The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1908-10-07
The 04GLLAR.

The London Geological gardens diff
fer in two respects from the vast ma
jority of similar institutions in Europe
and America, and these differences
have much TO do with their past his.
tory and future development. In the
first place, the Geological society of
London, which created and maintains
the gardens, enjoys no subsidy from
the state or the municipality. 1t pays
rent for its ground, and rates and
taxes; it has to support the vast eX-
penses of its scientific work. of the
erection and maintenance of buildings,
of the necessary stan, cOmmissariat
advertising, and cost and carriage of
animals. except in those fortunate
cases where animals are presented and
delivered free.
It's revenue is derived from receipts
at the gates, from occasional sales,
from publications, and from the sub
scriptions of Fellows. The financial
burden is great, and every innovation
has to be considered most a~nxiously
in the light of its possible bearing on
income and expenditure.
The second determining popularity
is that the Geological society of Lon
don is a scientific society. According
to the charter of Incorporation. grant
ed to 1t in 1929 by King George ",
its objects were the advancement of
zoology and animal physiology, and
the introduction of new and curious
subjects of the animal kingdom" To
maintain an exhibition attractive to
the public it would probably be un-
necessary to go beyond some 400 or
500 different kinds OF mammals, birds
and reptiles, and not one visitor in a
thousand would realize that such a col.
lection was very poor. The Geological
society, to fulfill its functions, has to
range the globe for animals that are
new and curious; and since its founda.
ton it has been able to exhibit about
800 different species of mammals
1000 different species of birds, and
600 of reptiles, while every year is
adding to these numbers. No other col
lection of living animals can even ap
proach these numbers. So great and
varied a set of animals has always of
fered, a large field for scientific
work.
When the zoo was first opened IN
Regents park. it was very much
smaller in area, and the individual
dens and Enclosures for it's inhabit
ants were designed on a small scale
The tradition of the travelling
menagerie reigned supreme; anC
structures such as the Carnlvora ter
race, in which the bears are still
housed, resembled nothing so mucl
as a set of menagerie vans arranged
in a double row. 1t is certainly SUI
prising how even large animals will
maintain health and spirits in yer,
narrow quarters; and there is the ad
vantage to visitors that II is possible I,
approach them more closely, and 4
some extent see them better thai
when they are placed in more natura
conditions. The authorities of the sc
ciety, especially in recent years. hav
taken the view that the study OF an
mails as specimens is best done o.
stuffed examples in museums, an
that a living collection should be al
ranged, so far as possible, in such
way as to display the natural habit
and capacities of the living creature!
And so, as space and funds have pei
mitted, larger Enclosures have bee
formed.
| may mention some of the more IL
teresting of these. A great, undula'
ing SPACE has been turned into
semblance OF the South African de-
erts, provided with rockwork and COY
cred with yellow sand and single.
this, Glands, the largest of the ant,
lopes, a humber of small %antelopei
o~striches and occasionally zebras ar
allowed to roam. The old sea lion.
pond, a kind of concrete basin. ha
been replaced by a large pond wit
rocky islands, dominated by a Dol
mass of shelving rocks, Ia which cave
form natural shelters, and from tn
lodges of which the sea lions dive 1
pursuit of fish.
A beginn,' ' rs being made with Ii