590.7(7) 36 [JuLy 
Ill 
The Proposed Zoological Park of New York 
N the great city of New York, at the present time, the only place 
where living animals are kept for the edification and amuse- 
ment of the public is what is called the ‘ Central Park Menagerie, 
under the control, we believe, of the Commissioners of the Public 
Parks, which, though well kept.and arranged, so far as it goes, is 
utterly unworthy of one of the largest cities in the world, which is 
adorned by so many and so various institutions. Several attempts 
have been made at different periods to start a zoological garden on 
a proper scale in New York, but it is only within the last few years 
that the subject has been taken up seriously, and in a manner 
which seems likely to produce definite results. So far, however, has 
the matter now progressed, that we have before us the first Annual 
Report of the New York Zoological Society, which received its 
charter in 1885, with the worthy objects of “establishing a free 
zoological park to contain collections of native and exotic animals,” 
of “ preserving the native animals” of the U.S. from further de- 
struction, and generally of promoting the interests of zoological 
science. 
Let us now see what the first Annual Report of the New York 
Zoological Society tells us about its progress and future prospects. 
Its Executive Committee appear to be mostly business men of New 
York, who are interested in the subject, but amongst them we note 
the name (as chairman) of Mr Henry F. Osborn, who is well known 
to all the scientific world as one of our leading authorities on 
mammals, and amongst the ‘Scientific Council’ we recognize the 
names of Prof. Allen, Mr F. M. Chapman, Dr T. H. Bean, and other 
gentlemen well known in scientific zoology. In Mr W. T. Hornaday 
the Council have made a choice as director for their Park, of another 
gentleman also well known in Europe, who possesses many excellent 
qualifications for the post. One of the first steps taken by the Com- 
mittee—and a very wise one—was to send Mr Hornaday off to 
Europe for the purpose of inspecting and studying in detail the best 
zoological gardens of England and the Continent. Mr Hornaday’s 
account of his tour of inspection, in the course of which he 
visited fifteen zoological gardens, will be read with interest, and 
we think we may say not without profit, by all those who wish 
