50 THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF EUROPE 



A good amount of bedding-out is done ; for summer 

 planting alone more than 4,500 plants are used 

 annually. The houses contain collections of orchids, 

 palms, tree and other ferns (the tallest Balantium 

 antarcticum in Europe is said to be there), agaves, 

 azaleas, and various other stove and greenhouse plants. 

 One house has been set apart chiefly for tropical 

 economic plants. 



The collection of animals numbers actually 394 

 mammals of 127 species, of which there are no less 

 than 91 apes of 29 species, and 154 ungulates of 46 

 species. 



There are 1,406 birds of 360 species, 94 reptiles of 

 24 species, and 39 amphibia of 3 species. 



The management of the affairs of the Society is 

 entrusted to a board of twenty-five shareholders, with 

 president, vice-president, hon. secretary, and hon. 

 treasurer included. 



Out of these twenty-five members different com- 

 mittees are formed, who have the sujDervision respec- 

 tively of : (1) The collection of animals ; (2) the garden 

 and plants ; (3) the buildings ; (4) the clubhouse, 

 concerts, etc. ; (5) the library and the museum. All 

 these gentlemen render their services gratuitously. 



Holders of original tickets have the right of free 

 admission to the Gardens. Members who are residents 

 of Rotterdam pay thirty guilders a yeai", with an 

 entrance fee of ten guilders. They have free access 

 with their families to the Gardens. There are in all 

 5,837 members at the present day. Tlie admission for 

 visitors is one-half guilder, children half-price. 



During the summer season about thirty-five evening 



