420 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



in the world, but one of the very best. This institution has 

 reached its present high state of efficiency under the direction of 

 Inspector Alois Kraus, Eitter des Kais. Osterr. Franz Joseph 

 Ordens. 



Herr Kraus was formerly in the Austrian navy, and gained 

 both professional and zoological knowledge on board the frigate 

 * Novara,' in her celebrated voyage round the world in the 

 years 1857 to 1859. In 1866 he took part in the battle of Lissa, 

 being then in command of a section of marine artillery. In more 

 recent years Herr Kraus was selected to accompany the late 

 Crown Prince Piudolf in several ornithological and sporting tours, 

 including visits to Egypt. The scrupulous cleanliness of the 

 Schonbrunn menagerie, and the alertness of the keepers em- 

 ployed there, give evidence of the good naval training of the man 

 in charge, while the healthy appearance of the live stock and the 

 accuracy of the labelling show that both practical and systematic 

 zoology are subjects with which he is familiar. 



This menagerie was founded in 1752 by Francis I., Emperor 

 of Germany, and the great Empress Maria Theresa, the 

 original Superintendent being Adrian van Steckhoven, a native 

 of Holland.* 



I formed a very favourable impression of this menagerie 

 when I was in Vienna in 1905, and this was more than confirmed 

 in 1910, when I had the privilege of staying at Schonbrunn for 

 a week and thoroughly seeing the working of this institution at 

 all times of the day. 



The animal houses, with one exception, all date from the 

 time of Maria Theresa. They have been, in most cases, altered 

 from time to time in matters of fittings and methods of lighting 

 and ventilation, and some of them have been enlarged ; but 

 substantially they are the same buildings as they were more 

 than one hundred and fifty years ago, and it is wonderful to 

 consider how well they answer their purpose. The house for 

 small birds, however, is not now considered to be sufficiently 

 ventilated, and it is proposed to utilize it for keeping reptiles in, 

 and the winter quarters of the Flamingoes will be enlarged so as 

 to form a permanent home for the small bird collection. 



* Loisel, 'La Menagerie imperiale de Schoenbrunn,' Nouvelles Archives 

 des Missions scientifiques, t. xv., Imprimerie Nationale, Paris, 1907. 



