After a long drive uphill and right out of the town in a most rickety old cab, which I expected would come to bits every minute, I arrived at the Garden, laid out upon the side of a hill, with a large and thick wood in the background. Close by the entrance-gate was an enormous concert-hall and café, with a little open-air theatre behind. Going uphill on the left, past some very nice asphalt tennis-courts and a duck-pond, you reach a large brown bear and wolves’ den. On a steep bank was a herd of red deer, with some fallow deer, whilst higher up was a pair of Barbary sheep, with a young one. There were many pretty walks leading through beech and birch trees down to a large boating lake. Although not rich in animals, the Garden is picturesquely situated. You can come back part of the way on the very cleverly constructed Barmen-Elberfeld mono-rail, which runs all along and above the river. Really, the Germans are up-to-date and far and away above us in electrical transit. CHAPTER XV ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN, DÜSSELDORF: DIRECTOR, INSPECTOR GOFFART The Zoological Garden at Düsseldorf is owned by a company with a capital of 35,000 shares. The opening of the Garden took place on May 31, 1896. The portion laid aside for animals (not including plantations, greenhouses, pasture-land, etc.) is about twenty-seven and a half acres. Taking into consideration that Düsseldorf is not a town which is much resorted to by visitors, and that it is so close to Cologne, where it has a powerful rival, the stock of animals in the Garden is not a bad one. There is a good collection of monkeys, bears, and carnivorous animals generally. There are a fair number of rodents, a large number of deer, six bison, and a large herd of Barbary sheep. There is also a number of horses and asses for children to ride and drive. The birds are numerous, especially the birds of prey, singing-birds, parrots, poultry, pigeons, ostriches, and cassowaries. There are some fine ponds for the ducks, and a gigantic aviary 6,000 cubic yards in extent. An artistic-looking ruin, like the Castle of Heidelburg, cost £2,700. The yearly cost of food, which is about £1,600, gives an idea of the large number of animals and birds in the Garden. * * * * *