igiS. TmA Societies. 67 



the members and visitors to the Gardens until such time as there may 

 be opportunity of replenishing the stock. The Lion House and the 

 Monkey House, however, still contain many inhabitants of interest. 



The death of the Gorilla " Empress " in May is the most serious loss 

 sustained for many years. Yet it is a matter of great satisfaction that 

 she had lived in the Gardens for three years and four months — by far the 

 longest time during which a Gorilla has ever lived in the British Isles, and 

 only exceeded in the records of Eviropean collections by the seven years' 

 residence of a female in Breslau. An account of " Empress " was published 

 in the Irish Naturalist for August, 191 7. At the end of the year, the apes 

 were happily still represented by the two Chimpanzees " George " and 



Charlie," and by the Hoolock Gibbon. There has been considerable 

 mortality among the stock of monkeys, mostly on account of the very 

 severe weather of mid-December. Both the Anubis and Hamadryas 

 Baboons and two Bonnet monkeys died then ; the Douroucouli and one 

 of the Woolly ^lonkeys had been lost earlier in the year. In October died 

 the last of the Ruffed Lemurs. It will probably be impossible to replace 

 these specimens until after the war. 



Five of the stock of lions have died during the year : the old lion " Conn " 

 at the end of December, the Uganda lioness " Mitze " and three cubs. 

 These have been balanced by five births — two males and a female, from 

 " Red Hugh " and " Nigeria," born on June 17th, and two females from 

 " Oseni " and " Sheila," born on July 4th. The collection, therefore, 

 still consists of twenty animals, nine males and eleven females. 



A young Leopard, sent from West Africa under great difficulty by Dr. 

 Barker, unfortunately died a few weeks after arrival, and two of the 

 Pumas died in February. In May two Canadian Black Bears were de- 

 posited in the Gardens by the looth Canadian Infantry ; these animals 

 are intended as regimental pets for the ist and 2nd Battalions of the 

 Leinsters. They are now in excellent condition. The death of the larger 

 Elephant " Roma " in July was much regretted, and the losses of the male 

 Zebra (April), the Manchurian Stag (October), the Tapir (June), and the 

 Hyrax (February) are all serious. The families of Canadian Bison and 

 Bornean Zebus continue to flourish, and form noteworthy exhibits. The 

 rare Hutia from the Bahamas died in July, and was naturally transferred 

 to the National Museum. The deaths of the Wallaroo (in July) and of the 

 last Wallaby (in December) have deprived the collections of all representa- 

 tives of the Kangaroo family. 



The collection of Birds has been fairly maintained by gifts, but the last 

 of the Rheas or American Ostriches died in November, as the result of an 

 accident due to a violent fright, probably caused by an aeroplane flying 

 over the Park. For some time after such flights became common, many of 

 the birds showed great fear, but they are now somewhat accustomed to 

 the presence of these new invaders of the air. On account of transit 

 difficulties it was found impossible to stock the Fish-hatchery in January 

 last. 



The President and Honorary Officers were re-elected. Messrs. C. Wisdom 

 flely, G. Knox-Peebles, and Cecil Pim were elected to fill vacancies on the 



