THIRD PERIOD. 77 



should be added to the menagerie; but it was 

 necessary to purchase it an expence which ap- 

 peared too considerable. However some wood 

 yards were acquired , and served for the first 

 parks of the ruminating animals. The two ele- 

 phants from the menagerie of the statdholder, 

 which arrived in April 1798, were lodged in a 

 stable and yard of the newly acquired buildings. 



The fitting up of the galleries on the second 

 floor of the cabinet was continued, but delays in 

 the procuring of glass plates and in regulating the 

 admission of light , retarded the display of the 

 zoological collections. 



All the funds that could be disposed of were 

 meanwhile employed in the construction of an 

 additional hot-house , for the plants which cap- 

 tain Baudin was bringing from America. As his 

 voyage was undertaken solely on account of the 

 Museum, it deserves in this place a more parti- 

 cular mention. 



In 1796, captain Baudin informed the officers 

 of the Museum that , during a long residence in 

 Trinidad, he had formed a rich collection of na- 

 tural history, which he was unable to bring 

 away, but which he would return in quest of, if 

 they would procure him a vessel. The propo- 

 sition was acceded to by the government, with 

 the injunction that captain Baudin should take 



v 



