222 THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF EUROPE 



they promote good-fellowship amongst the members 

 of the Council, but they have a remarkable effect in 

 obtaining a regular attendance at the lousiness meetings 

 which follow. They are also recognised as a j^owerful 

 agent in obtaining recruits for the Society. Curiously 

 enough, it would appear that an impression has got 

 abroad amongst some of those who are not acquainted 

 with the management of the Zoological Gardens that 

 the expense of these breakfasts is defrayed out of the 

 funds of the Society. Such a conception is absolutely 

 erroneous, and it may be well also to state that 

 even the furniture of the room in which the breakfasts 

 are held, and the table equipment, are the personal 

 property of the members of the Council. 



At least one anniversary dinner has taken place in 

 the Gardens (in the summer of 1838). This dinner, 

 held always in connection with the Annual Meeting 

 of the Society, was continued for some years ; but, 

 except on the one occasion referred to, it appears to 

 have been held in an hotel. 



In having no salaried officers outside those actually 

 engaged in the Gardens, the Zoological Society of 

 Ireland diflPers from most, if not all, kindred societies. 



In 1868 there were 127,900 visitors to the Gardens, 

 the receipts being £938 18s. 6d. 



In 1869 there were 136,052 visitors, and there were 

 in the Gardens 143 mammals and 219 birds. 



In 1877 Miss Nesbitt presented the Gardens with a 

 handsome aviary costing £350. 



In 1878 a severe frost occurred, coveiing the lake 

 in the Gardens with a sheet of ice 9 inclies thick. A 

 fortnight's good skating was the result, and no animals 



