THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 231 



At the Gardens the new pheasantry beyond the insect house 

 was stocked in 1901. The two houses and paddocks in the 

 centre are larger than the five on each side ; and were at first 

 used for peafowl — Javan, black- winged, domesticated and albino 

 forms being represented. Of the true pheasants the following 

 were exhibited : Reeves's, Elliot's, Mongolian, Japanese, Soem- 

 mering's, Siamese, Swinhoe's, Rufous-tailed, Amherst, and Gold. 



The yard for Moufflon and Punjaub sheep, just west of the 

 elephant house, is of this date. " Both divisions," it was said in 

 the Council's Report presented at the Annual Meeting of 1902, 

 " contain cabins covered with rockwork, so that the animals 

 may exercise their natural aptitude for climbing." In the 

 same Report there was the following description of the new 

 ape house: 



The portion of the building devoted to the animals has been divided 

 into four roomy compartments, which it is believed will provide ample 

 accommodation for a series of the principal anthropoid apes — the orang, 

 the gibbon, the chimpanzee, and, it is hoped, the gorilla. The main feature 

 of the new building is the entire separation by a glass screen of the part 

 appropriated to the spectators from that in which the animals are lodged, 

 whereby it will be possible to keep the animals in a higher temperature 

 than that of the portion allotted to the spectators, and also to prevent their 

 infection by external influences. This plan has been lately adopted in 

 several ape-houses built in Holland and Germany, and will, the Council 

 trust, be found to answer its purpose in the present instance, although it is 

 to a certain extent a matter of experiment.* 



The house was opened on June 25, 1902. The experiment 

 has not been altogether successful. There was no provision 

 for allowing the animals access to the open, and the arrange- 

 ments for unpacking and shifting leave much to be desired. 

 Under the new management an outside cage has been made 

 on the level of the lower windows, and here a large gibbon 

 spent the winter ; and probably some attempt will be made to 

 provide others. The smaller chimpanzees and orangs are now 

 taken out to exercise in charge of the keepers, and excite a 

 good deal of interest among the visitors. f 



♦ It is doubtful if the apes do not lose in spirits as much as they gain in 

 freedom from infection, as they are all extremely curious and inquisitive, and like 

 to make friends with visitors. — Official Guide (1904), p. 18. 



t I was much disappointed, however, to find that no facilities for open-air 

 exercise have been provided, as is the case in the Rotterdam Zoological Gardens. — 

 H. Edye, in the Standard, July 1, 1902. 



