The Royal Zoological & Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, 
FIFTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT. - 
The Council of the Royal Zoological and Acclimatisation 
Society of Victoria begs to submit its Fifty-sixth Annual Re¬ 
port to the Subscribers and the Public, and has much plea¬ 
sure in stating that, despite the general increase in the prices 
of all commodities and the epidemic of pneumonic influenza, 
which reduced the attendance of visitors and the resulting 
revenue, the past year has been a fairly prosperous one. 
A few specimens were received from other countries 
during the year, but the general trade in animals has not 
yet recovered from the effects of the war. 
The young Hippopotamus has grown well, and the 
health of the other animals has been, in general, good. 
As usual, the floral display has been very beautiful, and 
attracted much approval. The grass lawns have been in¬ 
creased, more flower beds made, and many new shrubs 
planted. 
The receipts at the entrance gates for the year were 
£4,154 12s. 9d., a falling off of about £500, and from other 
sources, exclusive of the Government grant, £1,280 8s. 8d. 
The number of visitors on Sundays was approximately 
162 446, and on week days 122,785, making a total of 285,251, 
being 102,759 less than last year, largely owing to the in¬ 
fluenza. These figures do not include children from Charit¬ 
able Institutions, State and Primary Schools, and soldiers and 
sailors in uniform, who are admitted free of charge. 
Several improvements to the buildings have been car¬ 
ried out during the year. The exercising yard for the 
larger carnivores has been divided, and new sleeping dens 
erected. A new cement and wire structure is being built 
for felines, and when this is completed the-old wooden mam¬ 
mal-houses, where these animals are at present kept, will be 
done away with. 
The new iron and cement structure for “Mollic” the 
Ourang-utang, was finished, and she has now been in it for 
some months. Mollie is not only very strong, but is also 
an adept at discovering any weak places there may be in her 
house; she uses knives, bottles, &c., given her by thoughtless 
persons, for house destruction. 
