THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 63 



that he should take charge of them till their arrival in England, 

 when he was to have " a handsome present proportioned to 

 his success." 



The steamer Manchester, with its interesting freight, arrived 

 at the Brunswick Wharf, Blackwall, on May 24, 1836. On the 

 following morning at daybreak the giraffes were landed in the 

 presence of several naturalists and friends of the Society. The 

 following account of their journey through London is from the 

 Morning Herald of May 26 : 



These interesting animals were conveyed yesterday morning from 

 Blackwall to the Zoological Gardens. They left the former place at three 

 o'clock, attended by Mr. Bennett, the Secretary of the Society ; M. Thibaut, 

 who was attired in an Arab dress ; the Nubian and Maltese attendants ; and 

 a detachment of the Metropolitan police to keep the road clear of obstruc- 

 tions, and they arrived at the Gardens about six o'clock. The cavalcade 

 had altogether a very novel appearance ; but it appeared that the precau- 

 tions were absolutely necessary, as the animals started at the slightest 

 noise, and the different cabs and other conveyances on the line were 

 solicited to remove into the adjacent streets, which was in every case 

 attended to without objection. Some alarm was occasioned to the animals 

 in passing a field in the Commercial Road, where a cow was grazing ; and 

 it required some inducement to cause them to go forward, but they w^ere 

 conducted to the Gardens without much difficulty, The Gardens were 

 yesterday visited by great numbers of persons, with whom the animals were 

 great sources of attraction from their stately appearance, the beauty and 

 symmetry of their neck and ears, and striking prominence of their eyes. 

 The oldest is about twenty months, and none have attained their full size, 

 which is ordinarily eighteen feet. They appeared to be quite reconciled to 

 their situation in the elephant-house, and to be not at all incommoded 

 by visitors. 



Owen and his wife witnessed the arrival of " the most lovely 

 procession imaginable." The animals were brought in through 

 Gloucester Gate, and when they caught sight of the trees they 

 became excited, and M. Thibaut directed that they should be 

 allowed to browse. In her Diary, under the date of May 25, 

 Mrs. Owen wrote : " They were delighted apparently to get into 

 the Gardens, and were soon safe and unhaltered in the elephants' 

 new house." ^ 



In the following table the history of the herd is set out. 

 Seventeen calves were born in the Gardens, and of these one 



* " Life of Eichard Owen," i. 99. 



