16 
opposite the Carnivora Dens, which, together with the 
paving of the space between it and the front of the dens, 
and other minor werks connected with it, cost a total sum 
of £509 8s. Gd. As regards the former of these works, 
although the efforts of the Council to add a member of 
the class Cetacea to the Society’s collection have not yet 
proved successful, there seems no reason to disbelieve that 
this desirable object may be hereafter accomplished. A 
specimen of the White Whale of the St. Lawrence, in the 
Aquarial Gardens at Boston, U.S. A., lived for a period of 
two years in excellent health in a water-tank in that 
establishment. A Porpoise, which was acquired for the 
Society on the 29th of December of last year, lived twenty- 
seven days in the Gardens, feeding well, and was only 
lost through the accident of a severe frost coming on 
somewhat unexpectedly. The Council have therefore little 
fear but they will be ultimately able to surmount the dif- 
ficulties that have hitherto been encountered in accom- 
plishing this object, and they intend to continue their 
efforts for this purpose. ‘They may also remark that 
these attempts have already been productive of some 
benefit to science, as having afforded means for the more 
accurate examination of the structure of these little-known 
animals, and as having supplied the National Collection 
with a specimen of a hitherto unknown Cetacean, one of 
the specimens obtained for the Society’s collection having 
been determined by Dr. Gray as belonging to a new 
species of the genus Phocena—the more interesting from 
its having been obtained in the British seas. 
The restoration of the platform opposite the Carnivora 
Dens was rendered necessary by the bad state of repair of 
the previous structure, and its inadequacy to accommo- 
date the great crowds that now seek to witness the feeding of 
the Lions and Tigers. At the same time, looking to the extra- 
ordinary amount of traffic along the narrow space between 
the platform and the front of the dens, it was thought desi- 
rable to pave this with the best paving-flags in a solid and 
durable manner, so that the necessity of constant repairs 
to the gravel-path, which formerly occupied the space, 
might be avoided. 
Although these were the principal works to which the 
Council’s attention was directed during the{past year, 
various other minor improvements were at the same time 
