A good amount of bedding-out is done; for summer planting alone more than 4,500 plants are used annually. The houses contain collections of orchids, palms, tree and other ferns (the tallest _Balantium antarcticum_ in Europe is said to be there), agaves, azaleas, and various other stove and greenhouse plants. One house has been set apart chiefly for tropical economic plants. The collection of animals numbers actually 394 mammals of 127 species, of which there are no less than 91 apes of 29 species, and 154 ungulates of 46 species. There are 1,406 birds of 360 species, 94 reptiles of 24 species, and 39 amphibia of 3 species. The management of the affairs of the Society is entrusted to a board of twenty-five shareholders, with president, vice-president, hon. secretary, and hon. treasurer included. Out of these twenty-five members different committees are formed, who have the supervision respectively of: (1) The collection of animals; (2) the garden and plants; (3) the buildings; (4) the clubhouse, concerts, etc.; (5) the library and the museum. All these gentlemen render their services gratuitously. Holders of original tickets have the right of free admission to the Gardens. Members who are residents of Rotterdam pay thirty guilders a year, with an entrance fee of ten guilders. They have free access with their families to the Gardens. There are in all 5,837 members at the present day. The admission for visitors is one-half guilder, children half-price. [Illustration: HERD OF WATERBUCK.] [Illustration: JAPANESE DEER.] [Illustration: KANGAROOS.] [Illustration: BRINDLED GNU.] During the summer season about thirty-five evening and thirteen morning concerts are given. On the Queen’s birthday there is an additional display of fireworks. In 1901 the expenses amounted to 169,300 guilders 90 cents, and the receipts were 170,847 guilders 94 cents, giving a surplus of 1,547 guilders 4 cents. The concerts during the summer months take place every Tuesday and Friday at 8 p.m., and on Sundays at 2.30 or 8 p.m. The lions are fed at 2.30. These are fine Gardens, and contain a magnificent concert-hall. The first house encountered contains, in separate pens, an oryx antelope, a gnu, nylgai, yaks, zebus, Indian buffaloes and American bison. Near a bear house, containing black, brown, European and grizzly bears, and striped hyænas, is a very fine bird-of-prey aviary. One of the prettiest sights in the Gardens was a family of water-buck--two female, one male, and a baby. The wild-sheep grotto, surmounted by a tower, was extremely picturesque, and up and down the rockwork jumped guanacos, alpacas, llamas, wild goats, Barbary sheep, moufflons, ibex and chamois. There was a pretty duck-pond and lake, crossed by two wooden bridges. The airy lion house, with seventeen dens, contained a jaguar, lions, leopards, cheetah, two black leopards and pumas. Close by was a camel house, a monkey house with outdoor summer cages, and a very good collection of pheasants.