Zoos

Hagenbeck mentions the zebras he has in exchange for 'Romulus' or the Exmoor hybrid and states that he is surprised to find that some people at the London Zoo consider the Przewalski's horse to be a mule. He states that he has sold 'Matopo' to Arthur Yates, refers to the Kiang pony and Korea stallion which he is trying to sell and writes of his anticipated delivery of East African zebras which he will train to harness.

Oliphant reports that the yellow 'mongal' mare did not produce a foal but that he hopes she is now with foal after being covered by his Przewalski's stallions. He has two Przewalski's foals now living after one was killed the previous year. He has recently acquired a Chartley bull calf from the Zoological Gardens as well as some cattle from Chartley itself.

Oliphant, on behalf of the Duke of Bedford, offers Ewart a yearling filly by a Przewalski's stallion out of the Mongolian mare. If Ewart would not like to have the mare, perhaps the 'Edinburgh Garden' would.

Delamarre states that he had read about Ewart's researches in hybridisation in a volume of La Revue Scientifique and was enclosing a photograph of an animal which was currently living in the zoological gardens of the Bois de Boulogne (photograph not present).

Osborn writes that he is delighted that the Celtic pony is to be added to the type collection in the American Museum of Natural History. He believes it will be advantageous to have the pony exposed to the winter climate to bring out its distinctive coat characteristics. He is glad to hear from Ewart about the progress being made with the zoological park. At present he is busy completing the Titanothere volume, but he will appreciate Ewart's researches when he comes to the horse volume.

Elwes writes that he has looked over the ram and proposes to send it to Edinburgh Zoo or to Ewart if he wishes to have it, as well as the horned white ram that he bought as an Icelander. He wonders if the Edinburgh Museum would like to have his best old Hebridean. He describes the sheep crosses he is planning to conduct.

Letter is undated but marked 'Sunday'.

Elwes recommends that Ewart write to the Jardins des Plantes for the carcass of one of the chabin (a goat/sheep hybrid) to ascertain whether or not it is a hybrid, and that someone should inspect and sketch their sheep specimens before they decay much further. He has heard of the existence of a black-faced heath sheep with long curved horns still existing in North Holland which could be related to the old Norfolk sheep.

Elwes writes that he has presented the three sheep skins collected by Carruthers to the British Museum on condition that they are mounted at once. He describes the wool of the sheep in the Calcutta Zoological Gardens and recommends that Ewart sees them when he goes. He has applied for a space at Bristol (the Royal Agricultural Show) the following year to exhibit a selection of his pure breeds and crosses, and asks Ewart to join him.

Elwes asks Ewart to reply to a letter concerning the old Wiltshire sheep. He reports that his ewes have just begun lambing and that Ewart's blackfaces are in the best condition of all. He has heard that the Indian sheep at 'the Zoo' are being cleared out to make room for the new rock work, and he suggests Ewart try to get them for Edinburgh Zoo.