The collections of animals exhibited at fairs have added little to Zoological information; but we may mention that Wombwell, one of the most noted of the showfolk, bought a pair of the first Boa Constrictors imported into England: for these he paid 75_l._, and in three weeks realised considerably more than that sum by their exhibition. At the time of his death, in 1850, Wombwell was possessed of three huge menageries, the cost of maintaining which averaged at least 35_l._ per day; and he used to estimate that, from mortality and disease, he had lost, from first to last, from 12,000_l._ to 15,000_l._ Our object in the following succession of sketches of the habits and eccentricities of the more striking animals, and their principal claims upon our attention, is to present, in narrative, their leading characteristics, and thus to secure a willing audience from old and young. FOOTNOTES: [1] 1 Kings iv. 10. [2] "Athenæum." [3] Journal of Mr. E. Browne, son of Sir Thomas Browne. [4] In April, 1842, Mr. Batty's collection of animals was sold by auction, when the undermentioned animals brought--Large red-faced Monkey (clever), 1_l._ 10_s._; fine Coatimondi, 1_l._ 4_s._; Mandril (the only one in England), 1_l._ 17_s._; pair of Java Hares, 1_l._ 9_s._; a Puma, 14_l._; handsome Senegal Lioness, 9_l._; a Hyæna, 7_l._; splendid Barbary Lioness, 24_l._; handsome Bengal Tigress, 90_l._; brown Bear, 6_l._; the largest Polar Bear in Europe, 37_l._; pair of Esquimaux Sledge-Dogs, 3_l._ 7_s._; pair of Golden Pheasants, 3_l._ 10_s._; a blue-and-buff Macaw (clever talker), 2_l._ 10_s._; a horned Owl, from North America, 3_l._ 10_s._; a magnificent Barbary Lion, trained for performance, 105 guineas; a Lioness, similarly trained, 90 guineas; handsome Senegal performing Leopard, 34 guineas; two others, 50 guineas; Ursine Sloth, 12 guineas; Indian Buffalo, 10 guineas; sagacious male Elephant, trained for theatrical performances, 350 guineas. The above is stated to have been the first sale of the kind by public auction in this country. THE RHINOCEROS IN ENGLAND. The intellectual helps to the study of zoology are nowhere more strikingly evident than in the finest collection of pachyderms (thick-skinned animals) in the world, now possessed by our Zoological Society. Here we have a pair of Indian Elephants, a pair of African Elephants, a pair of Hippopotami, a pair of Indian Rhinoceroses, and an African or two-horned Rhinoceros.