JARDIN D'ACCLIMATATION, PARIS g 



In fifteen months the work was finished. On 

 August 1, 1860, Dr. Rufz de Lavison, late President 

 of the General Council of the Martinique, was appointed 

 Director of the Garden, whilst M. Albert Geoffroy 

 Saint-Hilaire, the joint Director, busied himself with 

 the hygiene and propagation of the animals. On 

 October 6, 1860, the Emperor inaugurated the new 

 institution in person, and a few days later the public 

 were admitted. 



In 1865 Dr. Bufz de Lavison died, and M. Albert 

 Geofiroy Saint-Hilaire was made Director of the 

 Garden. 



When the Siege of Paris became imminent, the 

 majority of the animals were deposited in the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens at Brussels ; others were confined at 

 Antwerp. The rare birds were sent to Tours ; some 

 to M. Barnsby, Director of the Botanical Garden in 

 that city ; others to M. Cornely van Heemstra, owner 

 of the Chateau de Beaujardin. During this sad time 

 an enormous amount of work was done, the animals 

 being transported as quickly as possible. On Sep- 

 tember 4, 1870, this evacuation began, but it was 

 brought to a stop five days later, as the trains then 

 ceased to run. On the other hand, M. Milne Edwards 

 graciously offered to take into the Jardin des Plantes 

 part of the collection of animals, on condition that 

 they were provided with sufficient food. From that 

 moment, and during the whole of the siege, the 

 Garden, situated as it was outside the fortifications, 

 went well through the sad and sudden changes of 

 fortune. 



The famine which ere long besieged the city then 



