THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 193 



Professor Flower showed that the appointment of a paid 

 Secretary was abundantly justified: 



There was a period, it is true, in which the Gardens fell rather low in 

 popular favour, the record of 1847 showing both the smallest number of 

 visitors and the lowest income of any year in the Society's existence. A 

 new era of activity in the management of the Society's affairs was then, 

 happily, inaugurated, which resulted in a prosperity which has continued 

 ever since, with only slight fluctuations, arising from causes easy to 

 be understood. 



The President and Council then held a reception, which 

 was well attended by the Fellows and the friends specially 

 invited ; and the function was a great success. In commenting 

 on it the World said in its next issue : 



If these pleasant parties could be held occasionally with a " regular 

 periodicity," they would do much to revive the fallen fortunes of the now 

 unsocial Zoo. The gathering of Thursday was an extremely agreeable 

 one. Professor and Mrs. Flower, Mr. Sclater, and Mr. Bartlett were 

 indefatigable. 



The last poultry show was held on the vacant ground at the 

 west end of the North Garden in September (11-13), 1889. It 

 was organised by Mr. Alexander Comyns, but though there 

 were nearly 1,400 entries, the attendance was small. 



In the Report issued in 1890 the Council stated that they 

 had received frequent applications for information as to "how 

 the animals were fed." Consequently they added a table, 

 giving a list of the provender and the quantities supplied for 

 each year of the decade 1880-1889. No particulars as to cost 

 were given. A casual examination of the table may possibly 

 prompt the enquiry why the quantities of three of the items 

 remained constant during the whole period, though the number 

 of animals varied. Yet 313 gallons of shrimps, 7,512 fowls' 

 heads, and 3 tons 18 cwt. of potatoes are set down in each of 

 the ten columns. 



Reference has already been made to the presentation of the 

 Silver Medal to the Maharajah of Kuch-Behar. In 1882 the 

 same distinction was conferred on Dr. John Dean Caton ; in 

 1884 on the Rev. George H. R. Fisk ; and in 1889 on Dr. 

 Edward Dalzel Dickson. These gentlemen were Corresponding 

 Members, who had sent valuable donations to the Menagerie. 



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