46 THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



great ; but notwithstanding every attention it died in the following 

 year. . . . 



Owing to the distance from town at which this animal was kept, and 

 the state of confinement which its weakly condition rendered indispensable 

 during the latter period of its existence, the living giraffe was seen in this 

 country by comparatively few individuals. The skin, however, and 

 skeleton, both beautifully prepared, are preserved in the Museum of the 

 Zoological Society— the munificent donations of his present Majesty 

 [William IV.]. 



The date of the animal's death is fixed by the following 

 extract from the Windsor and Eton Express, October 17, 1829 : 



Messrs. Gould* and Tomkins, of the Zoological Gardens, are now 

 dissecting the Giraffe which expired on Sunday last. We understand 

 that when the skin is stuffed. His Majesty intends making it a present 

 to the Zoological Society. 



The most important animal received in 1830 was a young 

 male orang presented by Mr. Swinton, of Calcutta, who had 

 previously sent a female specimen in spirits for the Museum. 

 It reached England in the late autumn; for at the meeting of 

 November 3 the Council voted a gratuity of £3 " to the person 

 who had the care of the orang lately presented to the Society.'* 

 It was, however, never exhibited. Jesse,t who was interested 

 in the animal, prints the following account of it ''from a 

 gentleman connected with the Zoological Society " : 



On its return from India, the vessel which conveyed the poor little 

 orang to a climate always fatal to its race, stopped some time at the Isle 

 of France to take in fresh provisions. The orang accompanied the 

 sailors in their daily visits to the shore, and their calls upon the keepers 

 of taverns, and places of a like description. To one of these, kept by 

 an old woman who sold coffee, &c., for breakfast, the orang was accus- 

 tomed to go, unattended every morning ; and by signs easily interpreted, 

 demand his usual breakfast, which was duly delivered. The charge was 

 scored up to the captain's account, which he paid before his departure. 



The orang was on excellent terms with all the ship's company, 

 except the butcher, of whom he was afraid, and whom he made 

 every effort to concihate, " having seen him kill sheep and oxen 

 in the exercise of his duty." From the sailors' hammocks the 

 orang would convey any article that he considered would add 



* This must have been John Gould, then preserver and curator to the Museum 

 of the Zoological Society. 



t " Gleanings," 2nd series, pp. 40-42. 



