82 THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



two or four compartments, with an inner sleeping den two yards 

 square for every 12-ft. cage, properly ventilated, but at the 

 same time carefully contrived to exclude cold and retain the 

 natural heat. The only protection at first was an awning to 

 shield the animals from the direct rays of the sun or from storms 

 or rain in winter. In September the animals were removed to 

 their new quarters ; and, according to the Council's Report pre- 

 sented at the Anniversary Meeting in 1844, the effect of more 

 air and greater exercise became visible almost immediately. 



The African leopards, which were emaciated and sickly before their 

 removal became plump and sleek in a fortnight after ; in most instances 

 the females began to exhibit symptoms of breeding, and the appetites 

 of all were materially increased. This phenomenon, which was not alto- 

 gether unforeseen, produced the only two casualties among the larger 

 feline carnivora which could be fairly attributed to the new building, 

 and to the bold experiment which it was intended to carry out. Shortly 

 after the removal of the animals a tigress and female puma respectively 

 killed, and in the latter case partly devoured, their companions ; this led 

 to an immediate increase in their allowance of food, since which no 

 further accidents have occurred, nor has there been a single instance of 

 sickness of any kind. 



A lion died in the new terrace dens shortly before the 

 meeting; but the Council believed the fatal disease had been 

 contracted in the old close den, and that he " fell a sacrifice, like 

 most of his predecessors, to the mistaken practice of confining 

 these animals in heated rooms and small apartments." 



From the Guide published in 1844 it appears that the cost of 

 the terrace extension and the new dens was £3,000. The tenants 

 of the new quarters were: a young lion from the Cape; 

 lionesses, one of which was deposited by the Queen ; two tigers ; 

 pumas, which had bred ; African and Asiatic leopards ; a spotted 

 hyena ; striped hyenas (male and female) ; a Cape hunting dog^ 

 a Malayan sun-bear, a Polar bear, and a Syrian bear. 



In 1844 the Polar bears' den and bath were constructed. At 

 that time it was not considered necessary to carry the bars over 

 the top ; they were bent inwards, at what was deemed a suffi- 

 cient height above the coping, and so they remained for some 

 years, when there was convincing evidence that they did not 

 fulfil the purpose for which they were intended. 



The improved health of the animals in the terrace dens was. 



i 



