[ 380 ] [APRIL, 



. 



THE POLITICAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN. 



FOR the gratification of those who have not yet visited this establish- 

 ment, we give the following brief account of the extremely rare and 

 curious collection of animals it contains. We shall not aim at classifica- 

 tion, but take fish, flesh, and fowl, just as they chance to recur to our 

 memory. 



A huge cage near the entrance contains : 



The Boroughmonger the monarch of birds of prey, of the vulture 

 species ; its usual food is public property ; this it is enabled to procure 

 by means of its long beak, which it darts into the pockets of the people. 

 Its odour is singularly offensive ; and it is found in all parts of the 

 kingdom, particularly in Cornwall. There is reason to think the species 

 will soon be extinct; the whig sportsmen consider them excellent 

 shooting; and a general " battue" is expected to take place in a short 

 time. The bird here exhibited is one of the largest size and most 

 rapacious in its habits ; it was taken some time since at Newark, just in 

 the act of dashing its talons into the vitals of the constitution. 



The Bishops amphibious, living both by land and by sea, (qu. see,) 

 resembles the porpoise in shape ; but in voracity is near akin to the 

 shark. It is found in most parts of Europe, but thrives best in the 

 British isles. The finest and fattest specimens are found at Canterbury 

 and Durham in England, and Derry in Ireland: the present one was 

 taken on the Thames close to Fulham. 



The Dean a smaller animal of the same genus. 



The Sinecurist a species of the sloth-bear, at once a lazy and pre- 

 datory animal : its favourite food is salary, of which it is absolutely in- 

 satiable : it is to be seen in great numbers in the western districts of 

 the metropolis : in appearance it is bloated and disgusting : it multi- 

 plied more rapidly some years ago than it does at present, which is 

 chiefly to be attributed to an invaluable little animal, called economy, 

 (introduced of late years into England, by a gentleman of Scotch ex- 

 traction residing in Bryanstone-square,) and remarkable for its instinc- 

 tive animosity to the sinecurist, which it pursues into its den and 

 destroys, something in the way a weazel disposes of a rat, or any other 

 sort of vermin. 



. The Pensioner a variety of the sinecurist : it is gregarious, and goes 

 in packs usually called lists. A kind of poison composed chiefly of 

 printer's ink, has been found the most effectual way of extirpating them : 

 it is sold at mo?t of the offices of the daily and weekly newspapers, and 

 13 so extremely useful a commodity that it is heavily taxed by act of 

 parliament. 



The Tori) It is nearly impossible to distinguish this quadruped 

 either by feature or voice from the common ass. To the stupidity and 

 obstinate temper, however, of the donkey species, it unites the cunning 

 and malignity peculiar to itself. In fact the beast is a hybrid, between 

 knave and fool. A mortality commenced amongst the species just 

 about the time the Reform Bill was introduced into Parliament ; and it 

 has raged so violently ever since, that some persons assert there is 

 not a genuine specimen of the animal to be found now in all England. 

 This, however, is manifestly a mistake. Besides the present instance, 

 it is well known that several fine old tories are still to bc % found at 



