17 
House has been to give the animals as much light and sun 
as possible ; and though it may be objected that a building 
of glass and iron is likely to prove hot in summer and cold 
in winter, it is believed that both these inherent defects 
will be remedied in the present instance—the first by the 
introduction of Creepers and plants, and the great care 
taken to ensure ventilation, and the second by the use of 
the same hot-water warming apparatus that has been found 
so efficient in others of the Society’s buildings. It is also 
hoped that the New Monkey House will be free from the 
bad odours, which no amount of care has succeeded in 
removing in the case of the former building. 
The contract-price with Messrs. Lucas for the erection 
. of the three Lodges, the New Aviary, and the New 
Monkey House was £6500. Their total cost, including 
warming-apparatus, internal fittings, and the necessary 
rearrangement of the ground outside, will probably exceed 
£7000, which sum will be found charged to their account 
under the head of extraordinary expenditure in 1863. 
Another important work executed during the past year, 
and charged to its expenditure, is the row of Cattle-sheds 
in the paddock near the South entrance to the Gardens. 
A building of this sort, wherein the Society’s collection of 
Bovine animals might be brought together and exhibited in 
a connected series, had long been a desideratum. The strong 
oak fencing requisite in such a case, in order to render the 
yards fit for the reéeption of Bisons, Buffaloes, and other 
animals of this class, rendered the building rather expen- 
sive, considering its character; but the Council have 
every reason to believe that it is thoroughly well adapted 
for the purpose intended, and that under the circum- 
stances the sum expended upon it (£711 11s. 8d.) was not 
excessive. 
The thorough repair of the Elephant-pond and inclosure 
was also effected during the past summer—the size of the 
basin having been somewhat reduced, so as to allow of 
a more frequent change of water, the back rebuilt, and the 
bottom repaved—at a total cost of £204 1s. 8d. 
Various minor additions to the buildings in the Gardens, 
the particulars of which are given in the table of extra- 
ordinary expenditure, cost altogether the sum of £156. 
The sum of £246 10s. 2d. was devoted to the thorough 
repair of the walks, the large number of visitors to the 
Gardens in 1862 having rendered an additional outlay 
B 
