Catalogue of Animals at the Boston Aquarial and Zoological Gardens, Central Court, Washington Street. Cutting & Butler, proprietors.
Boston: Ca. 1861. Unrecorded early edition of this catalog advertising "Kangaroos from Australia" on display at the Boston Aquarial and Zoological Gardens, not found in World Cat. The kangaroos were trained by Uriah Sears of the Zoological department, who taught them (along with bears, moose, and a baboon) to perform feats in the ring. Also displayed were "The South African Aborigines" performing a selection of native songs and dances, on exhibition from 9 am to 10pm. In the "Aquarial Department" is listed 46 exhibits of largely domestic fish including trout, catfish, sunfish, sea anemones, striped bass, flounder, oysters, crab, and turtles.
A March 22 1861 article in the Boston Evening Transcript described the kangaroos performance: "After the dramatic performance, the Arabian horse Abdallah, the sphinx, the educated bear, the moose and the kangaroos will go through their various performances in the ring." The kangaroos are listed here at page 4, in Cage No. 9, of 17 total exhibits. Incredibly, a live beluga whale, the first aquatic mammal ever held in captivity in modern times, was captured in the St. Lawrence River and displayed in 1861, although not listed in this brochure.
The Boston Aquarial and Zoological Gardens was a short lived venture (October 1860 to June 1862) which featured a public aquarium as well as a zoo, located in the financial district of the city, and founded by James Cutting and Henry Butler. There were apparently 50 tanks on display, including a large central one in the Aquarial department, while the Zoological department held 19 cages.
P. T. Barnum bought Cutting & Butler's Aquarial gardens in 1862, renovated it, and reopened under the name Barnum's Aquarial Gardens.
World Cat records two later editions: one in which the first column p2 ends with No. 12 (OCLC: 95090650311-19), and a second edition in which the first column ends with No. 13. This catalogue's first column ends with No. 11. 8vo, 5 1/4 x 8 1/4", folded, 4pp. Slightly dusty, a few traces of yellow paper adhered at spine, with no loss to text. Good + overall. Item #25942
Sold