Martial Hawk Eagle. From a photograph by Gambier Bolton.

It may be said that some of the subjects of thesenotes are not obviously part of life at the Zoo, andthis remark would be well founded. They have inthe writer’s mind a connection with the Zoo, whichperhaps is not obvious, and might not appeal to themajority of readers, and would certainly take moretime to set out than its value warrants. So that ifany reader or critic cares to press the point, he isprepared to say at once, mea culpa.

The chapters on Animal Æsthetics, dealing withthe sensibility of the inmates of the Zoo to music,will be found under the title of “Orpheus at theZoo,” by which they originally appeared in theSpectator, to the editors of which paper the authorowes his thanks for suggesting many subjects ofinterest at the Zoo which would not have occurredto him, and for their kind permission to publish these,as well as other chapters in an extended form. Hehopes that both these, and the unpublished chapterswhich are now added, present a fair picture of themany-sided present, as well as some glimpses of thepast, of the famous menagerie in Regent’s Park.

For the insertion of animal drawings by Japaneseartists, in addition to Mr. Gambier Bolton’s photographs,the writer must plead the conviction, whichhe has long maintained, that their truth to Nature isof its kind unrivalled.

Orford House, Chiswick Mall,

September 28, 1894.