+ 
A proper record of the living animals in the Society’s gar- 
dens should afford, first, an easy reference from the animal to 
the record, which might easily be done by fixing a number 
or other mark to the cage in which the animal is contained, 
referring to a similar number in the record. It should also, as 
Mr. Sclater states, contain “the English and scientific name, 
sex, and locality, so far as these are ascertainable, of every 
vertebrate animal received alive by the Society, together with 
information as to how it was obtained, whether by presenta- 
tion, purchase, or otherwise.” Such a record, if it also re- 
corded the history of the animal as regards its habits, the 
period of gestation, and other particulars observed while they 
have been in the gardens, when it died, and the cause of its 
death, if observed, would be a most valuable addition to our 
zoological knowledge, and well worthy of being printed in the 
‘Proceedings’ from time to time. I have not the means of 
examining and quoting the manuscript registers in the office ; 
but Mr. Sclater informs us that the register of accessions since 
1862 has been carefully revised every year, and printed in the 
‘ Procéedings ;’ therefore these printed accounts ought to be a 
fair representative of them. I take up the volume of the 
‘Proceedings’ for the year 1867, which happens to be lying 
before me, and at p. 1033 I find the list of accessions to the 
menagerie during that year. On that page I find the names 
of twenty animals, but I do not find a locality or the sex 
attached to any one of that number; and in the next page 
there are thirty-one, all equally without sex marked, and all 
without habitats, unless one regards ‘‘ Australian Quail” and 
“ Senegal Parrot ”’ as habitats. 
The list in the ‘ Proceedings’ for 1868 and 1869 does not 
contain more information respecting the animals received; in 
fact it is quite useless for scientific purposes. 
I have been incapable of going to the Gardens for the last 
two years, and, on account of my malady, only went there very 
seldom for some time previous. Very likely the system may 
have been changed since I was there; indeed I am informed 
that several improvements have been made since the com- 
mencement of this discussion. I can only say that I have not ' 
intentionally misstated any fact, and, caring little for the ob- 
servations made on myself, I have carried on the controversy 
entirely with the hope of improving the usefulness of the 
Society, in which I have taken so much interest, and the true 
extension of zoological science. 
