THE PERTH ZOO.

THE PERTH ZOO.

AN AUTHORITY'S TBIBUTE.

Speaking to a representative of the ''Western Mail" recently, Captain Colin McDonald, of the s.s. Janus, stated that in all his experience he had never'seen a zoo in which the animals were of such fine appearance as those at the South Perth gardens. By virtue of his long association with zoological matters, Captain McDonald is regarded as an authority, and he was very emphatic in his praise of the Perth establishment.

I have never seen a zoo, he said, in which the animals are in such fine condition. Without exception the representatives of the various species are remarkably good types, and their physical condition reflects credit upon the manner in which they are cared for. Perhaps the finest exhibits are of bird life, and the collection, complete and varied as it is, is to my mind almost unique. The lions are splendid specimens, and, without doubt, are superior to any I have seen in India or elsewhere. The
same can be said of the tigers. Of course, the establishment is young, and I suppose it is finance.that impedes its progress in the way of procuring more animals, but I feel certain that if the public became seized of the immense educational and generally attractive value of the zoo, the obstacle would soon be removed. The flora of the gardens alone is magnificent, and the grounds are sufficient to demand and deserve a greater amount of public interest.

Of course, if the money were available, the authorities would no doubt have elephants, and, once the animals were added to the zoo's population, the cash they would bring in 'riding money' would soon discount their initial cost. An orang outang should certainly be added; but, then again, it appears to me to be a matter of finance. But from an educational standpoint alone, there is
sufficient merit in an appeal for funds to make the appeal successful. Then there is
the commercial aspect Sydney has without doubt, more than received the value of
its zoo from its advertising potentialities. That establishment is spoken of all over
India, where almost everybody is interested in zoology, and it is reasonable to suppose that other tourists speak of it in the same way. You have mineral baths—an attraction in themselves—to add to the many other attractions of the Perth gardens, and I can say with confidence that if the public would only take more interest in one of their most valuable civic assets, the finest zoological gardens in the southern hemisphere could be that of Perth. It seems that a fine zoo makes an indelible impression upon the minds of tourists, and, as the beauty spot of Perth is the South Perth gardens,its value should be apparent.

The remarkably good-condition of the animals, concluded the captain, reflects
great credit upon Mr. Le Souef, who is indubitably the finest man for thc work in
Australia. When asked if there were any criticism he could offer, Captain McDonald replied that there was nothing, but he remarked that the lack of public interest was the only deplorable feature.
Lieutenant E. J. Bryan, who is on sick leave from the Indian Army, was equally
pleased with the gardens, stating that, for a comparatively young zoo, the Perth es-
stablishment compared more than favourably with anything they had in the Far East.
His greatest impression had been received from the types of bird life, which he con-
sidered superior to other collections he had seen. Concluding, Lieutenant Bryan said:
—"I have no hesitation in saying that Perth's greatest attraction is the South Perth Zoological Gardens,'' and Captain McDonald added. "And quite right, too."