New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-02
IODIOcJC1L GARDENS.

There is talk of organizing n scheme for
biological gardens in Central Park. This IL
one of those things that should he very well
dome if done ut all. Many will think it should
not he tried in the Park under any circum-
stances There is deep-r00tcd feeling
,lat this Park should be kept free
from any exhibition or entertainment
whatever. for winch IN admission fee must hc
chargcd-that it SHOULD remain throughout it,
whole extent and in every department free to
all the people.
Bat If, under any circumstances, we are to
have. either III Central Park or elsewhere, a
zooIogical garden, we ought 10 have something
better worthy of the name than anything yet
attempted. What was done at the Arsenal.
even in its best days, was shabby. The
puhlic has shrewdly suspected that the poor
beasts Oh exhibition there we're not fairly
treated. There was certainly too high Il rate
of mortality among them. Their stuffed
,kins. IA they now adorn the eases OF the Museum
of Natural History, prCscnt iulhcSS OF
outline that was unknown to them III HE.
There are too many of the old lavOrltes
in the cases on the other side OF Eighth-ayc.,
too few remaining IL the cages of the Park.
II needed only "A glance to see that the ami
mails when alive, were uncomfortable. and
usually the imperfect arrangements for clean
illness and ventilation addressed them
selves to noses as well AS eyes. But
ours is an easily pleased public, and
the throng OF visitors was constant.
The record, show that the average number OF
visitors surpassed the attendance ut any sImi-
lar exhibition elsewhere. The Museum of
fI.. .l,.p, fIn. Af MS
large attendance but tho live specimens, such
As they were, doubtless offered the chief at
traction.
The simple fact that n collection of animals
presenting no features OF scientific interest Or
yalue-such as ordinarily serves for MENACE
ric-will draw abundant crowds may possibly
stand in the way of better exhibition. y very
small proportion of the public has had the
onuo,tunity to learn what such display
ought to be- If worthy of the city. Popular
ideas are formed from such shows as have
been presented in ordinary menageries. Some
of our citizens, however, while visiting the
Centennial Exhibition, turned aside Tor an
hour or two to see the animals in the zooiog-
ical gardens in Farmount Park. Sleek, hearty,
well-fed creatures were those, looking as II
they cnioyed life and were not tormcnted by
cantiyity. That is not IA large exhibition, but
if is AS neat rs the marble fronts OF the
Quaker City. The published tables of mortal
ity for that collection show that the animals
are well kept, the deaths being comparatively
few and it is needless to say that the good
management has proved economical.
TO he worthy of our city, the geological
gardens at Central Park should be of the first
class. While it would be better to
have q few animals well kept than
large collection badly provided for,
neither of these alternatives will meet the
want. To give some notion of what
is expected in first-class exhibition, it
may be mentioned that the Geological Soclety's
Gardens in London receive constantly such
numbers of valuable an imal, that the record
of additions makes a long paragraph every
week in the chief scientific journal of
England. The number of new animals re-
ceiyed in q week of last month was forty
five, and that number was not tnusu-
ally large. great majority of the animals
there are gifts, many are purchases and few
are born in the gardens. TO acquire much
that is of value from gifts, geological cOllec-
ton at Central Park must be in high fa-