CHAPTER XIX 



ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, BERLIN : DIRECTOR, DR. HECK 



The history of the Garden at BerUn is divided into 

 three periods ; the first embraces the time of prepara- 

 tion and the foundation, from 1841 to 1869. 



This Zoological Garden is the third oldest in Europe, 

 and the oldest of all the German Gardens. The credit 

 of its foundation belongs to the well-known Berlin 

 zoologist and African traveller Lichtenstein, M^ho could 

 hardly have realized his intentions had not the Prussian 

 Royal House given its favour to this public-spirited 

 undertaking. Not only is this shown by the opening 

 mandate issued by Frederick William IV. on May 7, 

 1845, but by the presentation of the royal pheasantry 

 to the Company of the Zoological Garden. At the 

 same time the Emperor made a grant of £3,000 to the 

 society, which was increased by £2,000. The greater 

 part of the Emperor's own animals and birds were also 

 transferred to the Zoologfical Garden. 



On August 1, 1844, the Garden was opened. For 

 the first twenty-five years of its existence the arrange- 

 ments were particularly modest. In March, 1846, 

 there were not 100 kinds of animals in the Garden, 

 and there were only half a dozen houses. In 1868 

 only 191 shares of £15 were taken up by the public. 



