HERTFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
xlvii 
as well that it was so, for subsequent events had shown that it 
was not unattended by danger, as witness the introduction of the 
sparrow into the United States. At the outset the Society attached 
great importance to its farm for acclimatizing at Kingston, but it 
was closed in a short time on account of its obvious inutility. The 
Gardens were opened in 1828, and despite the facts that the 
admission was 2s. 6d ., that London had a much smaller population 
than at the present time, and that there were hardly any facilities 
for travelling, there was a phenomenally large attendance during 
the first year. The Society began in a small way, having only 
five acres of ground for the gardens. These were leased from the 
Commissioners of Woods and Forests, who imposed certain un¬ 
necessary restrictions. Amongst them was one that no building of 
more than eight feet in height should be erected. Of course they 
could well understand that a building of eight feet would be useful 
for some of the animals in the Zoo, but not for such creatures as 
giraffes and elephants. After a present of some beautiful birds for 
the ornamental waters in the parks of London, the Commissioners 
withdrew many of the restrictions. At this time a high fence had 
to be erected all round the Zoo to keep out the hares which, 
strange as it might now seem, at that time literally over-ran 
ltegent’s Park. There were no hares now, but there were animals 
which did quite as much damage—innumerable cats, which com¬ 
mitted great havoc among the young birds. 
The menagerie, farm, and museum were at first the only things 
maintained by the Society, but subsequently there was an offshoot 
in the fortnightly meeting of members of the Society, which had 
since done much useful work in the science of zoology. The museum, 
was given up in 1856 because it was felt that the zoological depart¬ 
ment of the British Museum fulfilled all the requirements of one city. 
The magnificent library contained works valued at thousands of 
pounds, and the animals in the Gardens were now worth £29,000. 
The specimens were obtained either by purchase or exchange, or 
received as gifts, whilst some were housed during the winter for 
private individuals, free of cost. Of course, keeping these animals 
entailed an enormous expense; and another serious item in the 
year’s expenditure was the purchasing of animals. About 1000 
animals died yearly, and of necessity these had to be replaced. 
Many were given; he himself had during his wanderings sent about 
300, but it was necessary to purchase many animals yearly. 
He wished he could say that the Gardens were without fault. 
They were on the London Clay, a fact which was responsible for 
the high rate of mortality amongst the animals. 
Having referred to some of the continental gardens, the lecturer 
urged the necessity of some collection being kept of our indigenous 
animals. By far the greater majority of Englishmen were more 
familiar with lions and tigers than with the more rare species of 
English animals. Who amongst them had seen a wild badger, 
pole-cat, or otter alive ? All these animals were rapidly dis¬ 
appearing. The wild cat was now almost extinct ; and the 
