THE LONDON ZOO.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1462, 10 June 1912, Page 6

THE LONDON ZOO.

FACTS AND FIGURES FROM THE • ANNUAL REPORT. ' THE KING'S COLLECTION. For a whilo it really looked as though last year's visitors to the Zoo would send tho total up to a million (says the "Westminster Ganetle"). l : p to the end of July tho total was 520,102, an increase of 27,316 as compared with the total for the corresponding portion of 1910—the second best year in the history of the society. And then, just as a record was looked for with some confidence, there enme the disastrous combination of extreme heat and a railway strike, with the ultimate result that the year's total only reached 8!12,G:'2, a decrease of JS3!) compared with the previous year.

The record, therefore, still belongs to the year 1876, when the late King's Indian collection was visited by 915,761. It remains to be seen whether another Ifoyal collection'from India—that of King George —which will be the chief feature of the gardens this summer, will bring about the eclipse of these figures. The King's collection, which was presented to fiis Majesty by the Maharajah of Nepal, is now being brought over from India by Mr. B. Basil, the superintendent of the Calcutta Zoo. Another big attraction for the summer should be found in tho animals which have been given to the society by the Malay States Government, to fetch which a keeper has been sent to Port Swettenhnni.

The i!limber of Sunday visitors last vear increased by -ISM, and reached the total of 155,61.5. The crowded condition of the Zoo on fine Sundays, indeed, has been rather a concern to the council, who have decided, as a preliminary step, that after next .'December all tickets issued shall be available only in the year of issue.

So much for visitors. With regard to the Eel lows there has been a substantial increase, the roll (1177) now being tho largest in the history of the societv.

And those most essential, of all statistics, concerning the animals, are decidedly satisfactory. The total number of odditions—by presentation, births in the menagerie (382), purchase, deposit, and exchange—during 1911 was 3491, and at tho end of the year there were in the gardens 3517 vertebrate animals, classified as follow :— Mammals SSS 2,180 Jfeptiles, etc ' ...J. 59( Pishes ]gg and representing an increase of 6C.3. There were llj-17 deaths.

The animals appear to have eaten even more than usual, and the venr's bill fcr food rose,'by US7G, to ,£527-1' Hav was the biggest e.vneiisp,..costing ,i'oa3; 50,5-l-t fowls' heads added X'los to the bill; goats cost .£100; eggs .5163; and horses .-C491. The following are some of tho items on the menu:—Spanish nuts, 2-1 pecks; monkeynuts, U\ cwt.; Brazil nuts, 27-I.Ub.; bananas, 113,82!); grapes, 12fi311b.; carrots, 32231b.; carrots, 112 bunches; sugar, 4731b:; guinea-pigs, 2-1; rabbits, GS2; pigeons, 510; rats, -38GG; mice, 19,031; ducks, 22; sparrows, 7G71. -For melons there-was a remarkably small demand, only three being consumed, .

The animals' food changes very little from year to year,' but there is the likelihood of a considerable alteration in the arrangements for feeding the humnns. Por next year the society . has entered into a new catering contract, the terms of which "leave the society with very full powers of control." The present premises are considered unsuitable, and sketch plans by Mr. Belcher, E.A., for a new building have been approved, but it is held to be unwise to embark on a large capital expenditure until some experience has been gained as to the working of the new arrangements. . The financial statement shows that the total sum received during the year was .E10.709, and ordinary payments amounted to „b'3,5,157. After making certain necessary deductions, however, the surplus becomes transformed into (a deficit of iiIGG-i. 'On the sale of guides and postcards there was a net profit of ,6800!