61 
The Domestic Sheep (Ovis dries'), like the goat in its 
domesticated forms, is an inhabitant of the whole world. 
In one of these enclosures are several Yemen Sheep, from 
Persia, imported and presented to the Society by George 
William Bond, Esq., of Boston. They are believed, by a 
cross with the common sheep of Spain, to have produced the 
celebrated Merino breed. These are, so far as is known, the 
first of the breed which have been brought to this country. 
They are white, with black heads. 
The Fallow Deer (Cervus dama) is the common deer 
of Europe. Its normal color is reddish-brown, spotted, like 
the Axis, with white. It is liable to variation in color, how¬ 
ever, some of those in the Garden being pure white. The 
rest of the small herd were presented to the Society by the 
Earl of Powis, and were bred in his park in England. 
No. 20.—THE REPTILE HOUSE. 
The accommodations in this building are inadequate to 
the proper display of the Society’s rapidly-increasing collec¬ 
tion in this branch, and many of the cases are somewhat 
crowded. 
The class Reptilia is composed of animals provided with 
lungs, a very simple digestive apparatus, and cold blood. 
Many of them live in the water, but are compelled to rise to 
the surface for the purpose of respiration. With the exception 
of a few of the serpents, they are oviparous, and deposit their 
eggs on land. Reptiles proper are turtles, serpents, lizards, 
and saurians. 
The members of the class Batrachia agree in many respects 
with the above. Their spawn, or eggs, is, however, generally 
hatched under water, and they are covered with a smooth 
skin in place of the scales with which reptiles are provided. 
The young live entirely in the water, and breathe with gills. 
In some genera, as Siren and Menobranchus , these gills are 
retained through life, and project from the sides of the neck, 
where they may readily be observed, the blood which fills 
them giving them a rich crimson color. In others, as the 
