Report, 1842. 15 



under consideration of the Committee alluded to. The 

 Council hope that this measure will give a direction to 

 drawing and modelling from nature, which will be equally 

 valuable to the Fine Arts and to natural science. The 

 Council have to report the death of the Elephant, which 

 was long anticipated, and which, from the state of the 

 animal, was scarcely to be regretted. They, however, 

 did not fail to turn the event to advantage, and a series 

 of interesting public demonstrations of the Elephant's 

 anatomy were given by Professor Hart and Mr. Carlisle. 

 The skeleton, which it had been stipulated should be 

 returned at the death of the animal to the Zoological 

 Society of London, wao by that body generously placed 

 at the disposal of the Council, who had much pleasure 

 in thus being enabled to present it to the Royal Dublin 

 Society, in compliance with a request to that effect, and 

 it is hoped that this skeleton will prove a handsome 

 addition to their National Museum. The important 

 losses to the Society during the past year were the 

 Female Buffalo and the Zebra, which were both aged. 

 The acquisition of animals has, for the reasons before 

 stated, been on a limited scale; but yet very interesting 

 specimens have been added by purchase and donation, 

 and some satisfactory exchanges have been effected 

 with the Bristol Zoological Society. On the whole, 

 the Council, though they cannot consider the collection 

 as extensive as it ought to be, and might have been, if 

 they had been adequately supported, consider that it is 

 one of much interest, and contains a number of highly 

 instructive and beautiful specimens in fine health. The 

 Council have the gratification of stating that the grounds 

 and plantations of the Garden are in higher order than 

 they have ever been before, that many minor improve- 

 ments have been made during the last year, and abundant 

 supply of water has been obtained for the Swan Pad- 

 docks. Much improvement has been, and is in progress 

 of being, effected in the paths leading from the Park 

 gates to the Garden, which will contribute to make the 

 walk to them as easy as it is interesting ; and in con- 

 cluding, the Council beg to propose that the thanks of 

 the Society at large be given to the Royal Dublin Society 

 for the very liberal manner in which they have afforded 

 the use of their Theatre for the Evening Meetings of the 

 Royal Zoological Society, and for the use of the Board 

 Room for this Meeting." 



