SECOND ANNUAL REPORT. 51 
a fine testimonial to their skill and industry. Beside these thirty- 
one acres of sylvan beauty, completely walled in by living green, 
the remainder of Regent’s Park seems like a meadow with oak 
trees—nothing more. 
‘“We are sadly cramped for room,’ 
can grow no more.”’ 
‘- You should have another slice of Regent’s Park.”’ 
) 
said Dr. Sclater, ‘‘and we 
‘“They will not give us another foot of it,’’ wasthe reply, in a 
tone implying absolute certainty. 
But the Society might be much worse off than to have thirty- 
one good, broad acres in a public park, in the heart of London. 
For a garden that must be supported chiefly by gate receipts, a 
small site in, the heart of a city is better than twice the area in 
suburb. 
As you turn abruptly to the left, you see a long row of square 
flat-topped, wire-netting enclosures, with a thrifty bush, a square 
of grass and a graveled border in each. These are labeled ‘‘ 31A. 
THE PHEASANTS’ AVIARIES,’’ and the careless visitor 
is ready to say, ‘‘ That is nothing in particular. Come on.’’ 
But wait a moment. Look before you, and you will see a glori- 
ously iridescent Impeyan pheasant, or moonal, from the lofty pine- 
clad slopes of the Himalayas. It takes a man to climb up and 
kill one, to say nothing of capturing one alive. And here are 
magnificent Lady Amherst and silver pheasants from the interior 
of China, the Reeve’s pheasant, the golden, the peacock pheasant 
and an old friend from Borneo, whose relatives the Dyaks often 
caught for us in their cunning snares, and whose clean, white 
flesh we have eaten half a dozen times—the argus pheasant. In 
the jungle he is beautiful beyond compare, with flesh as savory as 
that of the quail. There are many other pheasant species ; but 
just beyond stands a particularly fine Reptile House, and an 
equally fine collection of living reptiles. 
They call this building ‘‘ Jumbo’s Gift.’’ When the news 
spread over London that Mr. Barnum had purchased that great 
and ugly pachyderm, crowds of people, young and old, rushed to 
the Gardens to feed him one last bun, and bid him a tearful adieu. 
The Jumbo sentiment netted the Gardens the very neat sum of 
$26,400, besides the $9,000 or so paid by Mr. Barnum for Jumbo 
himself ; and Dr. Sclater took the money and built the Reptile 
House. 
