CHAPTER V
ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF THE SOCIETY OF ZOOLOGY, ‘NATURA ARTIS MAGISTRA,’ AMSTERDAM: DIRECTOR, DR. C. KERBERT
The Zoological Gardens at Amsterdam are the third oldest institution of their kind in Europe, the Jardin des Plantes coming first, and the London Zoological Gardens second. Besides the Gardens of the Society of Zoology, ‘Natura artis magistra,’ Amsterdam possesses a large Aquarium, a Zoological Museum, and a Scientific Library of Natural History.
Encouraged by the success of the Zoological Gardens in London, M. G. F. Westerman of Amsterdam conceived the idea of founding a similar institution in his native town. However, his initial efforts in 1836 failed. At length an opportunity presented itself. M. R. Draak, a great student of natural history, who possessed an important private collection of stuffed birds, fishes, etc., valued at 8,000 francs at least, wished to transfer them into more spacious quarters. In order to achieve this, he sought the assistance of M. Westerman, known throughout Europe for his interest in natural history. He, on his part, always ready to assist anyone fond of natural history, succeeded in obtaining a site in 1837, and built and arranged a natural history museum upon it. It was opened to the public for a small entrance fee the same year. In spite of great efforts, the enterprise flourished but little; but, aided by two friends, M. Westerman bought other large buildings, and laid out some beautiful gardens, which he thought would be more attractive to the visitors. When in possession of these gardens, the proprietors tried to give more force to their enterprise by addressing the following circular to the inhabitants of Amsterdam:
CONCERT-HOUSE AND LAKE, AMSTERDAM.
‘Natura Artis Magistra
‘A society has been formed under this title, having for its object the study of natural history in an agreeable and attractive form, not only by exhibiting stuffed animals, but also by a collection of living animals and birds.’
In a very short time 120 persons, whose numbers quickly rose to 400, gave their services and help to the enterprise, and were inscribed as members of the Society, paying an annual subscription.
Encouraged by this first success, the Council decided to negotiate for a loan, with part of which a convenient site was arranged to receive the collections of M. R. Draak. Gradually the number of members of the Society rose, and in 1839, with the authority of the general assembly, the menagerie of C. van Ascen, at that time well known, was bought. Bitter disappointment was, however, caused when the Council, who had asked permission of the municipal authorities to build further houses on their grounds for the animals of the above-mentioned menagerie, were given permission, but on such bad terms that their request was to all intents and purposes met by a refusal. With much regret, the Society was therefore obliged to lodge the animals provisionally in some barrack-stables.
However, little by little other buildings were acquired, with large gardens, and the collection of living animals and objects for the museum was enriched both by generous gifts and by purchases.
In 1840 the Society numbered 700 members, and in 1841 the number rose to 1,000. The members then agreed to pay double the former subscription—i.e., twenty francs. The grounds had now increased to the extent of three and a quarter acres. In 1843 M. Westerman, at the request of the Council of Administration, was put at the head of the Society, and accepted the entire control of it, which, in spite of his age, he continued to hold until his death.
In May, 1850, the Gardens occupied nearly five acres, and in the same year the Council instituted attractive concerts twice a week. In April, 1852, His Majesty the King paid a visit to the Gardens, with which he was much pleased. He presented them with his portrait, and gave the Society the name of ‘The Royal Zoological Society.’ In 1877 the last enlargement of the premises was completed. The Society, after many futile efforts, succeeded in obtaining from the Municipal Council a piece of land, on condition that the Society should erect on the site a large building, to be utilized as an aquarium, and that superior instruction in Zoology should be given to the University of the town, partly at the Society’s expense. In all, the extent of the Gardens was increased to more than twenty-five acres, for which 463,369 francs were paid.
In 1888, the year in which the Society held its fiftieth anniversary, there were in the Gardens 378 animals of 141 different kinds, 2,009 birds of 462 different kinds, and 77 reptiles of 28 kinds.
The aquarium, opened in 1882, consists of a large and small hall, in which are three big reservoirs containing sea water and fresh, pumped in by machinery after having been well filtered. In the large hall will be found sea-water tanks, the two fresh-water tanks being in the small hall. There is a very rich collection of fish in them from all parts of the world, and many others have been bred there. Besides contributing to the enjoyment of the public, this aquarium is greatly used for research work and the study of anatomy. Here Dr. Kerbert discovered the hitherto unknown fish parasite, Chromatophagus parasiticus. This aquarium is justly considered one of the most important institutions of its kind in Europe. For the study of ethnography a large museum has been built, in which is housed a fine collection of objects appertaining to that subject. Another spacious room was built during recent years for the rich collection of skeletons which the Society possessed, containing the celebrated collections of G. and E. Vrolik and the skeletons of animals which have died in the Gardens. The total number of skulls and skeletons reaches 1,500, and they are exhibited on long shelves.
After the aquarium had been opened, three rooms were reserved for the collection of Crustacea, Molluscs, Echinides, Zoophytes, and Polyparies, with the famous collection of sponges, which is unsurpassed in any other museum. The total number of objects kept in these three rooms is 5,976. In this part of the museum is to be found a valuable collection of marine animals, brought from the Arctic regions by M. Barents and M. Varna. During the last three years a collection of local animals has been commenced. In the second room of the museum you find not only a collection of stuffed animals and birds, with their eggs and nests, but also a collection of indigenous shells, fish, reptiles and the lower animals. The insects are lodged in three cabinets—one for the indigenous butterflies and moths, one for the exotic lepidoptera, and one for the coleoptera or beetles, arranged in 920 drawers.
The scientific library is very rich in works on natural history; amongst other volumes is to be seen a complete edition of the works of Gould, the celebrated ornithologist. The library contains 5,131 books. There are in the museum upwards of 975 stuffed animals and 3,478 birds. The collection of shells is the most beautiful and most important which exists.
After the death of M. Westerman in 1890, the directorship of the Society was conferred upon Dr. C. Kerbert, who was formerly conservator of the aquarium.
The fee for admission to these large Gardens is one gulden. There are no less than fifty different houses or pens, besides the aquarium (one of the finest in Europe), and four museums.
Turning to the left after paying at the turnstile, one sees the llama pens, containing specimens of the huanaco, the vicuna and the alpaca; near them are two camels of different kinds. Close by is a pretty little deer shed, one of the inmates of which is a very fine example of Père David’s deer from Manchuria. The insect house is next encountered, with a good collection of living caterpillars and chrysalides in glass-cases. Some specimens of the atlas moth and common swallow-tail butterfly had just emerged (May 2). Passing through a door, the visitor comes to a reptile house, well lighted and heated. Here are to be seen some very fine examples of pythons from Java, boa-constrictors and other large snakes, tortoises, lizards, alligators and a Temminck’s snapper. In the centre of this room are three specimens of the curious Surinam sloth (Cholopus didactylus), hanging from horizontal bars by large curved claws. Passing through a door, you find yourself in the parrot house, which is well filled with the brilliant-coloured noisy birds. Here, also, was the magnificent bird of paradise from New Guinea, and the curious wingless kiwi from New Zealand. A monkey house, well stocked, is next passed, and we then come to the large duck-pond, simply teeming with mute swans, wild swans, black swans, bernacle and Canadian geese, gannets, gadwalls, sheldrake, mallard, wigeon, teal, pintail and flamingoes. We next see a very fine pair of American bison, and two young ones born in the Gardens. The crane and wading-bird pens are close at hand, one large pen containing an extraordinary number of coots, rails and oyster-catchers, all looking the picture of health. There is a long, well-lighted lion house, built in 1859, containing twelve cages inhabited by a pair of lions from Somaliland, a pair of tigers from Delhi, some leopards and jaguars, and a pair of pumas, with their young born in the Gardens.
We now come to the elephant house, built in 1897, in which are housed four Indian elephants and a tapir. In the antelope house, which stands near, are a fine pair of elands in a large roomy paddock, water-buck, a harnessed antelope and its baby, a brindled gnu, an oryx, and the rare inyala. Next, we find a very fine collection of birds of prey, including a beautiful specimen of the Bateleur eagle from Africa.
We now come to the ethnological or anthropological museum, built in 1888, containing native armour, weapons, dress, etc., from all parts of the world, and many draped waxen figures (life-size) of Chinese and Japanese. Behind this museum are some black-and-white yaks from Thibet, and several zebras from India. Further on is the skeleton museum, and after that we come to a hippopotamus house, containing two specimens of this huge pachyderm. They are very well housed, having, besides their large bathing-tanks inside, an outdoor playground and water-tank. Passing through a large conservatory, full of trees and plants, we come to an extremely picturesque seal grotto, and close by a deer shed.
YAK, AMSTERDAM.
The aquarium is reached next, for admission to which an extra charge of fifty cents is made. This building, erected in 1882, is well worth a visit. Its tanks contain, amongst many others, specimens of coal-fish, sea-anemones, huge cod, conger-eel, crabs, lobsters, plaice, lump-sucker, skate, dog-fish, cat-fish, stickleback, king-crab (very curious), barnacles, newts, gold-fish, pike, barbel, roach, some magnificent trout, carp, perch, American trout and a salamander. In the aquarium is a large museum of preserved natural history objects, mostly fish, shells and reptiles.
After leaving the aquarium, we encounter large pheasantries and peacock houses, wild-sheep pens, ibis pens and a pigeon house, from which the birds have free exit. A third museum is found to be full of stuffed birds, eggs, and nests; some of the birds stuffed in their natural surroundings are very beautifully done. The zoological library adjoins. A fourth museum, built in 1894, contains a large collection of stuffed animals and a collection of shells. Here is a huge skeleton of an African elephant, with good tusks, and a stuffed giraffe; a whole unmounted hippopotamus skin, and a stuffed quagga, now extinct.
Close by this museum are some pens containing zebras and wild asses. The new bear house, built in 1897, contains a fine collection. A large house, built like a fortress, containing wolves, hyænas and jackals, is close at hand.
Dr. C. Kerbert very kindly sent me a volume of many hundred pages, containing the names of all the specimens in the gardens, aquarium, and museums; but in a work of this size it would be utterly impossible to give the names of even one-quarter of the treasures that are contained in these most remarkable Gardens.