2 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST, 
Carpenter was attentively listened to, his remarks being most 
instructive and interesting, and were accompanied by ex- 
cellent slides. 
The President intimated that, following our usual cus- 
tom, there would be no meeting in January. 
A VISIT TO A PRIVATE ZOO, “BEAUMARIS,”’ 
HOBART. 
(By Miss Isabel Busby.) 
Plate I. 
One of the things to which the writer looked forward 
with pleasure when contemplating a visit to the lovely 
little Tasmanian capital, was to seeing’ the very interest- 
ing collection of birds and animals at “Beaumaris,’’ and 
to making the acquaintance of Mrs. H. lL. Roberts, who 
probably enjoys the distinction of being the only lady in 
Australasia who owns a private Zoo. Mrs. Roberts ig a 
Corresponding Member of the London Zoological Society, 
this honour having been conferred upon her some years 
ago for “‘eminent services rendered to the Society,’’ so it 
was stated, in forwarding a collection of Australian anj- 
mals, with which they were very pleased. A letter of in- 
troduction from a mutual friend in New South Wales 
paved the way for a call, and Mrs. Roberts kindly made 
an appointment for a private inspection, when she would 
be at leisure to show me all that was to be seen. First, a 
word as to ‘‘Beaumaris’’ itself, and how it came to be the 
home of so many animals and birds. The first thing that 
strikes one is, what an ideal place it is for them; quite 
handy to the heart of the city, and yet away from the noise 
and bustle, and visitors frequently admire what Mr. Dudley 
le Sotief called the ‘beautiful old English garden,’’ which 
surrounds the equally English-looking house. Mrs. Roberts 
first bought some pheasants and jackasses, and finding them 
an attraction to visitors, she went on adding others, until 
at last the gardens were opened in aid of a charitable fete. 
This was in November, 1904, and the opening ceremony 
was performed by Lady Strickland. There was no inten- 
tion originally to make such an extensive collection, as Mrs. 
Roberts says “‘it just growed, like Topsy.’’ For some 
