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THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| Vol. 20. No. 560.] | SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1832 | [PRICE 2d. |
THE ELEPHANTS IN THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, REGENT'S PARK.
THE ELEPHANT, IN THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, REGENT'SPARK.The annexed Engraving will probably afford the reader a betteridea of the Zoological Gardens, than did either of our previousIllustrations. It is indeed a fair specimen of the luxuriousaccommodation afforded by the Society for their animals; while itenables us to watch the habits of the stupendous tenants in a stateof nature, or at least, free from unnecessary restriction orconfinement. It is an opportunity hitherto but rarely enjoyed inthis country; the Elephants exhibited in our menageries being cagedup, and only allowed to protrude the head outside the bars. TheDuke of Devonshire, as our readers may recollect, possessed anElephant which died in the year 1829: she was allowed the range ofa spacious paddock at Chiswick, but her docility, intelligence, andaffection, which were extraordinary, were only witnessed by a fewvisiters. In the Jardin du Roi, at Paris, the Elephant haslong enjoyed advantages proportionate to his importance in thescale of creation. Six years since we remember seeing a fine youngspecimen in the enjoyment of an ample enclosure of greensward, anda spacious bath has since been added to the accommodations. Thisexample has been rightly followed in our Zoologicai Gardens.
The Elephant Stable is at the extremity of the northern gardenin the Regent's Park. It is of capacious dimensions, but is builtin a style of unappropriate rusticity. Adjoining the stable is asmall enclosure, which the Elephant may measure in two or threeturns. Opposite is an enclosure of much greater extent, so as to bealmost worthy of the name of a little park or paddock. The fence isof iron, and light but substantial. Within the area are a fewlime-trees, the lower branches of which are thinned by the Elephantrepeatedly twisting off their foliage with his trunk, as adroitlyas a gardener would gather fruit. His main luxury is, however, inhis bath, which is a large pool or tank of water, of depth nearlyequal to his height. In hot weather he enjoys his ablutions herewith great gusto, exhibiting the liveliest tokens of satisfactionand delight. Our artist has endeavoured to represent the noblecreature in his bath, though the pencil can afford but an imperfectidea of the extasy of the animal on this occasion. His evolutionsare extraordinary for a creature of such stupendous size. Hiskeeper had at first some difficulty in inducing him to enter thepond, but he now willingly takes to the water, and thereby exhibitshimself in a point of view in which we have not hitherto beenaccustomed to view an Elephant in this country. The fondness ofElephants for bathing is very remarkable. When in the water theyoften produce a singular noise with their tru