450 THE NATUEAL HISTOET EEVIEW, 



Mr. J. Wolf, during the summer months of the present year. The 

 report then proceeded to speak of the Society's Gardens in the 

 Eegent's-park, and stated, in reference to them, that the new entrance 

 lodges, aviary, and monkey-houses, concerning which full details and 

 explanations had been oiFered to the Society in the last annual report, 

 had been all completed and brought into perfect order during the 

 course of last year. That as regards the latter building, the new 

 monkey-house, which was only brought into full working order during 

 the latter part of last summer, the Council could not refrain from 

 congratulating the Society upon the very important amelioration that 

 had been thus effected in what had been heretofore one of the most 

 defective parts of their garden establishment. That this building 

 had not only proved most attractive to the public, but that also as 

 regards the health and welfare of the animals to the use of which it 

 was devoted there could be no question that it had likewise proved 

 an entire success. In striking contrast to the constant mortality 

 that had prevailed in the old monkey-house, the deaths among the 

 quadrumana during the late long and severe winter had been very 

 few, and the greater number of them had remained in an excellent 

 state of health. The cost of the erection of the new monkey-house 

 had been £3382. 18s 3J, and a further sum of £1459. 75 Sd had 

 been spent in fittings and works connected with it. The most 

 important event connected with the Society's menagerie that had 

 occurred since the last aimiversary had been the successful mission 

 of Mr. Thompson to India. Several of the Society's correspond- 

 ing members in India having announced that they had collec- 

 tions waiting for transmission to the Society (amongst which were 

 a pair of young Bhinoceroses and other valuable animals), the 

 Council had determined on sending out to Calcutta, to receive and 

 bring back those proffered donations, Mr. James Thompson, the 

 Society's head-keeper, who had previously made the same journey 

 with such signal success on the occasion of the introduction of the 

 Himalayan pheasants in 1858. Mr. Thompson had arrived in the 

 Thames on July 28, 1864, bringing with him a very fine series of 

 animals, amongst which might be specified two rhinoceroses, one 

 rhinoceros hornbill, two concave horubills, three green-necked pea- 

 fowl, three lineated pheasants, two rufous-tailed pheasants, and 

 other valuable animals. The total cost of Mr. Thompson's expedi- 

 tion had amounted to 36808., whilst the lowest estimate that could 

 be set upon the value of the collection thus acquired amounted to 



