AVIARY, BASLE.
Turning to the left after passing the entrance-gate, we wend our way through a shady wood, in which are enclosures for storks, herons, and ducks. There are some pretty houses for deer, notably one with an outside paddock, containing a herd of caribou of all ages. In another pen was a kangaroo with a baby in its pouch, the first I have seen in captivity outside our London Garden. The lion house is small, and contains a pair of lions, three pumas, and some other smaller animals. The elephant house is built in Moorish style, and contains a large Indian elephant, a tapir, and some Burchell’s zebras. There are a quantity of bird aviaries, moose and zebra yards, wild-swine sheds, and a monkey house containing the seldom seen orang from Borneo. On the occasion of my visit, it being a very hot day, this ape was allowed his liberty, and sat perched high up in a tree under the watchful eye of his keeper.
CARIBOU, BASLE.
There was a large paddock containing some Shetland ponies, and several other minor houses and aviaries, including a pretty pigeon-house; but the visitor will be most struck by the pretty, shady walks, the trees and waterfalls, and by the abundance of grass and flowers. The animals all looked sleek and fit, well fed and cared for.
CHAPTER XXXIII
GARDENS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, LONDON
This Zoological Society was formed in 1826, and Sir Stamford Raffles was elected President, Mr. Joseph Sabine Treasurer, and Mr. Nicholas Vigors Secretary. The sum of £5,000 was appropriated for the Gardens in Regent’s Park, the plans of which, prepared by Decimus Burton, were approved. In 1828 the Gardens and a Museum were opened to the public on payment.
The most important event of the year 1829 was the grant on March 27 of a charter to the Society by His Majesty King George IV. The Marquess of Lansdowne, Mr. Joseph Sabine, and Mr. Nicholas Vigors were named in it as the first President, Treasurer, and Secretary respectively of the incorporated Society. More land was acquired north of the Garden in Regent’s Park, and a tunnel was built connecting the two gardens. The number of Fellows that year was 1,528, and 189,913 people visited the Gardens.