morial referred solely to the high rent exacted for the land 

 now leased to the Society in the North Garden on the terms 

 oj" building ground. To tliis memorial no answer has as yet 

 been returned. The Council therefore infer that their re- 

 presentations are under the consideration of the high tri- 

 bunal to which they were addressed. The Council await 

 the result with hope. 



Income. 



In every source of the Society's revenues over which the 

 Council are able to exercise controul, improvement has arisen 

 during the past twelve months. The funded capital is on this 

 day greater than at any period since the origin of the Society. 

 A more regular payment of subscriptions has been effected ; 

 and arrears in consequence diminished. With a view to 

 .simplify the Society's receipts, the payment for ivory tickets 

 will, from January 1st, 1840, be required at the commence- 

 ment of each year. 



The income of the Society has also this year been in- 

 creased by the advance of rent paid for the privilege of sell- 

 ing confectionary, &c. at the Gardens. 



£ s. d. 



Particulars of Increased Income. 



Annual Dividend on 1953^. 9*. 2d. 3 per Cents., 



purchased from April! 838 to April 1839 . . 58 12 9 



Increase of Rent from Seller of Confectionai'y 



(360/.forl839— 1840 ; 250/. 1838— 1839) . . 110 



^168 12 9 



If the amount of diminished expenditure be added to 

 that of increased income, the extent of the Society's finan- 

 cial improvement will appear to be 1163/. per annum. 



On the other hand, the Council cannot conceal from the 

 Meeting or themselves that during tlie last eight years the 

 number of visitors to the Gardens has declined, although 

 the scientific interest and the popular attractiveness of the 

 contents of the Menagei'ie never were greater than at pre- 

 sent. And yet, when it is said that there were not less than 

 181,268 visits to the Gardens in the course of 1838, the sub- 



