z 
fa 
1883.] Zoölogical Gardens, a Critical Essay. 1227 
of statistical data which I have collected on the subject, I may 
simply record what hundreds of others have undoubtedly ob- 
served before me—they may not have deemed worth mentioning 
conditions which are so obviously the inevitable consequences of 
the current system of confinement; but in my opinion they fur- 
nish an array of pregnant facts for the consideration of persons 
financially interested in zodlogical collections, too important to 
pass by unnoticed. For instance, it may not matter very much 
for “ show ” purposes if most of the carnivores are partially blind, 
and painfully stiff along the spinal column, since the public at 
large does not easily notice these defects; but taken in evidence 
as symptoms of premature physical decay, and in connection with 
the fact that all closely confined animals last on an average not 
even two-thirds of their natural life, these considerations gain in 
importance and become powerful arguments in favor of a rational 
reconstruction of the animals’ places of abode. Now suppose a 
farmer discovered that his stock was getting blind, and stiff, and 
dying off before their time on account of the defective construc- 
tion of the stables, what would he do? He would naturally 
remedy these defects by reconstructing his stables. 
There is an impression among “animal men” that some ani- 
mals will not breed in captivity. It would be strange, indeed, if 
they did under the existing circumstances. Yet I am convinced 
that it is not the sense of captivity which restrains them from 
Propagating, but rather the incongruity between their artificial 
habitation and their natural habits. The black bear is a striking 
example. You will find him in the so-called bear pit. Why 
bears should invariably be kept in fits has never been quite satis- 
explained to me. The pit idea was, I believe, first intro- 
a in the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, but the savant, who 
factorily 
Mn RA it, died long ago without entrusting to posterity the 
«lng thought which moved him to this achievement. Since 
that ad all “ zoölogical ” bears are consigned to pits. 
This brings us face to face with one of the most lamentable 
tific res of zodlogical gardens, one which has retarded their scien- 
eng artistic development more than anything else. I mean 
servile, wholesale copying after “old masters” without any 
discrimination. Yet there is scarcely a better field for 
1 Provig 
a that Flourens’ 
te ‘ Picable ik theory on the subject of longevity is approximately ap- 
ene : TOR, XYI, xIr, 
icated species of mammals as weli, 
8r 
