2i8 THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF EUROPE 



that came through Mr, Vigors from the London 

 Gardens. 



In 1830 His Majesty King WiUiam IV. presented 

 to the London Society all the animals in the royal 

 menagerie in Windsor Park. Amongst these there 

 were fourteen wapiti deer, of Avhich two were sent to 

 Dublin, along with one Sambur deer, one nylgai, two 

 emus, two ostriches, and quite a number of less impor- 

 tant animals. These animals arrived some time in 

 June, 1831. There is a note in the minute-book (on 

 the 25th of that month) to the effect that Dr. Stokes 

 was empowered ' to send Godden to London as soon as 

 possible to take charge of the animals, and bring them 

 over by the London steamer.' 



In 1831 the King handed over to the London Society 

 the collection of animals that was kept in the London 

 Tower, and on this occasion he expressed a wish 

 that such as were not required for Regent's Park 

 should be sent to the Zoological Society of Dublin. 

 In this manner the first royal gift of animals came 

 to Dublin. It consisted of a wolf, a leopard, and a 

 hysena. 



The modest character of the operations of the Society 

 during the first two years may be gathered from the 

 entries of the weekly j)ayments. On May 25, 1832, 

 ' wages, labour, and provisions for the last week ' came 

 to £Q 2s. 9d. This may be taken as a sample of the 

 weekly expenditure, but it does not represent the total 

 outlay upon provisions, because bills were run for 

 s everal items of food for the animals. 



The Gardens were opened to the public on Sep- 



