50 The Irish Naiuralist. March, 



should know that the preservation of the collections was mainly due to 

 the zeal and courage of ^Irs. B. B. FciTar and the keepers under lier in- 

 structions. On Easter Monday, z^ih April, the Superintendent had gone 

 as usual to his military duties at the Royal Barracks, where he was neces- 

 sarily detained from the outbreak of the revolt until Thursday, .ith Maj'. 

 In the morning the Gardens were full of visitors, most of whom hurried 

 away when news of the conditions in the Q'lty reached the Park. One 

 family from Dalkey, finding it impossible to get home, returned and 

 was lodged for the night in the Haughton House. The refreshment room 

 was, happily, well stocked with provisions, and the immediate w'ants of 

 residents and some of the animals were tlius provided for. Through the 

 week the keepers could not go to and from their homes, except at risk 

 of their lives; Mrs. Ferrar arranged, therefore, for J. Supple, J. Flood, 

 and T. Kelly to lodge on the premises, and tlie others attended when they 

 could. Heavy firing about Phibsborough on Tuesday, 25th, was all too 

 audible in the Park, and on Thursday, 27th, rifle bullets passed over the 

 Gardens. 'J'he most serious difficulty was the feeding of the large 

 Carnivora ; as it was impossible to get horses from the City, it became 

 necessary to sacrifice some of the less valuable stock in the Gardens, 

 so that an old pon}^ a donkey, a goat, and a few dingoes were used to 

 keep the lions and tigers in food. The Secretary was able to reach the 

 Gardens on three occasions by wa}- of Island Bridge or Chapelizod, and 

 to convey .some urgently-needed provisions. By the beginning of the 

 succeeding week permission was obtained from the military authority 

 for the supply of horse-flesh from the City, and all danger of famine 

 was removed. By the middle of the week, it was possible to 

 convey to the Gardens an unexpected gift of monkeys ; a few 

 visitors who had permission to enter the Park made their way to 

 the Zoo, and small amounts began to be taken at the gate. On 

 Saturday, 6th :\Iay, six members of the Council assembled at nine 

 o'clock, but, owing to the shortage of coal and the absence of gas, 

 no breakfast was provided. On May 13th, however, a fully-attended 

 breakfast and Council meeting coincided with the re-opening of the Park 

 to the public, and the resumption of normal activities at the Gardens. 



No change has taken place during the year among the Anthropoid Apes ; 

 the Gorilla " Empress," the Chimpanzees " George" and " Charlie," and 

 the Hoolock Gibbon are still the chief attractions of the Monkey House. 

 All have grown and maintained excellent health, the swellings in the neck 

 which troubled the Gorilla during 1916 having now disappeared. The 

 Gorilla must be at present in the fourth year of her age, having completed 

 three full years' residence under J. Supple's care. 



Besides the three kinds of Anthropoid Apes just mentioned, tliere are 

 now in the Gardens tv;elve Ethiopian, four Oriental, and two South 

 American species of monkey, and three species of Madagascar Lemurs, 

 the twenty-four distinct members of the Primates being represented by 

 forty-seven specimens. It may be doubted if the jMonkey House ever 

 contained a more varied and interesting selection. Noteworthy animals 

 comprise an exceptionally large and handsome Patas, which goes through 



