Genre:

Letter, Reportage, Spoof

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood

Subjects:

Societies, Charlatanry, Zoology, Breeding, Animal Behaviour, Experiment, Gender, Cruelty

People mentioned:

Nicholas A Vigors

    Letter written as if by the former head gardener of 'Harvey Williams' [perhaps meant to be William Harvey], who has been made a fellow of the Zoological Society. Provides an account of his observations while at the Farm of the Zoological Society 'with a Pekin elefunt for chainges of Hair' (106). He writes: 'Honnerd Sur, the Satiety is verry rich in Assis, boath Commun assis and uncommun assis, and as the Report recummends will do my Inndever to git the Maltese Cross for your Honner' (107). The infant zebu died owing to 'Atempts with a backbord to prevent groing out of the sholders, boath parrents being defourmed with umphs' (107). Discusses a scheme being aggitated by 'Femail Fellers' of the society 'to make the Farm a Farm Ornay' in which, for instance, 'the Buffloo and Fallo dears and cetra to have their horns Gildid and the Mufflons and Sheaps is to hav Pink ribbings round there nex' (111). The illustration captioned 'Cross's Zebra' (112)—perhaps an allusion to menagerie-keeper Edward Cross—depicts a zebra with both vertical and horizontal stripes.

See also:

CA1-4p, CA1/4/6