192 



Irish Societies, 



59 



before his death, but " Charlie " was ill only for a very short time. The 

 actual cause of death is believed to have been inflammation in connexion 

 with the colon and peritonitis. The Council is glad to report that the 

 surviving Chimpanzee, " Fanny," is in excellent health, and in good 

 condition. She is more uncertain in her disposition than were either 

 "George" or " Charlie," but she is in many ways more clever, and prone 

 to playing unexpected tricks upon her friends. 



An American Bison bull calf was born in the Gardens, and is doing well. 

 It is the third Bison calf which has been reared in Dublin since the Canadian 

 Government presented the pair of Bison to the Gardens in 1913. A hand- 

 some Crested Porcupine was purchased during the year, and occupies a 

 cage beneath the Haughton House. The Council was fortunate in being 

 able to acquire a great Kangaroo and a black-tailed Wallaby, both of which 

 are doing well in one of the glass-roofed cages which, in the years before the 

 war, were devoted to Marsupials. 



" Sandari," the young Indian Elephant presented to the Society in 

 June, 1913, by the Maharajah of Mysore, has grown to seven feet one inch 

 in height. She is extremely docile, and following the instructions of her 

 devoted keeper, has acquired many interesting accomplishments. Since 

 she came to Dublin she has gained two feet four and a half inches in height, 

 an average growth of just over four inches a year. The following figures 

 give her height in each year since she came : — 



ft. ins. ft. ins. 



3 years old . . 4 8 7 years old . . 6 2^^ 



4 .> • • 51 8 „ „ . . 65 



5 "57 g „ 6 10 



6 ,, . . 511 10 ,, ,, . . 71 



The stock of Lions now consists of six males and eight females. 

 " Menelik," the old Abyssinian Lion given some years ago by the King, 

 died, while a pair of Dublin-bred animals, " Seamus " and " Nuala," were 

 sent during the year to renew the stock in the Zoological Gardens of 

 Antwerp. • 



The Poultry Exhibit continues to attract much interest, and is being 

 extended. It is still in charge of an instructress nominated by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and towards whose salary the Department makes an 

 annual grant. Several new houses have been obtained, and an increased 

 number of birds, representing a greater number of types, is "now stocked. 

 Among the latter are a number of birds bred from parents with great 

 egg-laying records. The Council desires to express its thanks to the 

 Department of Agriculture for its continued help, and especially to Mr. 

 Nasmyth Miller, the Department's expert. 



Early in April the Council arranged to hold a series of classes in the 

 Gardens for Boy Scouts. It was thought that such classes would not only 

 prove of interest to the boys, but would help them in preparing for their 

 naturalist badge. Several members of the Council and the Superintendent 

 undertook to share the work, and the classes were begun on the first 

 Saturday in May, and held in the early afternoon on each of the 



