12 



The number of Visitors to the Museum in 1837 was 

 4431 ; and the sum received for admission was £59 15s. 



MENAGERIE. 



The Council have much pleasure in referring the Mem- 

 bers to the very satisfactory state of the living Collection : 

 all the larger and more important animals are at the pre- 

 sent time apparently in perfect health ; and notwithstanding 

 the extraordinary severity of the past winter, by far the 

 most intense since the establishment of the Society, the 

 mortality during the past year is considerably below the 

 average. Among the Feline Carnivora only two deaths 

 have occurred since the last Annual Report, and the pre- 

 sent state of this interesting and attractive portion of the 

 Society's Collection is in every respect most promising. So 

 small a proportion of deaths among the CarnivorOy com- 

 pared with that of previous years, may probably, in some 

 measure, depend upon an improvement in the system of 

 feeding the animals, and also a better ventilation in the 

 larger repository. The Giraffes have been removed into 

 the building erected for them at the western extremity of 

 the North Gardens ; and the excellent condition of these 

 valuable animals, at the expiration of a second year, must 

 be a matter of the highest gratification to every Member of 

 the Society. 



Among the animals for the first time exhibited at the 

 Gardens during the past year, the Council have to notice a 

 most important acquisition, that of an Indian Orang, Pithe- 

 ciis Sati/rus, Geoff., purchased for the sum of one hundred 

 guineas. Only one living specimen of this genus had pre- 

 viously been in the Society's possession, and in this case 

 the animal unfortunately died before it could be removed 

 from Bruton-street to the Menagerie. Upon obtaining the 

 present specimen, the Council deemed the most eligible 

 place for her exhibition, both as regarded the comfort of 

 the creature herself and the accommodation of the Mem- 

 bers and the Public, would be the Giraffe-house; and a 



