^22 Zoological Proceedings of Societies, 



the power of exhibiting the collections to advantage. Every room is now 

 fully occupied, and not only are the objects crowded to excess, but the 

 greater portion of the specimens is necessarily kept for safety out of view. 

 With one or two trifling exceptions, the whole of the additions made dur- 

 ing the last year, many of which are of the utmost importance to science, 

 have been presented by the friends of the Society. Arrangements have 

 been made for facilitating the inspection of every part of the collection, 

 until such time as the increasing resources shall authorise the erection of 

 a museum on a larger scale, and on a plan commensurate with the im- 

 portance of this great object of the institution, a time which the Council 

 hope is not far distant. The objects now exhibited embrace an instructive 

 as well as an attractive series in every branch of Zoology, but more par- 

 ticularly in the groups of Mammalia, Birds, and Insects. A catalogue 

 of the more important of these has been published; and a more detailed 

 list, accompanied with scientific notices of all the species, is in preparation. 



The Garden in the Regent's Park is the principal source of attraction 

 and of expense. Much has been required to counteract the injurious 

 effects on the animals and on vegetation produced by the ungrateful na- 

 ture of the soil; and some losses have been occasioned by the want 

 of proper accommodation during the inclemency of the winter, from 

 securing which the Council were prevented by circumstances beyond 

 their power to controul. Various additional buildings have been erected, 

 including a house and inclosure for Pelicans, a hut with yards for Cows 

 and Sheep, a range of cages for Owls, an aviary for small birds, another 

 aviary for Hawks, a shed and inclosure for Beavers, a house and yards for 

 Kangaroos, &c. &c., and other works are now in progress towards com- 

 pletion. The number of species and varieties of living animals now in 

 the Garden is 158, of which 62 are Quadrupeds and and 96 are Birds. 

 Measures have been taken to add to them,, especially by the acquisition 

 of the larger and stronger Quadrupeds, and these will be brought forward 

 and exhibited as speedily as dens and inclosures can be prepared for 

 them. The number of visiters to the Garden during the last year was 

 112,226. 



For the prosecution of experiments in breeding and in the domestica- 

 tion of foreign animals, a primary object of the Society as rendering it 

 more directly and practically useful, arrangements have been made for 

 forming an establishment at such a distance from London as should ensure 



