ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND. 



The Annual Meeting of the Royal Zoological Society was 

 held in the Board-room of the Royal Dublin Society on 

 Tuesday, 3rd May, 1859, Doctor Corrigan, Vice-president, 

 in the chair, when the following Report of the Council 

 for the year 1858-9 was read : 



The Council of the Royal Zoological Society for the 

 year 1858-9 have now the pleasure of laying before the 

 members the Twenty-seventh Annual Report, and the 

 gratification of stating that the public of all classes con- 

 tinue to appreciate the objects for which the gardens 

 have been established and maintained — instruction and 

 recreation. 



In the year ending April 30th, 1857, the 



gardens were visited by ... ... 122,518 persons 



[n the year ending April 30th, 1858, by 136,859 

 In the past year, ending April 30th, 1859, by 150,113 

 In classifying these numbers we find that 

 there were admitted on members' 

 privilege ... ... ... ... 3,174 



Admitted free, from children's schools ... 1,041 



Making in all, free admissions ... ... 4,215 



Admitted at the ordinary daily rate of admission, 



viz., sixpence adults, three pence children ... 15,691 

 Admitted at reduced rate of one penny : on Sun- 

 days after two o'clock, and on every week day, 

 in summer months, after six o'clock ... 130,207 



The numbers congregated in the gardens on cheap 

 admission days frequently amounted to upwards of 3,000 

 persons, and the Council feel the greatest pleasure in 

 being able to state that, in not a single instance during 

 the year has it been necessary to call in the aid of a 

 policeman to preserve order. The Council have with- 

 drawn from the placards in the gardens all threats of 

 penalty or prosecution, and have substituted the following 

 notice, containing merely an appeal to the sense of pro- 

 priety and good conduct : — " Please don't tease the 

 animals. Don't break the shrubs, or pluck the flowers; 

 they arc all hefrt here for your gratification and instruc- 



