116 Royal Zoological Society of Ireland 



Colonel Montgomery a life member of the society ; but 

 feeling that life membership, conferred by their vote, 

 would be a very inadequate expression of what is due 

 from the Society, they now propose to you to elect him 

 at this Annual Meeting, and by acclamation, an honorary 

 member. 



Other donations, worthy of special notice, are : a pair 

 of bisons, presented by the Marquis of Breadalbane, hon. 

 member, and a jungle bear (Ursus labiatus), by Captain 

 Prittie, life member. 



Within the year five lion cubs have been born and 

 successfully reared; but the Council regret that the 

 nursing so large a litter has cost the Society the life of 

 the lioness. Her death, and that of the polar bear, are 

 the chief losses of the year. 



The fresh water and marine aquaria have been well 

 supplied throughout the year with fishes and invertebrate 

 animals, and continue to be attractive to the public. 

 Many curious marine creatures, which otherwise would 

 be scarcely known to any but the exploring naturalist, are 

 by the aquaria rendered familiar to thousands of delighted 

 visitors. And this part of your collection has the peculiar 

 recommendation of being kept up efficiently at an 

 expenditure very trifling in proportion to the pleasure 

 and instruction it affords. 



The ornamental flower-beds and shrubberies have 

 been enlarged and otherwise improved during the year; 

 and when some alterations in contemplation, shall be 

 completed, your Garden, beautiful as it confessedly is, 

 will be still more deserving of praise. To render these 

 improvements practicable, and to give permanence to 

 what has been done, one thing, above all others, seems to 

 be required. This is, the annexation of the further bank 

 of the pond, and the protection of the new frontier by a 

 sufficient fence. At present the unprotected side of the 

 pond, as reported last year, " permits the escape of our 

 waterfowl, and leaves them exposed to mischievous 

 persons and to dogs." It also allows the free ingress of 

 deer from the herd in the park, and exposes the orna- 

 mental shrubberies to destruction by these wayward 

 animals. This subject has been repeatedly brought under 

 the notice of the Government, and is still before his 

 Excellency the Lord Lieutenant ; and your Council are 

 not without hope that the official difficulties may be 



