THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 49 



Menagerie of the Zoological Society Delineated " was prepared 

 under the superintendence of the Secretary and Vice-Secretary, 

 with the sanction of the Council. The first volume, dealing with 

 the mammals, appeared in the autumn, and the second, treating 

 of the birds, some months later. In the preface it was stated 

 that " one great aim of the Society is to diffuse as widely as 

 possible a practical acquaintance with living animals." Technical 

 expressions " which render most scientific works unintelligible 

 to the general reader " were avoided. With this simplicity of 

 language was combined scrupulous accuracy with regard to 

 facts, and the drawings were made and the descriptions taken 

 from animals living in the Menagerie. There was no attempt 

 to arrange the beasts or birds in classificatory groups, but a 

 systematic index was given at the end of each volume. Much 

 was said about the possible domestication of new forms, notably 

 of the curassows. There was reference to some attempts at 

 acclimatisation in Holland in the eighteenth century; and the 

 remark that "it may not be too much to expect that the 

 Zoological Society may be successful in perfecting what was 

 then so well begun" shows the author was thoroughly in 

 sympathy with the economic aims of the new institution. 

 But the hopes then entertained with regard to these birds 

 have been disappointed, and the story of the failure was told 

 some twenty years later.* These volumes were very well 

 received, and might serve in many respects as models for a 

 popular "Natural History." 



Bennett's name appears as editor, though he was more than 

 that ; and was assisted in his task by Vigors, Broderip, Wallich, 

 and Yarrell. A notice of the first volume in the Athenceum 

 (Oct. 23) is of interest from the mental attitude of the writer 

 with respect to the Gardens : 



This book will be invaluable to the sick, to the infirm— and, indeed, 

 to all those persons who from weakness of constitution or the severity 

 of our English summers, are unable to go upon their travels so far as 

 the Zoological Gardens, in the back settlements of the Regent's Park- 

 where the wild beasts of the desert, and the wild birds of the wood and 

 rock abound. The Zoological Gardens may be visited in this singularly 

 faithful and beautiful work to the perfect satisfaction of the eye ; and 



* E. S. Dixon, ♦' The Dovecote and the Aviary," pp. 223-279 (London, 1851). 

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