1865 and 1866 were inserted
in their proper places, and the List, therefore, contained
a complete record of the names of all the species that had
been exhibited alive from 1863 to the end of 1866. These
were altogether 1,212 in number, viz. — mammals 339,
birds 721, reptiles 73, batrachians 25, and fishes 54.

In 1866 the fifth volume of the Society's ' Transactions/
containing eleven zoological memoirs, was completed. In
this volume Prof. Owen continued his memoirs on the
Anthropoid Apes and on the Dinornithida ; and Flower, at



Digitized by



Google



Zoological Society of London. 19$

that time Conservator of the Museum of the Eoyal
College of Surgeons, published one of his earliest papers
on the brain of the Javan Loris. Owen's elaborate
memoir on the Aye-Aye (Chiromys), illustrated by thirteen
plates, also forms part of this volume.

Three keepers— H. Hunt, M. Scott, and B. Misselbrook
— were awarded the Bronze Medal in 1866 "for their
meritorious success in breeding foreign animals in the
Society's Gardens."

The income in 1866 amounted to £24,378, and the
expenditure to £22,418. The number of Fellows on
December 31st was 2,459. The admissions to the Gardens
were 527,349.



1867*

President : Sib George Clerk, Bart., F.E.S.

Treasurer: Bobert Drummond, Esq,

Secretary: P. L. Sclater, Esq., F.B.S.



The President of the Society, the Bight Hon. Sir
George Clerk, Bart., died on Dec. 23rd, 1867.

The Deer Sheds in the South Gardens were built this
year, the Bodents'-houses completed and stocked, and the
Pheasantry rebuilt. In the North Garden the. Wapiti
Sheds were cleared away to provide a site for the
Elephant-house; the Hippopotamus-house was enlarged
by taking in the court on the north side; a walk was
made from the Kangaroo Sheds, over the Tunnel, to the
back of the Parrot House, and the pens for the Wombats
were built. Thirteen species of Mammals and thirty-one
of Birds were exhibited for the first time, and the breeding
list enumerates thirty-three mammals and sixty-six birds.

Mr. Clarence Bartlett was sent to India in 1867 to
take charge of a collection of animals offered to the