YOUNG ANIMALS AT THE ZOO 
219 
when first taken was 21 lbs. ; but it was not half that 
weight when presented to the Society, having wasted 
much in confinement in a cellar. About a month 
after his arrival there was continual chattering between 
him and the female at night, which lasted for four or 
five nights, but they did not appear to be quarrelling. 
On August 13, the keeper who has charge of them 
went to give them a fresh bed, which he does once a 
week. While pulling out the old bed he saw two 
young ones, apparently about five or six days old, 
and about the size of a full-grown rat ; he immedi- 
ately put back the bed, with the young ones in it, 
and left them. 
“ On the twenty-first the mother removed them to the 
second sleeping-den ; her object appeared to be to let 
them have a dry bed. On the 9th of September they 
were first seen out of the house ; they did not go into 
the water, but crawled about, and appeared very feeble. 
“ On September 26 they were first seen to eat 
fish, and follow the mother into the water. They 
did not dive like the mother, but went in like a dog, 
with their head above water, and it was not till the 
middle of October that they were observed to plunge 
into the water like the old ones. When the water 
was let out of the pond for the purpose of cleaning 
it they were shut up, but got out, and into the pond 
when it was half full of water. The young ones were 
not able to get out without help, and for some 
minutes the mother appeared very anxious, and made 
several attempts to reach them from the side of the 
