A JANUARY DAT AT REGENTS PARK. 8 



suit the particular species that need it : the lions and 

 their kin eating flesh meat ; the seals and others need- 

 ing fish ; and the snakes requiring living prey, such as 

 frogs, birds, rabbits, and similar creatures. As to the 

 variety of vegetable food which is needed to meet the 

 wants of the beasts and birds that live on herbs, leaves, 

 and seeds, it is too complicated for any detailed ac- 

 count. Add to all these elements the individual idio- 

 syncrasies of many valuable specimens, and some idea 

 may be formed of the labour involved in keeping such 

 an establishment in proper order. 



Few persons have the least notion of the intellect, 

 perseverance, and watchfulness that are daily exercised 

 in this place, of the ready invention required to meet 

 sudden and unexpected difficulties, and the resolute 

 courage by which alone they can be overcome. Few 

 of the visitors who stroll leisurely from cage to cage 

 think of the exceeding benefit conferred on science by 

 this collection, and the valuable additions to zoological 

 knowledge that have been made through its means. 



Many curious and disputed points in animal physi- 

 ology have been cleared up, which otherwise must 

 have been left to conjecture and theory, and the 

 pains taken about the needful experiments are as sur- 

 prising as they are generally unknown. In order to 

 ascertain but a single mooted point, a staff of observers 

 has been organised, relieving each other at regular in- 

 tervals, never quitting their posts for a single instant, 

 either day or night, and keeping their ceaseless watch 



B 2 



