ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN. The rapid de crease of wild life throughout the world, and the steadily increasing desire of mankind to be come acquainted with living wild animals, bas led to the development of three distinct types of vivaria. The term 'zoo' commonly indicates a small and unpretentious menagerie, located in a public park. A 'zoological garden' usually is a compact establishment occupying from 20 to 60 acres of park land in a city, easy of access, but with relatively limited areas for its animals. A zoological park usually occupies from 100 to 260 acres of picturesque land and water situated in the suburbs of a city, wherein the hardy animals are provided with large areas amid natural sur roundings appropriate to their wants, and the tropical species are housed in heated buildings. The movement which began in Paris in 1SO4, in the Jardin des Plantes, has splendidly culminated in the magnificent gardens of Berlin. London, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Vienna, Copenhagen, Ham burg, Frankfort, Cologne, Dresden, Breslau, Hanover, and Rotterdam. Even remote foreign cities, such as Cairo, Calcutta, Tokio, 31014011rue, !Immo, .1yres. and Rio de Janeiro. have estab lished zoological gardens for the free exhibition of living animals. Of aRnations, Germany is far in the lead in the development of zoological gardens. T(.11 of her cities now possess them, and the one at Brlin, both in buildings and collections, is the leading zoological garden of the world, but the London garden is a close second. Throughout Eurm If. generally, the zoological garden is a sort of family institution. Excepting the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris, and the Royal Garden at Vienna, all are owned, maintained, and operated by zotilogieal societies, or stock corporations, 5thich pay no dividends, and charge admission to all visitors who are not members. In most cases, however. the cities benefited have furnished public park lands free of rental, and free of con trol other than respecting the cot tin.. of trees. The funds for maintenance are derived from the annual dues of members. gate receipts, lease of rest urants and other privileges, and the sale of animals. The Zoological Society of London had in 1903 a membership of more than 3000 per sons el o paid annual dues of $15. The Amster dam S toiety contained 4500 members who paid $10 each, and the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp led all with a membership of 7000, yield ing an annual income of $79,000.
In America the public desire for better ac quaintance with wild creatures had, up to 1903, resulted in two regularly established zoological gardens, at Philadelphia and Cincinnati; two zoological parks, at New York and Washington; and municipal 'zoos' in the public parks of near ly twenty other cities. The establishments in Lincoln Park, Chicago, and in Highland Park, Pittsburg, are the largest and most important of the municipal 'zoos.'
Of the join• most important zoological institu tions in the United States, that of the Philadel phia ZoOlogical Society was the pioneer, having been founded in 1871. The equipment of build ings and other improvements in this fine garden, and the animal collections they contain, are sur passed only by the oldest and wealthiest gardens of Europe. The Cincinnati garden is a great credit to Cincinnati. and is as large a garden as can expect adequate support in a city below the size of a great metropolis.
The New York ZoOlogical Park represents one of the latest and greatest undertakings in vi varium development and maintenance. A private corporation, called the New York Zoological So ciety, having, in 1903, about 1400 members, made in 1895 an agreement with the city of New York to expend $250,000 of its own funds on buildings and other installations for live animals, to sup ply perpetually all the animal collections, and admit the public without charge on all days save Mondays and Thursdays. In return the city gave a free site, agreed to pay for all ground improve ments and additional buildings, furnished free water and police protection. and an annual main tenance fund, but gave the society absolute free dom in management. The land granted by the city consists of 261 acres in Bronx Park, by far the largest area occupied anywhere in a city for the exhibition of live animals. The funds of the Zoological Society are derived from the annual d lies of members ($11.000). and larger member ship fees. and special subscriptions. The New York Zoiiloeieal Park is a fair illustration of the American idea of an institution for the exhibi tion of wild animals, which in space and comfort for the collections should stand midway between the zoological garden and the great private game preserve. For the hardy animals that live in the open air, green turf, water, rocks, shade, and sunlight have been provided to the limits of rea sonable liberality. Thus far this experiment has been regarded as snceessful, and already its in fluence is noticeable.
The National Zoological Park, at Washington, was established by Congress in 1889 through the initiative of William T. llornaday, and the joint efforts of G. Brown Goode, S. P. Langley. Janus B. Beck. then United States Senator from lien• tneky. and Senator Knute Nelson, then mem ber of the House of Representatives. It is under the direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and is supported by Congressional appropriations. Through the lack of a compre hensive general plan of development, the Con gressional sympathy and support, which only such a plan and its gradual fulfillment can enlist, have been weak, and the development of this park has been retarded. Its animal collections,.
however, are in admirable condition, and contain many rare and valuable species.