THE AARD VARK. 



The splendid Zoological Gardens of most 

 European capitals are an important factor in the 

 spread of education. To Englishmen the London 

 Zoo, founded in 1828, is the most familiar of 

 these institutions : but there are many flourishing 

 sister establishments dotted over the Continent of 

 Europe. The menagerie at Paris in connection 

 with the Jardin des Plantes is the oldest of all, 

 having been founded as early as 1809 by M. 

 Geoffroy St. Hilaire. 



The Amsterdam Zoological Gardens was also 

 established many years ago, being founded in 

 1837 : it has several times been enlarged and 

 now extends over more than twenty-five acres. 

 In 1902 this menagerie contained many rare 

 species, including the maned wolf of Brazil, the 

 Australian echidna or porcupine anteater, and the 

 lesser bird of Paradise from New Guinea. Antwerp 

 again has a fine zoological collection and amongst 

 its exhibits may be mentioned the European bison 

 and the West African short-horned buffalo. The 

 magnificent Berlin Zoo with its rich series of 

 25,000 living creatures, is well worthy of the 

 great nation of students which it represents : 

 the naturalist will find much to interest him in 



