186 TEE ZOOLOGIOAL SOCIETY. 



man in the Gardens who dare enter this animars den alone.* I have no 

 doubt whatever that the animal's condition has at times been such that 

 he would kill anyone (except Scott) who would venture alone into his den, 

 but up to the present time Scott has had, and still has, the animal perfectly 

 and completely under his control. How long this state of things may 

 continue it is quite impossible to say. At the same time, I consider that 

 the matter is of so serious a nature that I feel called upon to draw the 

 attention of the Council to the subject, for in the event of illness or 

 accident to the keeper (Scott) I fear I should have to ask permission to 

 destroy the animal, as no other keeper would undertake the management 

 of this fine but dangerous beast. 



In conclusion, I may ask that I should be provided with, and have 

 ready at hand, the means of killing this animal should such a necessity 

 arise. ^ A. D. Bartlett. 



December 14, 1881. 



No administrative body could disregard such an application 

 from a man of Bartlett's experience. The rifle Avas supplied ; 

 but the necessity for its use was obviated by Barnum's enquiry 

 if the elephant was for sale, and, if so, at what price. On 

 being consulted, the Council asked £2,000, and Bartlett, 

 knowing the difficulty of boxing Jumbo, added the condition 

 "as he stands." Barnum accepted by telegraph. The Times 

 of January 25 contained an announcement of the purchase, 

 and thus commented on the condition : " To those who know 

 the size, weight, and strength of this ponderous creature (cer- 

 tainly the largest elephant in Europe), the undertaking is one 

 of serious difficulty, and not unattended with some danger." 

 But there was still greater danger in keeping Jumbo, and 

 there are men in the Society's service who know how grave 

 that danger was.t 



The preparation of the box in which Jumbo was to be 

 shipped took nearly a month. It was brought to the Gardens 

 on February 17, and Barnum's agents tried ineffectually to 

 get him to enter. Then the opposition, active among a small 

 section of the Fellows and the general public, and passive, as 

 it would appear from Bartlett's notes, in the Gardens, mani- 



* It is said, no doubt with truth, that there were tunes when Scott did not 

 care to go in. 



+ The case of Neff, a keeper in the Jardin des Plantes, who was killed in 

 August, 1905, by an elephant of which he had had charge for a quarter of a 

 century, shows how dangerous these great animals are when they *'go mad." 



