596 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



al value, and for the extent and beauty of their illustrations, 

 far exceeding in this respect all other serials of the same 

 general character. 



There is also a very fine library connected with the soci- 

 ety, and there was formerly a museum of prepared specimens. 

 This, however, was transferred to the British Museum. Its 

 zoological gardens, which it still retains, are in Regent's Park, 

 and it is to their present condition that we now take occasion 

 to refer more particularly. A strong encouragement to the 

 establishment of such institutions in our own larger cities 

 may be found in the fact that the receipts during the year 

 amounted to no less than $85,000. In addition to this sum, 

 the receipts from memberships and from the sales of publi- 

 cations, etc., brought the total income up to about $140,000. 

 The number of visitors to the gardens during the year was 

 713,000. The living animals in the collection on the 1st of 

 December, 1873, consisted of 592 quadrupeds, 1329 birds, and 

 266 reptiles total, 2187. The total number of additions to 

 the menagerie during the year amounted to 1414. 



ANNUAL RETURN OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The annual return of the British Museum for the financial 

 year ending March 31, 1874, has just been published, and 

 constitutes a document of much interest. We are informed 

 that the number of visitors during the year 1873 amounted 

 to 576,000, an aggregate exceeded only by the number in 

 1869. The additions to the library amounted to 66,034, of 

 which 33,744 were distinct works. The number of stamps 

 impressed on articles amounted to 216,228. 



Among the most important accessions to the library during 

 the year are first, a perfect copy of the edition of the " Book 

 of Common Prayer," dated 1603, in folio, commonly called 

 the Hampton-Court Book ; second, a copy, believed to be 

 unique, of the original edition of Tyndale's "Exposition of the 

 fyrste Epistle of Seynt John," printed abroad, and issued in 

 September, 1531, while Tyndale was at Antwerp; third, a 

 series of early English books, including "England's Helicon," 

 1600; Robert Chester's poem, "The Annals of Great Brit- 

 taine," otherwise entitled "Love's Martyr," 1611 ; a poem 

 by John Weever on the "Life and Death of Sir John Old- 

 castle," 1601 ; besides 225 black-letter English ballads print- 



