ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, ST. PETERSBURG: DIRECTOR, ANTUSCHEWITZ
This is a curious Garden in a curious city. When I say ‘Garden,’ I mean
a collection of animals in cages, with a number of _cafés chantants_
dotted about. After passing the entrance, there is a large café in
front of one, in which a really good band plays. Just opposite is a
huge theatre, partly open to the air, and surrounding it are other
smaller theatres and cafés. On the left are some bears and a good
collection of foxes and wolves. In another house, in which is a large
tank, there are two fine hippopotami. In this house is the stuffed skin
of a baby hippo which was born in the Garden, as well as some living
tapirs and some curious-looking Russian dogs. The next house contains
a pair of very handsome Burchell’s zebras, some nylgai, brindled and
white-tailed gnus, and some rare little dwarf antelopes.
Opposite this house are stork and crane pens. In an elephant house,
built in 1892, are two large Indian elephants, and close by them are
some duck-ponds, containing ducks, geese, flamingoes, storks, and
pelicans. Next to these ponds we come to some large aviaries, the first
containing birds of prey, including some large condors, and the second
pheasants and peacocks. Passing on, we reach the lion house, in which
is a really good collection, and opposite to it are some wapiti and
other deer sheds. There is the usual herd of American bison, which seem
to be more common in Zoological Gardens than in their native haunts,
and next to them some Indian water-buffaloes and four enormous camels
from Russian Turkestan. Rabbits, seals, ostriches, and rheas helped to
form an extremely good collection. Although there was very little snow
about (May 24), it was quite cold enough for a greatcoat.
[Illustration: AMERICAN BISON, ST. PETERSBURG.]
There was a great deal of painting and a great deal of rehearsing in
the various theatres going on during my visit. This is quite one of
the ugliest ‘Gardens’ in Europe; there is scarcely a tree or a blade of
grass to be seen, and it is not worthy of the magnificent city it is
placed in.
Entrance fee thirty-two kopecks, which equals about ninepence.