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Council confidently hope that all who desire to 

 promote the advance of this favorite branch of Science 

 will become Members of the Society, and thus aid 

 them in their endeavours to enlarge and sustain a 

 Zoological collection which shall be worthy of the 

 Scientific character of the metropolis of Ireland. 



Should these expectations be realised, it is not too 

 much to hope that the Society will, in a great measure, 

 be relieved from all financial embarrassments, and a 

 new impulse be given to investigation in the wide 

 field of natural history. 



The Society regret to state, that during the past 

 year some valuable animals have died, including 

 the splendid lion purchased in 185-5, and the two 

 ostriches presented by her Majesty the Queen in 1858. 

 The sudden occurrence and long continuance of severe 

 frost occasioned the death of one of the ostriches, 

 whilst the lion, it appears, was upwards of twelve 

 years of age, which, although not old for the animal 

 in its wild state, is stated to be about the average 

 duration of its life in the domesticated condition. 



For some time past careful examinations have 

 been made in all cases -of deaths amongst the 

 animals, and the results carefully noted and re- 

 corded. In this way, from time to time, information 

 is obtained which may prove of value as to the 

 management of the different classes of animals. The 

 Council are sorry to state that a young seal, in one of 

 the smaller ponds, died in consequence of an injury 

 inflicted by some visiters, and feel deep regret that 

 such an act of cruelty should have been committed ; 

 but it is only fair to state that this did not occur at 

 a time when visiters were admitted at the penny rate. 



