78 
The Irish NahiialisL 
March, 
IRISH SOCIETIES. 
ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
January 30. — The annual general meeting was held in the rooms of 
the Royal Irish Academy, Dawson-street, the Right Hon. Jonathan 
Hogg, Vicd-President in the chair. 
The report stated that 15,000 more people had visited the Garden in 
1905 than in the previous year, aud/"ioo more was taken at the turnstiles 
The receipts from entrance fees and subscriptions amounted 10^^752 i8j 
the largest amount the vSociet}' had ever received from this source, so 
that a substantial balance was carried over to next year's account. 
Building had been gradually extended. The Council had been able to 
erect a very large open-air aviary on the far side of the lake. As this 
aviary was 90 feet long and about 50 feet wide, by 20 feet high, there 
was space for sufficient freedom of movement. In order that some ol 
the water birds might also find a congenial home in this large enclosure 
a portion of the lake has been fenced in so as to form part of the cage. 
About half a dozen trees had been left in the aviary, and it was proposed 
to plant shrubs and other undergrowth, as well as to construct wind 
shelters. Having noticed that many species of parrots and parrakeets 
were quite hardy enough to withstand winter temperature in the open, 
the Council had turned over one-half of the smaller old aviary to their 
sole use. The other half of the same structure, which had been divided 
in the middle b}- a wire screen, had been allocated to a group of Rhesus 
Monkeys. The Council had this year allowed the Rhea, or South 
American Ostrich, and also its near relation, the Bmu, to have complete 
liberty in the groiiuds, Similarly the Pelicans had been set free. Pro- 
bably other birds would join them next year. The Giraffe House has 
been provided with a brick floor, small shelters had been erected in the 
open-air rodent enclosure, and changes had been made in its internal 
fittings, the large Bear Den had been strengthened, and an iron hut had 
been built in it. With regard to the Council's future plans, it had been 
deemed of urgent necessity for many years past to enlarge and improve 
the accommodation for Anthropoid Apes. A special committee was 
charged with the details of the scheme, and it was found that the most 
economical method of carrying out the Council's vieM S was to turn the 
whole of the existing small room attached to the Monkey House into one 
or two cages. The Council had now decided to adopt the committee's 
recommendation, and the work would be commenced immediately. It 
had also been agreed upon that an unheated house for the various 
smaller Mammalia should be constructed, so as to prevent overcrowding 
in the Monkey House, and to enable the Council eventually to use the 
