26 



August last, and now affords ample accommodation for 

 the Society's collection of Reptiles and Batrachians. The 

 house seems to have answered the purpose for which it 

 was intended in every way, and affords great facilities for 

 the examination by the public of these animals, which were 

 very inconveniently lodged in the former wooden building. 

 The crowds which frequent the house every day, and the 

 increased Garden-receipts, seem to prove that the new 

 building is thoroughly appreciated. 



The amount paid on account of the new Reptile-house 

 in 1883 was £6509 9s. 6d., the amount previously ex- 

 pended was £2665 2s.. making the total cost of the building 

 and appi'oaches as at present arranged £9,174 lis. 6d. 



A further expenditure will be required for the r.emoval 

 of the Pheasant cages, which stand in front of the present 

 building, and of the large shed now used for wintering 

 animals, standing at its back. These improvements the 

 Council hope to be able to carry out shortly, as well as 

 the transference of the Tortoise-house from the other side 

 of the Gardens to the immediate proximity of the Reptile- 

 house. 



Besides the completion of the new Reptile-house, two 

 other special works in the Gardens were undertaken in 

 1883 and charged to Extraordinary expenditure. The 

 first of these was the erection of a new boiler in the 

 Monkey-house. The Monkey-house was previously 

 heated by pipes connected with the boiler at the Terrace. 

 But this plan had been found for several years to be in- 

 efficient, the temperature to be attained thereby not being 

 sufficiently high in severe weather. It was therefore deter- 

 mined to put in such a new heating-apparatus at the 

 back of the INIonkey-house as would ultimately serve also 

 to heat a building devoted to the special accommodation 

 of the Anthropoid Apes, which it is in contemplation to 

 erect in the immediate vicinity, when the funds of the 

 Society shall permit. The new heating-apparatus and 

 stoking-hole, together with the necessary alterations and 

 improvements in the heating-pipes inside the Monkey- 

 house, cost the sum of £361 7^. 4d., which was charged to 

 the Extraordinary Expenditure of 1883. 



The only other special work undertaken in the Gardens 

 in 1883 was the covering of the asphalt floors in the 

 Lions' dens with wood at a cost of £124 16^. Id. It 

 was believed that this alteration might conduce to the 



