Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-28
GEOLOGICAL GARDENS.
DIR. Shufeldt's Suggestions Concerning
their Uses and Management.

Rarely mas IL Deen In the history OF the w0rld
that a city which has become famous as a scien-
tifc and literary center has not, sooner or
later, inaugurated, developed, and maintained
its collection of living wild animals, its ZOO
logical gardens. Indeed, in modern times, as
of old, in large civilized communities, it has
come to be where such establishments are in
existence, and kept up to a high state of per-
lection and growth, that they are
the very badge denoting the presence Of
marked intellectual activity along the lines we
have indicated. With respect to the instances
of this in history, they are too well known to
the general reader to require enumeration here,
while We are all familiar with the names Of
those cities of our own day wherein such insti-
tutions are now fourishing. In modern times,
again the enormous impulse which the bio
logical sciences have received. the far keener
appreciation on the part of the reading public
In such matters, and the pressing necessity for
such material as geological gardens can alone
supply the morphologist artist and animal his
torian are, we must believe, the principal
forces that eventually give birth to these col
lections.
History goes to show" the writer SAYS, ''that
the superb geological gardens now maintained
IN London were first opened in 1928; since which
time. down to 1887. 24,572, 405 visitors were ell
tered upon the register books Of the manage
ment. An instant's reflection will be sufficient
to convince any friend of education OF the ben
efits that humanity has derived hence, and of
the refining influences which have through this
center alone been brought into play"
THE FORM OF THE GROUNDS.
DR.. Shufeldt continuing says: when a city
distinguished as being a scientific center or
mayhap the national capital-and this itself
may be such city-determines upon establish
ing geological garden within its precincts,
great deal depends upon the site which is
chosen for the purpose. III possible, the form
of the grounds should be a regular figure
an oblong being one of the best, with a long
side toward the direction whence come the
prevailing winds, as this assists in securing
good ventilation: and the area should include
at least two hundred to two hundred and fifty
acres. The site should be within some con-
venient distance of the city museums and libra
ries surely not separated from these by more
than three miles at the most. Another matter
of great importance is the character of the
country, which should be as diversified as pos
sible; and the Enclosure should contain few
stable ponds, or good. strong stream of
water, in which event the former can be easily
constructed artiticially. Old trees in groups;
some low, level marsh-land; and some hills
and rocky portions, are all points of extreme
natural advantage. Those latter features, if
marked, usually insure, too, another benefit
for then hilly or broken country is likely
to be found Immediately beyond the limits of
the garden, which, though conducive to the
building OF handsome suburban residences, is
not likely to fill up entirely with houses as the
city increases in size; and thus excellent VEN
tilatiOn is secured for all time. There are sew
eral highly important elements which should
be paramount in the administration of the
affairs of such an institution in order to insure
its highest success and most healthy growth
and usefulness. Chief among these is the mat
ter OF choice OF the persons selected to consti-
tute the staff of such geological garden as we
have in mind. Next are the methods of con-
filming and exhibiting the collection of animals
of the place. the regulations controlling its
sanitation and keeping; and provision of those
steps which lead to the public and special
workers deriving the greatest amount of benefit
from 1t, in purely educational point of view,
incorporating here the subservience Of science
IN her diverse ends and means.
THE LONDON zoo.
'In the spring of this year (1sss) the zoologi-
cal society of London. in addition to its regular
staff of officers, employed the following per-
sons: One superintendent. one assistant super
mtendent, one head keeper, six keepers first
class), ten keepers (second class) eight keepers
third classJ. three mOney-takers, one store
keeper, one cook, one ofice-clerk, one prosec-
tors assistant. one head gardener, nineteen
helpers IN the menagerie. ten garden laborers,
seven artisans, two painters. six laborers, one
butcher. two fremen. two night watchmen and
about eighty-five people, the duties of whom
are sufficiently suggested by their designa-
tiOns. 1t is hardly necessary to say that the
gentlemen composing the staff Of officers
should be selected not only for their executive
ability i'll the departments they severally FILL
but likewise for their distinction in some
branch of geological science, and more
especially vertebrate zoology. OF that part of
the staff which has just been enumerated above,
especial regard should be paid to the selection
M he EaaY..rc rho CHI ha .
animals and their care, gentle and patient and
otherwise particularly fitted for their employ
ment.
ANIMALS BECOMING EXTINCT.
'In country like the United States" the
article says, ''where number of its finest NAM
mails and some birds are rapidly becoming ex-
tinct, it devolves a solemn duty upon the
manag cement of a geological garden to secure a
goodly representation of these for permanent
preservation. Among the mammals which
now need such action none is better known
than the buffalo. though the Rocky Mountain
goat (Mazama). the beaver and several species
OF deer stand in the same case; indeed. pre-
sumo the day will come to this country when
all Of our larger mammals will cease to exist in
state of nature, and We shall have to depend
upon our gardens and parks for examples of
them. OF the birds, our Carolina parrot and
roseate spoonblll are conspicuous examples.
and 1t can be only few years at most when
both species will be extinct in this country.
Zone main building always constitutes an in
separable part of a model geological garden,
and il is devoted to the offices and study-roorns
of the staff, to the lecture-room, TO the reading
room and library. to the Photographic gallery
10 the laboratories and store-rooms, and. finally
to a few spare rooms for special purposes. The
lecture-rOom should be properly fitted up. and
made to accommodate a large audience. Here,
at certain seasons, a course of free lectures
should be delivered on some branch Of zoology
or zootomy, either by some resident member
of the staff or by specialists. Novel; appointed
geological building in connection with garden
would be complete without its reading room
and library. In the latter should be found, in
time, all the standard works that have appeared
upon the various branches of natural science.
and more particularly upon vertebrate zoology
and morpholosy. including, of course, such
subjects as classification and geographical dis
trlbutlon OF animals, and the reports of other
geological gardens and societies."
THE DUTY OF THE NATION.
with respect to nation as a whole that has
arrived at a certain height of civilization, and
can boast of a well-flled treasury" DR..
Shufeldt concludes, lit almost, if not quite.
becomes her bounden duty to her people, and
TO the common good, to endow such an institu-
ton at her national capital, in connection with
I other scientific departments. of which she is
| the supporter in chief And it should be tho
| pride of every intelligent citizen OF such a
nation to see to il. as far as he il individually
able, that the capital of his country is not back
| ward IN such matters. especially when he comes
I fFl fRrsly ul.x.r,N Al