lo THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF EUROPE 



demanded the sacrifice of all the animals. One can 

 imagine what it cost the keepers, who were so attached 

 to the animals they fed, to have to kill the two 

 elephants, Castor and Pollux, the beautiful antelopes, 

 the camels, etc. Nevertheless, when peace came, the 

 animals which returned from the places where they 

 had been deposited were still numerous enough to 

 restock the Garden and put a little life into the place 

 so long- deserted. 



The collection had scarcely been reinstalled in the 

 Garden when the insurrection of the Commonwealth 

 broke out. This time the Jardin d'Acclimatation was 

 in the very middle of the tempest, and for nearly two 

 months bullets and shells fell night and day in its 

 very midst. The officials remained faithful to their 

 posts, and hid themselves in cellars, from which they 

 emerged when they were able during moments of 

 calm — too short, alas ! — to attend to the wants of the 

 animals and plants. In this way, from time to time, 

 they ran the greatest danger. The gate - keeper. 

 Decker, was killed by a bursting shell ; the gardener, 

 Loubrieam, succumbed to wounds which he had re- 

 ceived ; Lemoire, one of the keepers of the animals, 

 and Lombard, the carpenter, were wounded. Troops 

 of regulars and bands of insurgents frequently met in 

 the very heart of the Garden, which was furrowed by 

 trenches and defensive works. The volunteers of the 

 Seine and Oise and the federates fought two serious 

 engagements in it. A number of animals were struck 

 by the bullets, the fences and battlements being 

 pierced by them. 



The Jardin d'Acclimatation was very greatly dis- 



