112 THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



apteryx and the weka rail ; the former was presented by 

 Governor Eyre and the latter by Captain Stokes, R.N. Attempts 

 were made to send examples of the kakapo, the large ground 

 parrot of New Zealand, to this country, but they were unsuc- 

 cessful. One, however, did well till within 600 miles of the 

 coast, when it was killed by an accident. 



If one looks down from the terrace on to the polar bears' 

 den, the old railing and the new may be differentiated. The 

 latter, covering in the top, was added this year. A male and a 

 female were kept here. The former, not always on good terms 

 with his mate, sometimes had the worst of their not infrequent 

 encounters, but at length escaped by scaling the wall and climb- 

 ing over the bars that were bent inwards. The bear was soon 

 recaptured ; but the incident led to an order that the whole 

 of the yard should be caged over. 



The next year the red river-hog from the Cameroons was 

 added to the collection. There is a notice in the Illustrated 

 London News of October 9, 1852, which shows that the policy 

 of introducing new animals likely to prove valuable from an 

 economic point of view was pursued. Having remarked on 

 the industry with which the world has been searched for 

 forms that add to or improve the races of domestic animals, 

 the writer proceeds: 



The Society have already produced a very interesting and shapely 

 cross between the Indian wild hog and the Berkshire breed. It will be 

 desirable to ascertain in what degree the admixture of this new blood may 

 hereafter tend to improve the somewhat overbloated candidates for porcine 

 honours at the critical board of the Smithfield Club in Baker Street. 



In October a keeper in the reptile room was killed by the 

 bite of a cobra. Unfortunately, the result was due to his own 

 folly. He had been drinking overnight with a friend who was 

 about to sail for Australia, and in the morning he wanted to 

 show some companions his skill in handhng venomous reptiles. 

 At last he took a cobra out of its cage, and swung it round his 

 head, claiming that he was a serpent-charmer. The reptile was 

 irritated and struck at him, inflicting a wound on the nose. The 

 man at once realised his terrible position ; he was removed to 

 the hospital without delay, but died in a few hours. 



