The zoological gardens of Europe, their history and chief features

by C. V. A. Peel

PREFACE

This book is intended chiefly as a work of reference. As most Zoological Gardens are much alike, it is impossible to avoid a certain monotony in describing them. And yet each Garden has generally its own distinctive features. These I had the opportunity of observing in a tour which I made early this year, and I have tried to recount them in the following pages, after first giving the main facts connected with the foundation and development of the respective Gardens. In my descriptive walks round I invariably turned to the left on entering, and made my way round the Gardens back to the entrance again.

The chief thought that has occurred to me as the result of my tour is that we in England take little interest in the breeding and acclimatization of wild animals as compared with the Germans, or even Americans. Almost every large town in Germany has its Zoological Garden, and, as it usually contains a concert-hall and other similar attractions, people flock to it, and are insensibly led to take an interest in the wild animals which they see around them. It seems to me a pity that we do not make our few English Gardens equally attractive. The result would be, I feel sure, that more people would become interested in wild animals, and probably many of our large towns would start Gardens of their own.

It is not generally known that most wild animals can be easily acclimatized, and, if properly treated, will breed well in captivity. The great secret is fresh air: animals which come from the equator do not require heat when once acclimatized. Just as human beings die of consumption through the want of fresh air, so do our anthropoid apes and other animals often die in captivity through being shut up, winter and summer, in hot-houses devoid of fresh air. We are far behind Germany and America in our knowledge of the breeding and cross-breeding of wild animals, and yet there must be many influential men in England who would assist in the formation of a National Park for such a purpose, thereby furthering the cause of science and conferring a great benefit on the nation. Our cousins in America have the Yellowstone National Park; we ought to have a similar place.

My thanks are due to many gentlemen who have kindly favoured me with histories, guide-books, photographs, and general information about the Zoological Gardens of Europe. And especially do I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. P. L. Sclater, the learned Secretary of our own Zoological Society in London; to Herr Carl Hagenbeck of Hamburg, Dr. C. Kerbert of Amsterdam, Dr. H. Bolau of Hamburg, Dr. Seitz of Frankfort-on-Main, Mr. E. W. B. Villiers of Clifton, Professor D. Cunningham of Dublin, Herr Schöff of Dresden, Herr Meissner of Berlin, Dr. Hagman of Basle, Dr. Wünderlich of Cologne, and to Messrs. J. Jennison and Co. of Manchester. The photographs of Berlin are published by kind permission of the Berlin Zoological Society.

In some few cases it has been found impossible to give historical details, through my appeals to the Directors eliciting no reply. The sketch of the London Gardens is a concise summary, with additions, of the history written by Dr. P. L. Sclater, that of Dublin is taken from a pamphlet written by Professor D. Cunningham, whilst the history of the Manchester Gardens is based on materials furnished by Messrs. J. Jennison and Co.

In conclusion, my best thanks are due to my sister, Mrs. Harry Duff, whose knowledge of foreign languages has enabled her to give me much valuable help in the translation of letters, guide-books, and catalogues of animals. Indeed, without her kind assistance I could scarcely have attempted this work.

C. V. A. PEEL.

Oxford,
October, 1902.