180 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
in my travels. How long they had been in this position I 
could not say, but their eyes were hanging out, and their 
mouths open almost beyond the power to even gasp. I had 
seeen turtles on the boats from Jamaica, and thought they 
were not expected to have any feelings, for in order to hoist 
them on deck, hooks are stuck into their flipper, but they 
are hosed down every morning. Still, I was more, sorry 
for their brothers in Ceylon. 
As you know, there is a very fine museum at Colombo, of 
which Dr. Wiley is curator. I spent a most interesting 
morning with the doctor going through the collections. 
REPORTS OF EXCURSIONS. 
Visit TO THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
May.—The excursion to the Zoological Gardens on the 
8th May proved highly interesting and successful—the latter 
from a social, as well as from an educational, point of view. 
The party, consisting of members of the Club, with a 
‘‘sprinkling’’ of wives and children, numbered twenty-eight. » 
We are indebted to the President (Professor T. P. Anderson 
Stuart) and Council of the Royal Zoological Society for their 
courtesy in admitting the party to the Gardens without 
charge. I hasten to add that, although two of the party 
were members of the Royal Zoological Society, this privilege 
was not sought in any way. We were met at the gates by 
Mr. A. S. Le Souef, Curator of the Gardens, and were by 
him conducted to the principal objects of interest. Attention 
was first bestowed upon the Kangaroos and Wallabies, cf 
which a very instructive and useful collection is displayed. 
A move was next made to the Birds, the collection of which, 
though small, embraces a number of very interesting species. 
The recently-landed Asiatic Tapir next occupied attention. 
The Royal Zoological Society is to be congratulated upon 
possessing such a fine representative of this remarkable 
beast, and no nature-student should miss the opportunity of 
seeing it. The quaint little Chimpanzee naturally attracted 
a good deal of attention. The “‘lion’’ of the day, however, 
was the recently fitted up freshwater Aquarium, which, ever 
since the official opening, has been the great centre of attrac- 
tion at the ‘‘Zoo.’’ In the Aquarium are a number of in- 
teresting fishes and aquatic plants, and these give a very 
charming effect. The popularity of this recent departure 
should be a sufficient encouragement and justification to the 
