HAUGHTON ON DEATH OF LION AND OSTK1CH IN ZOOLOGICAL GAEDENS. 91 



heart was healthy, and had not undergone any degeneration. To keep 

 euch an animal in health would require the use of a large paddock, such 

 as that in which Lord Derby used to trot his ostriches ; and this, again, 

 would require a pecuniary outlay which, I regret to say, the citizens of 

 Dublin do not seem disposed to make on their Zoological Gardens. 



The lion died of fever, and his chance of recovery was destroyed by 

 the occurrence of the three days' frost during his illness. We had no 

 means of protecting him from the cold, and from the still more deadly 

 damp that followed it during the thaw ; and notwithstanding that he 

 rallied for one day, under the influence of stimulants, he ultimately 

 succumbed to the disease, and died with all the symptoms of a human 

 being in fever. He was a resident in our Zoological Gardens for nine 

 years, during which time he begat £500 worth of young lions and 

 lionesses. One of his wives was said to have been starved to death by ill- 

 timed economy, but this was a mistake. The old fellow nearly paid the 

 cost of himself and of his lionesses by the proceeds of the sale of his 

 offspring; and in the very week of his death, the Society received £175 

 for his last brood of lion kittens. I have taken the following details of 

 the illness and death of this favourite of the Dublin public from the re- 

 cords of the Society : — 



" Royal Zoological Gardens, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 1864. 



" Sie — According to the instructions received from the council in 

 regard to the treatment of the lion, I beg to submit the following state- 

 ment for their information: — On Sunday, the 27th December last, 

 Head-keeper Eice reported to me that he did not consider the lion in 

 good health. The following day (Monday), he appeared to be in the 

 same condition, when hot goat's flesh was given him, which he de- 

 clined. During the week he received pigeons, chickens, fresh beef, hot 

 blood, and rabbits ; but all attempts to make him eat proved fruitless. 

 On the 7th inst. Professor Haughton, accompanied by Dr. Foot, visited 

 the Gardens and held a consultation with Mr. Montgomery on the treat- 

 ment of the lion. They agreed that it was absolutely necessary that a 

 dose of whiskey punch should be administered to him, which was accord- 

 ingly done in their presence. On Saturday last, at twelve, noon, a dose 

 composed of two glasses of whiskey with hot water was again 

 offered to him, in consequence of the short time allowed to prepare 

 the broth (as directed by council). At three p. m. the broth-punch was 

 given him, and continued every three hours to three a. m. on Sunday; 

 but after every effort to make him take the broth-punch, he refused it. 

 At six a. m. he partook of a very small quantity, in fact, I may say, 

 scarcely any. At nine a. h., when Rice and myself administered the 

 dose, he turned his head away ; and, judging from the heavy breathings of 

 the poor animal, I discontinued the dose until I should receive further 

 instructions from some member of council. A dose was given him at 

 five p. m. on Sunday, in presence of Dr. Foot and Mr. Montgomerv, but he 

 partook of only a very small quantity. Keeper Rice and myself sat up 

 again on Sunday night, and visited him frequently, in the event that he 



