THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 109 



Knowsley menagerie into the possession of the Society. 

 These were the first examples of this species received at 

 Regent's Park; and in their report presented at the Annual 

 Meeting on April 29, 1852, the Council said that the mag- 

 nificent stature of these animals, their intermediate form 

 between the antelopes and cattle, the quality of their flesh, 

 and the prospect of their not infrequent reproduction in this 

 country, rendered the possession of them in every respect 

 an object of the highest interest. 



Elands were introduced into England by Lord Derby, who 

 sent out a collector for that purpose. This agent obtained 

 two bulls and a cow, which he landed at Liverpool in 

 October, 1842. As soon as possible they were utilised for 

 breeding, for the distinctive note of the management at 

 Knowsley was the propagation of animals likely to be service- 

 able to man. Of two calves thrown by this cow, it was 

 noted that the sires were prepotent. Attempts were made to 

 produce hybrids between this species and domestic cattle. An 

 eland bull was introduced to an Ayrshire and a shorthorn 

 cow, but no calf was born. In the "Gleanings from the 

 Knowsley Menagerie," Lord Derby recorded his fears that the 

 experiment of a cross would not succeed, and no other trial 

 seems to have been made. 



By March 3, 1855, six calves had been produced — one 

 male and five females — at Regent's Park. A young bull and 

 two cows were sold to Viscount Hill in 1855, for his park at 

 Hawkstone, and in the following year the Marquess of Breadal- 

 bane also purchased three calves for the purpose of estab- 

 lishing these animals in Scotland. In the Annual Report for 

 1859 a table was given showing that up to June, 1858, sixteen 

 calves had been born in the Gardens, and there was an increase 

 of four in the Hawkstone herd. In 1855 it was proposed 

 that the President should admit elands into the Royal domains, 

 but the matter was not carried further. The private herds were 

 dispersed in the 'sixties, and there the question of acclimatisa- 

 tion rested till it was taken up by the Duke of Bedford. 



In the Times of January 21, 1859, a letter from Owen appeared 

 on the subject of eland meat. He had received from Lord Hill 

 a joint answering to the short ribs of beef. After being hung 



