_WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR._
SOMALILAND.
_Royal 8vo., cloth extra, gilt top, 18s. net._
A thrilling story of sport and adventure met with in the course of two
expeditions into the interior of the country. Profusely illustrated
from photographs by the author and with original full-page drawings by
that great portrayer of wild animal life, Edmund Caldwell.
This standard work on Somaliland, which has taken upwards of four years
to compile, concludes with descriptive lists of every animal and bird
known to inhabit the country. The book contains an original map, drawn
by the author, showing the heart of the Marehan and Haweea countries
previously untrodden by white man’s foot.
=Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.=--‘Readers will find this
a capital book of sport and travel, in which the life of the hunter
in Africa is depicted in graphic and straightforward fashion. Mr.
Caldwell’s illustrations are excellent.’
=Spectator.=--‘Mr. Peel’s two hunting trips in “Somaliland” will make
many a man’s mouth water, though the trying experiences of the desert
journey will as probably parch their throats in anticipation.’
=Saturday Review.=--‘This is a pleasant book of sport, natural
history, and adventure, rendered additionally interesting by an
excellent list of the fauna of the country.’
WILD SPORT IN THE OUTER HEBRIDES.
_Demy 8vo., cloth gilt, gilt top, 7s. 6d. net._
The experiences of a sportsman who has made a close study of the
habits of all the animals and birds which are to be found in the Outer
Hebrides. The illustrations consist of a photogravure frontispiece from
an original drawing by Mr. G. E. Lodge, and reproductions of numerous
photographs taken by the Author. In an Appendix is given a list of all
the animals and birds which have been actually observed by the Author
in these islands.
=Daily News.=--‘A breezy, sportsmanlike book, well illustrated.’
=Dundee Advertiser.=--‘His book gives a clear insight to the country
and the sport it provides. He writes in a graphic, straightforward
style, and his experiences leave the reader impressed that he has read
the truth and nothing but the truth. The illustrations are very fine.’
=Glasgow Herald.=--‘Will be found exceedingly useful both by the
sportsman and the naturalist who may visit the Western Isles.’
=Scotsman.=--‘A book which every lover of sport will peruse with
interest and profit.’
=Times.=--‘An exciting book.’
=Pall Mall Gazette.=--‘Snap-shooting with the camera is Mr. Peel’s
last word. He finds it so attractive that he threatens to discard his
gun altogether. We hope he will neither discard his gun nor his pen.
He has the right way with both.’
F. E. ROBINSON & CO.,
THE RUSSELL PRESS, 20, GREAT RUSSELL STREET, LONDON.
[Illustration: GROUP OF PERFORMING ANIMALS AT CARL HAGENBECK’S.]
THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS
OF EUROPE
Their History and Chief Features
BY
C. V. A. PEEL, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S.
_Author of ‘Somaliland,’ ‘Wild Sport in the Outer Hebrides,’ etc._
[Illustration]
LONDON
F. E. ROBINSON & CO.
20, GREAT RUSSELL STREET, BLOOMSBURY
1903
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_.
CONTENTS
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS IN FRANCE.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. JARDIN DES PLANTES, PARIS 1
II. JARDIN D’ACCLIMATATION, PARIS 8
III. JARDIN ZOOLOGIQUE, MARSEILLES 26
IV. JARDIN ZOOLOGIQUE, NICE-CIMIEZ 32
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS IN HOLLAND.
V. KONINKLIJK ZOOLOGISCH GENOOTSCHAP, AMSTERDAM 36
VI. THE GARDENS OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL AND
BOTANICAL SOCIETY, THE HAGUE 45
VII. ROTTERDAMSCHE DIERGAARDE, ROTTERDAM 48
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN IN DENMARK.
VIII. ZOOLOGISK HAVE, COPENHAGEN 55
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS IN BELGIUM.
IX. THE GARDENS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ZOOLOGY,
ANTWERP 58
X. JARDIN ZOOLOGIQUE, GHENT 63
XI. JARDIN ZOOLOGIQUE, LIÈGE 66
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS IN GERMANY.
XII. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, AIX-LA-CHAPELLE 67
XIII. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, COLOGNE 68
XIV. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, ELBERFELD 80
XV. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, DÜSSELDORF 82
XVI. THE WESTPHALIAN ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, MÜNSTER 86
XVII. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, HANOVER 90
XVIII. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, HAMBURG 96
XIX. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, BERLIN 104
XX. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, HALLE 117
XXI. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, LEIPZIG 119
XXII. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, DRESDEN 125
XXIII. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, BRESLAU 131
XXIV. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, POSEN 139
XXV. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, KÖNIGSBERG 141
XXVI. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, STUTTGART 146
XXVII. ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, FRANKFORT-ON-MAIN 151
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS IN RUSSIA.
XXVIII. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, ST. PETERSBURG 161
XXIX. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, MOSCOW 164
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN IN HUNGARY.
XXX. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, BUDA-PESTH 168
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN IN AUSTRIA.
XXXI. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, VIENNA 172
ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN IN SWITZERLAND.
XXXII. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, BASLE 175
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS IN THE BRITISH ISLES.
XXXIII. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, LONDON 179
XXXIV. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, CLIFTON 196
XXXV. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, MANCHESTER 201
XXXVI. ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, DUBLIN 212
XXXVII. CARL HAGENBECK, THE KING OF ANIMAL IMPORTERS 232
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
GROUP OF PERFORMING ANIMALS AT CARL HAGENBECK’S
_Frontispiece_
MARKHOR, JARDIN DES PLANTES, PARIS 6
SEA-LION SUCKLING ITS YOUNG, JARDIN D’ACCLIMATATION,
PARIS 13
HERD OF BLACKBUCK, JARDIN D’ACCLIMATATION, PARIS 23
LE PALAIS LONGCHAMP, MARSEILLES 27
CONCERT-HOUSE AND LAKE, AMSTERDAM 37
YAK, AMSTERDAM 43
HERD OF WATERBUCK, JAPANESE DEER, BRINDLED GNU, AND
KANGAROOS 51
KANGAROO 60
BARBARY SHEEP, GHENT 64
STORKS, BATELEUR EAGLE, COCKATOO, STORK NESTING ON
THE GROUND, AND CRANES 73
PELICANS, COLOGNE 79
BARBARY RAM, DÜSSELDORF 84
CHEETAHS OR HUNTING LEOPARDS 93
MONKEY HOUSE, HAMBURG 99
STORK AND CRANE ENCLOSURES, HAMBURG 101
LLAMA AND MOUFFLON ROCKERY, BERLIN 106
ELEPHANT HOUSE, BERLIN 107
OSTRICH HOUSE, BERLIN 111
DEER SHED, BERLIN 113
KANGAROO, HALLE 118
WAPITI BULL, DRESDEN 126
OUTSIDE THE LION HOUSE, DRESDEN 128
FOUR-HORNED GOAT, DRESDEN 129
MONKEY HOUSE, BRESLAU 133
DUCK-POND, BRESLAU 137
OSTRICH SHED, KÖNIGSBERG 143
PELICANS, STUTTGART 147
BRINDLED GNU, STUTTGART 149
TOWER AND LAKE, FRANKFORT-ON-MAIN 153
CAMEL AND LLAMA PENS, FRANKFORT-ON-MAIN 157
AMERICAN BISON, ST. PETERSBURG 162
MOOSE YARD, MOSCOW 165
TOWER, MOSCOW 167
AVIARY, BASLE 176
CARIBOU, BASLE 177
HIPPOPOTAMI, LONDON 183
LION, LONDON 185
GRÉVY’S ZEBRA, LONDON 189
SABLE ANTELOPE, LONDON 193
STRIPED HYÆNA, LONDON 194
GARDEN AND LAKE, CLIFTON 199
THE BEAR PITS, MANCHESTER 203
CHIMPANZEE, CONSUL I., MANCHESTER 207
PHŒNIX PARK, DUBLIN 215
THE LAKE, DUBLIN 225
LION CUBS FROM SOMALILAND, DUBLIN 230
CARL HAGENBECK 233
THE
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF EUROPE
CHAPTER I
JARDIN DES PLANTES, PARIS: DIRECTOR, PROFESSOR MILNE EDWARDS
This Garden, the father of Zoological Gardens, is the oldest of the
Zoological Gardens of Europe.
Many of the greatest naturalists have been connected with the Jardin
des Plantes, and have studied within its gates.
The botanical portion is more than one hundred years older than the
zoological. It was founded in 1626 by Louis XIII., who bought a plot of
uncultivated ground in Saint-Victor, twenty-four acres in extent, and
laid out a flower-garden and built a little greenhouse upon it. Fagon,
the King’s doctor, Gaston of Orleans, Colbert, and Tournefort all
helped it along, and caused the Garden to grow in extent and popularity.
A museum of natural history was established, and eleven professors
appointed in mineralogy, botany, two courses of zoology, human and
animal anatomy, geology, chemistry, etc. A library was formed in the
museum. On the death of the Duc d’Orleans in 1660, Colbert bought for
the library the celebrated paintings of flowers on vellum by Robert.
In 1730 the Garden became neglected, but in 1732 M. Buffon became
Director, and from that moment success was assured for them. He was
well backed by M. Daubenton. Every year the Garden was improved,
the old houses were demolished and new ones built. The whole of the
ground was put under cultivation. Trees were planted, and the Garden
extended to the bank of the Seine. Valuable gifts of plants, minerals
and zoological specimens were received from the Academy of Sciences,
Comte d’Angevilliers, Chinese missionaries, the King of Poland and
M. Bougainville, who brought back from his voyage round the world a
magnificent collection of animals and birds. Whilst Director of the
Garden, Buffon wrote his _chef-d’œuvre_--a natural history--and after a
splendid career he died in 1788.
Bernardin de Saint-Pierre was the next Director. In 1794 the large
and valuable collection of the Palais de Versailles was offered to
the Jardin des Plantes, and accepted on its behalf by Bernardin de
Saint-Pierre. This collection contained five specimens which had never
been seen in Paris before--namely, a quagga, now unhappily extinct,
a hartebeest, a crested pigeon from the Isle of Banga, an Indian
rhinoceros and a lion from Senegal, which latter had as a companion
a dog, with which it lived on terms of the greatest friendship. The
remainder of the collection at Versailles had been pillaged by the mob
in the French Revolution.
In 1796 the Jardin des Plantes received a letter from Captain Baudin
asking for a ship and men to convey to France a rich collection of
animals and plants which he had gathered together in the island of
Trinidad. A vessel was sent out, and, after being shipwrecked on the
Canaries, the collection was finally brought home the next year. It was
augmented by a collection of birds made by M. le Vaillant in Africa,
and a collection brought back from La Guiana by M. Bragton. The Emperor
Napoleon added several animals which he bought in England, and among
which were a pair of tigers, two lynx, a mandril, a leopard, a hyæna,
and a handsome panther, or hunting leopard, besides several birds and
plants.
M. Fourcroi, who now made his appearance, collected for the institution
animals, birds, precious stones, plants and books from all parts of
the world. The collection of minerals of M. Warisse was bought, and
150,000 books were added to the library. The Emperor Napoleon during
his wanderings never forgot the museum, and sent back to it fossil-fish
from Verona and specimens of rock from the island of Corsica. M.
Lesneeur, the painter and historian, and M. Peron brought back from
the South 100,000 specimens of animals, large and small, representing
many species. They brought home a zebra and a monkey for the Empress
Joséphine and plants without number. About this time M. Cuvier, the
celebrated naturalist, made his appearance; M. Geoffroy arrived from
Lisbon with new animals; M. Michamx brought specimens from the forests
of America; and M. Marcel de Serres brought from Italy and Germany all
sorts of minerals.
Great progress was made in the Jardin des Plantes until 1815, when
there came a climax in France. Then commenced a series of miseries and
an almost incredible history of disaster. Cossacks, Russians, Germans,
and Italians filled Paris, and brought ruin and devastation with them;
but, happily, of all the monuments of Paris, the only one which was not
insulted was the Jardin des Plantes. The Garden was respected; it was
neutral territory, where all sides came to seek rest from war.
In 1820 M. Milbert made large collections of natural history specimens
and minerals in America for the Jardin des Plantes. In 1829 M. Victor
Jacquemont appeared, and made a name for himself in natural history,
but died when quite a young man in the island of Salsette.
In 1841 the Garden contained a zoological museum, a museum of
comparative anatomy, a botanical museum, a geological museum and a
museum of minerals. Besides a library containing 28,000 books devoted
to travel and to physical and natural sciences, such as natural
history, botany, physics, chemistry, mineralogy, comparative anatomy,
human anatomy and zoology, there were memoirs of learned societies and
a collection of paintings on vellum. This library was founded in June,
1793.
In 1841 M. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire was Professor of Zoology, M.
Brouguiart Professor of Botany, M. Serres Professor of Anatomy and
Physiology, and M. de Mirbel Professor of Agriculture.
During the Siege of Paris in 1870 the Garden suffered terribly. Nearly
a hundred shells fell within its boundaries; most of the glass-houses
were battered to ruins, and a great number of the animals were, by the
direction of the authorities, handed over to the butchers, killed and
sold at fabulous prices. Lion, bear, giraffe and hippopotamus flesh
realized 25 francs per pound during the last few months, and was very
difficult to obtain even at that price.
* * * * *
This Garden, which runs close by the side of the Seine bank, is open
free to the public. It is somewhat of a bewildering place to find one’s
way about in. Its collection of animals is very fine, and contains two
or three especially good things. There are some pretty spots in it, and
plenty of trees and shade. A fine lion house of no less than twenty-two
cages contains a good collection of the big cats and bears, a number of
the latter coming from Tonquin. Besides these bears, there are others
in old but well-built bear-pits in another part of the Garden. Again,
we find a pair of hartebeests, so seldom seen in captivity.[A] Deer and
antelopes, sheep and goats, are very well represented in the Jardin des
Plantes.
I was busily engaged in taking photographs, when I was pounced upon
by the inevitable gendarme, and was obliged to ‘box up’ in front of
a large and sympathizing crowd. The elephant house contained three
Indian elephants and one African, which is the largest to be found
in captivity. Unfortunately, he has only stumps of tusks, and is,
in consequence, not half such an imposing animal as the magnificent
African elephant at Berlin. There was quite a number of zebras,
including a mountain zebra with a foal, born in the Gardens, and a
hybrid between a zebra and a kiang (_Equus hemionus_). There was a good
collection of swine, including a Red River hog and an enormous European
boar.
There were crowds of people in the Garden, and no wonder, for seldom is
such a fine collection of animals to be seen without paying anything.
[Illustration: MARKHOR, JARDIN DES PLANTES, PARIS.]
According to the _Matin_, palatial accommodation is to be provided for
the animals in the Jardin des Plantes. The new premises will consist
of a series of rotundas, or gigantic cages, 15 metres high, which will
be reserved for the pachyderms. A laboratory of animal psychology for
the study of character among the brute beasts is shortly to be opened
under the direction of M. Hachet Souplet, assisted by M. Oustallet. It
has also been arranged by M. Perrier, a Director of the Gardens, to
give popular lectures in the amphitheatre every Sunday afternoon.
FOOTNOTES:
[A] A hartebeest has lately been added to the London Zoo.