FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 37 



Grants of Land to Zoological Socip:tiks. — Of the 

 fourteen public zoological gardens that were visited, all save 

 two were under the management and control of incorporated 

 zoological societies. The Jardin des Plantes, of Paris, is a na- 

 tional institution. 



Of this number, eight gardens were located upon lands which 

 had been set apart for them in public parks, without the ex- 

 action of any concessions whatever as to free privileges for the 

 public, save in the case of the national institution mentioned 

 above. The six zoological societies which have thus been sup- 

 plied by their respective cities with grounds for their gardens, 

 free of rental so long as the gardens are suitably maintained, are 

 located in the following cities : London, Hanover, Hamburg, 

 Berlin, Dresden and Paris (Jardin d'Acclimitation). 



As a matter of form , the Zoological Society of London does pay 

 to the Office of Woods a trifling sum as annual rental, too small 

 to be worthy of mention, save for the sake of strict accuracy. 



At Leipsic, the Zoological Garden now being developed is 

 located on land sequestrated from the finest and most accessible 

 portion of a public park, and turned over to a single private in- 

 dividual, who has established the garden, and to which an ad- 

 mission fee is always charged. The municipality of Leipsic 

 evidently considers the public benefits of a zoological garden 

 sufficient to justify the allotment for that purpose of valuable 

 land in a public park to a private individual. 



Maintenance of European Gardens. — With the excep- 

 tion of the Menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes, which is the 

 oldest institution of the kind now in existence, all the zoological 

 gardens of Europe have been established by funds either con- 

 tributed by members, or realized in the payment of annual dues, 

 or by the issue and sale of shares. They are maintained from 

 year to year by funds drawn from the following sources : — 



\. Gate receipts, for admission to the gardens ; 



2. The fees and annual dues of members of the controlling 

 society ; 



3. The lease or operation of valuable franchises in the 

 grounds ; 



4. The sale of valuable animals bred in the gardens. 



