1847
E.W. Elmslie Esq. to The Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society was founded in the year 1826 through the exertions of Sir Stamford Raffles. Sir Humphrey Davy and other eminent individuals. Like all other Scientific Institutions in… read more
1847
E.W. Elmslie Esq. to The Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society was founded in the year 1826 through the exertions of Sir Stamford Raffles. Sir Humphrey Davy and other eminent individuals. Like all other Scientific Institutions in England it is supported by the voluntary contributions of the Members, each of whom pays at entrance fee of £5.00 on his election and an annual contribution of £3. The Zoological Society likewise derives a considerable income averaging about £5000 per annum from the admission of visitors to the Gardens. The whole income since the commencement of the Society, has averaged about £10,000 per annum, and the expenditure for the support of the Establishment, amounts to much about the same sum. In the year 1829 the Society had increased so rapidly and become so prosperous, that it was formed into a corporate body under a Royal Charter granted by His late Majesty King George the Fourth. By this Charter its objects are defined, its mode of government established and it is empowered to make byelaws for the conduct and regulation of its different affairs the legislative department and general Superintendences of the whole Establishment is vested in a Council of 24 members, five of whom go out every year and are replaced by five other gentlemen elected from a general body. The executive department is vested in the President, Treasurer and Secretary who is nominally elected annually from among the Members of Council - but practically these officers are never changed, unless by their own desire, in order that the executive department may have greater stability. These officers are purely honorary and gratuitous, but the Secretary upon whom the powerful part of the duty devolves is assisted by two paid officers or assistant secretaries one in the Scientific the other in the general department, besides Clerks, Curators and other subordinate officers necessary for carrying on the business of the Society.
The ordinary members of the Society, who are called Fellows have the privilege of visiting the Gardens at all times and of introducing two friends free of Expense, likewise of attending all Meetings of the Society and voting at the elections of new Members, of Officers and Councillors. Foreign Ambassadors and Honorary Members have likewise the same privileges as ordinary Fellows, but without payment or contribution to the Funds of the Society. Besides these there are numerous corresponding Members in all parts of the world, with whom the Society keeps up a communication regarding the Zoology of the Countries which they respectively inhabit. Such in a few words if the general scheme of the Zoological Society. I proceed to a few of the most interesting details regarding its actual working.
Plan of Gardens
(2) The accompanying plan exhibits the general arrangement of the Gardens and the accommodation provided for each class of animal respectively
(1) The Gardens are situated in the Regents Park at the North West corner of London and are bounded on the North by the Regents Canal. The Public Carriage drive round the Park passes through the Gardens and divides them into two portions called the North and South Gardens which are entered by a tunnel which passes under the road at A. On entering the Gardens by the Central Gate at B the visitor first encounters the Pheasantries a range of small ornamental buildings with open yards enclosed by wire netting for exotic species of pheasants [currasows?] swans and other gallinaceous birds which it is considered desirous to acclimatise in England and introduce into our [preserves?] and poultry yards. Returning from the Pheasantries the visitor passes along a raised terrace walk, bordered on each side with rare exotic shrubs and flowers. At the extremity on the right hand side is the Bear Pit (3) containing generally 4 or 5 bears from America or American Bears Ursus Arctos Americanus and on the left (4) the den, pond and yard of the Polar Bear U. Maritimus. From the terrace walk an ascent of 3 steps conducts to the roof [?] building 5.5.5 called the Carnivora Terrace of which an elevation C C C is given in the left hand corner of the Map. This terrace which is occupied by the large Carnivors such as Lions, Tigers, Panthers, Jaguars [Hyenas?] Bears [etc?] contains 12 dens or compartments (6 on each side) each of which is 24 feet long, 10 feet deep and by means of sliding doors is capable of being divided into two smaller compartments of 12 feet long or [4 or 6ft long each?]. Between the two [ranges?] of outer compartments is a small range of sleeping dens each 6ft square one to each 12ft compartment and communicating with one another so that when the doors are opened the whole forms a long gallery from one extremity of the Terrace to the other and enables the Keepers to remove any animal from any one to any other without risk or difficulty. Generally speaking the Felidae occupy the South face of the building and the Bears [?] [?] [?] [?] [?]. The artificial heat in this building and we find that the animals thrive better when exposed to the open air even in intense frosts than when confined in heated rooms provided only that they have a sufficient supply of food, room for exercise, shelter from cold winds and plenty of straw in their sleeping dens. Descending from the Terrace by a flight of steps at the extremity the visitor is next conducted to the Camel and Llama House (6) with its pond, yards and paddock, after which he passes between the pond and paddock for ornamental water fowl (7) such as [?] and Sandwich Island Geese, Black Swans and the Gallatores Aviary (8) for the different species of Ardea, Geese [?] Ciconia, Platalea and beyond this (9) is the large paddock and pond the Cassowaries (casuarius galatea) and [Nord Hollander] and a little on the right a grotto, pond a enclosed yard (10) for Pelicans. Returning between 7 and 8 we next come to the breeding pond for wild Swans (11) and the Eagle House in a circular building with yards for different species of Vulture and Aguilar. Farther on is the Bison House (13) Bos Americanus B. Gaurus Bubalus with its paddocks on the left and the Monkey House (14) on the right here are generally from 60 to 80 individuals the [?] and [?] of many different species occupying large wire cages [?] along the entire length of the house on each side. This house is provided with a powerful heating apparatus, but it has been found that artificial heat promotes [pthius?] among this class of animals to a fearful extent. The plan has been consequently abandoned and an open fire like that commonly used in private houses in England is the only mode of heating now employed. It is found to by sufficient in the coldest Winter weather, the animals however being provided with a good bed of straw at night supplied with abundance of nourishing food and encouraged to take much exercise during the day. No other class of animals requires so great a variety of food to keep the digestive organs in a proper state of activity. Boiled potatoes, apples, bread, fruits of different kinds during the season (No nuts however which are found to produce [intestis?] [?] when given in abundance) raw onions, the smaller and stronger the better and a small portion of lean boiled beef or other animal food as supplied to them daily, and a handful of hard peas or wheat is occasionally thrown into the cage among the straw which [?] to [?] and employ the minds of the animals, a very essential consideration in promoting their general health. Contiguous to the Monkey House are the Refreshment Rooms (15) where visitors may purchase ices, jellies, soups, confectionary and other refreshments according to the season in front of which are the Armadillo enclosures (16) the otter pond (17) the Porcupine enclosure (18) and some upright poles (19) to which the Monkeys are chained during the Summer season. The whole South East corner of the Garden is occupied by a flower garden (20) [except?] the large pond and paddock (21) which are appropriate to the breeding and rearing of ornamental species of water fowl. Besides this there are smaller ponds (22). Behind the Monkey House appropriate to these rarer and more valuable birds of the same class, and, to the breeding of silver and gold-fish. The Parrot House (23) is constructed very well on the model of the Monkey House and contains from 100 to 200 Parrots (Psittacus). The interior cages with wh. this house is surrounded communicate with large cages (a,a) outside to which the birds have access during the Summer season and where they are then permitted to remain in the open air. By this treatment some species are encouraged to form nests and lay eggs which was [never known?] under any other system of encouragement.
A short way beyond the Parrot House are the small bird aviaries (24) for exotic species of the order [Passares?] and between it and the Monkey House is a small house and pond [25] for beavers (Castor) and Coypus [Myopotaurus?] Along the Southwest of the Gardens runs a series of large grazing paddocks (D.D.D.) in which Deer, Antelopes and other Ruminantia are kept during Summer; and in the extreme corner of which occupying the highest ground in the Gardens is the reservoir (8) which supplies the different ponds etc. with water. Leaving the South Garden the visitor enters the North Garden by means of a tunnel wh. passes under the road at A. On the right is the Museum (26) containing the preserved specimens, and forming a collection unrivalled for extent and rarity of species particularly in the classes of Mammalia and Anas. Behind the Museum is an Artesian well (27) worked by a steam engine, which keeps the reservoir (8) constantly full and supplies water to the whole Establishment. Proceeding towards the West, the visitor [?] comes to the Ostrich house (28) containing the two species Struthio Camelus and [?] Rhea and to the Kangaroo house and paddock (29) Farther on is the Deer and Antelope House (30) where three Ruminantia are kept in Winter; and a little way beyond the Elephant and Rhinoceros house (31) with its pond (a) enclosure (b) where these animals are allowed to bathe and promenade in Summer. Passing on we next come to the Peccary (Dicolytes) house (32) and to the Tapir House and pond (33); beyond which is the small quadruped House (34) for the smaller species of Rodentia; Marsupials etc and the [Serpent?] house (35) The Zebra sheds (36) are immediately behind. The last building (37) is the Giraffe house with its enclosed paddock, into which the animals are turned in [Summer] there three young giraffes have been produced, two of which are now surviving; the Mother is again pregnant and from the success of the latter cases no doubt is entertained rearing the offspring with safety