14 
GUIDE TO GARDENS. 
without injury, acquire the knowledge of the appearance 
of those venomous snakes whose bite would prove fatal, 
and those which possess no poison fangs. Unfortunately, 
however, the Council is much crippled in carrying out 
this desire from the want of funds. The Government, 
through the liberality of Parliament, gave the Society 
last year a grant of £2,500, and that sum at least will 
be required for the present year if it is desirable to 
maintain and add to the present Zoological collection. 
The Council is anxious to be permitted to close the 
gates on certain days to any but subscribers, or to 
make a small charge for admission to the grounds, as 
is the case with its celebrated namesake in London, 
and by this means to raise a sufficient revenue to 
maintain the Gardens in an efficient state without 
Government support, but there seems to be some 
hesitation on the part of Parliament to accede to this 
plan. It will be a matter for regret if the operations 
of the Society are reduced or crippled by insufficient 
means, and it must be apparent to all that a Zoological 
collection can only be maintained at considerable cost. 
