15 
of the present year: the ponds have been divided, and pairs 
of some of the most select of the Society’s large series of 
Waterfowl arranged in them ready for the approaching 
breeding-season. 
Various other minor improvements, specified in the 
Auditors’ Report, absorbed altogether the amount of 
£57 15s. 8d., which, with the sums already mentioned, 
makes up the total expenditure of £3556 16s. 10d. incurred 
on buildings and works in the Society’s Garden Establish- 
ment during the past year. 
Since the commencement of the present year the Society’s 
workmen have been kept fully employed. The Platform 
on the east side of the Hippopotamus Pond has been taken 
down and rebuilt in bricks, as already mentioned. The 
front row of adjoining Deer-sheds has been also entirely re- 
moved and replaced by substantial brick-built houses with 
slated roofs. A large number of the roads and walks in 
the Gardens have been picked up, regravelled, and covered 
with shell. The ground in front of the New Antelope 
House has been filled up and relevelled preparatory to 
being sown with grass-seeds. A new room has been fitted 
up for the Paradise-birds; and the Reptile House, Eland 
House, and various other buildings have been cleaned and 
painted, and put into a state of efficient repair. The 
Council have not thought it advisable to commence any 
large undertakings at the present period of the year, 
although there are several works of this character that call 
for their early attention. But, looking to the prospect of 
a very large number of visitors during the present summer, 
they have thought it right to place the roads, paths, and 
buildings in as thorough a state of repair as possible, and 
they believe that it will be acknowledged that they have 
succeeded in their endeavours to effect this object. 
b. MENAGERIE. 
The Society’s Menagerie during the past year has con- 
tinued in the same satisfactory state as that in which the 
Council had the pleasure of reporting it to be at the last 
Anniversary. The total number of Animals in the Gardens 
presented a slight decrease at the census taken on the 31st 
of December last, owing mainly to the large number of 
duplicates disposed of during the autumn—the proceeds of 
their sale during the year 1861 having, as the Council have 
