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Show 300 MR. F. E. BLAAUW ON THE [Mar. 20, In 1884 Bodinus died, leaving the Garden in great disorder; the buildings were entirely out of repair, the fences were rusty and the animals were not properly kept. Other matters, moreover, did not make things easy for his successor. In 1885 Dr. Bodinus was succeeded by Dr. M a x Schmidt, formerly Director of the Frankfurt Zoological Garden, who, during the short time of his Directorship (he died in 1888), had scarcely time to make many great reforms, though he did much in the way of improving the administration. Dr. Schmidt was succeeded in 1888 by Dr. L. Heck, then Director of the Zoological Garden of Cologne. On his arrival in Berlin Dr. Heck found matters much as described above, and it took him some years to get the difficulties put straight. This time of difficulties, however, seems now to have come to an end, and the " shower of gold " of the early years of Bodinus has apparently returned in a still more copious form. During the last three or four years the greater number of the old unsuitable houses and yards have disappeared and have been replaced by new ones, iu which the animals can be kept better in every way. Likewise the old " palaces " have been repaired, and the interior arrangements have been greatly improved. The collection of animals is steadily increasing, and examples of a great number of species which are not to be found in any other continental garden are exhibited. In fact the number of species, which amounted to about 600 when Dr. Heck arrived at Berlin, has now been increased to double that number. Dr. Heck takes a special interest in geographical forms, and many interesting series of varying species have been thus brought together. The large Cats' House contains a very beautiful set of Tigers of six geographical races, comprising specimens from Bengal, Singapore, Eastern Siberia (Felis tigris longipilis), Northern Persia (F. t. virgata), the Altai (F. t. mongolica), and Turkestan (F. I. striata). Of special interest amongst these is the family of Tigers from Eastern Siberia, as it comprises a splendid pair of adults in perfect condition, and three young ones born in the Garden. As the male is not kept separate from the female and young ones, the whole group is very striking. The Persian Tigers are very remarkable from their lion-like mane, which extends not only over the neck but all along the breast and belly. The Leopard (Felis leopardus) is represented by six different geographical forms, comprising specimens from the coast of German East Africa, from the interior, from Togo, from Persia (Askabad) (Felis I. tulliana), from Northern China (F. I. fontanieri), and from India. The F.fontanieri is a splendid animal of great size, with a remarkably long rough coat of greyish colour, on which the black marks, especially on the upper side, are much less clearly defined than is usual with other Leopards. This animal is said to have been presented, when quite a cub, to the daughter of an English merchant by the Empress of China. It was at first kept in the house as a pet, but when growing too large it was parted with to a dealer, who in his turn sold it to'Dr. Heck The Persian Leopard is also a very large, but at the same time a |
