THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, ROTTERDAM 49 



casino was built on the newly acquired land, containing 

 a restaurant, reading-rooms and a museum, at a cost 

 of 325,000 guilders. In 1878 an officials' dwelling- 

 house and a house for succulent plants were erected. 



In 1882 the loan alluded to above was converted 

 into a 4 per cent, one of 600,000 guilders. Large 

 aviaries were erected in 1883 and 1885, and the 

 'Victoria' house for stove-plants in 1886. Other 

 houses followed in 1889 and 1891. The year 1893 

 brought the conversion of the former loan into a 3^ 

 per cent, mortgage loan of 1,000,000 guilders, the 

 issue of new shares to the amount of 700,000 guilders, 

 and the paying-off of the old shares. 



In 1895 a handsome new house for the carnivores 

 was completed at a cost of 82,000 guilders. This 

 house measures about 200 feet in length. In January, 

 1897, Mr. van Bemmelen died suddenly, after having 

 been in office thirty-four years ; and in Ma}'- of the 

 same year Dr. J. Biittikofer was appointed his suc- 

 cessor. The fortieth anniversary of the founding of 

 the Gardens was celebrated by a grand fete. 



During the following years many more new buildings 

 were erected, and the borders of some of the ponds 

 were lined with an edging of concrete reaching for 

 some feet down into the water, which proved successful 

 in putting a stop to the devastations by rats. 



The Gardens are planted chiefly with elms, but 

 besides these trees there are numerous poplars, chest- 

 nuts, planes, limes, ashes, maples, oaks, willows, birches, 

 alders, thorns, etc. Conifers are few in number, as 

 the soil does not suit them, but holly and box grow 

 well enough. 



4 



