University of Virginia Library

22. Jardin des Plantes.

The horticultural portion is open daily from daybreak to dusk,
the zoological (Ménagerie) from 11 to 5 (Sundays till 6) o'clock
between March 1st and Oct. 31st, from 11 to 4 during the remainder
of the year (sometimes, however, closed in winter and
in unfavourable weather).

Admission (1—4 o'clock) to the interior of the rooms in
which the animaux féroces, the snakes and apes are kept, may
be obtained on application to the Administration, Rue Cuvier 57,
or to one of the professors. Permission must be obtained in the
same manner to see the animals fed (2—3 o'clock, according to
the season).

The Museum of Natural History (comprising zoological, botanical,
geological, mineralogical and anatomical collections) is
open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 5, on
Sundays from 1 to 5, in winter till 4 o'clock; strangers are admitted
on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 11 to 2 by
ticket, obtained at the Administration.

The Hothouses (Serres) are accessible on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays from 10 to 2 and from 3 to 6 o'clock to
those provided with a card of admission, to be obtained from
the professor of botany[1]

The visitor is recommended to enter the Jardin des Plantes
by the N.W. gate in order to obtain a general view of the garden

from the Gloriette (p. 143), whence he should proceed to inspect
the various collections, reserving his walk through the garden
for the hour when these are closed (see above). One day will
probably suffice for a superficial inspection of the gardens but
anything approaching to an acquaintance with the objects of
interest in the museum can only be acquired by repeated visits.

In the vicinity of the botanical gallery is a Café, in front
of which stands the oldest acacia in Europe, having been planted
by Robin, gardener of Louis XIII., the first introducer of the
tree (Robinia Pseudacacia).

The **Jardin des Plantes, situated on the S.E. side of Paris,
extends from E. to W., from the Pont d'Austerlitz (which after
the entrance of the Allies into Paris received the name of Pont
du Roi and is inscribed with the names of the officers who fell
at Austerlitz) to the Rue Geoffroy St. Hilaire, a distance of nearly
700 yds.; its greatest breadth, near the E. extremity, is about
400 yds. Almost everything connected with natural science which
Paris contains appears to be here concentrated: living plants and
animals, rare collections, laboratories, library etc. The lectures, to
which the public have gratuitous access, are delivered in the Amphitheatre,
a saloon capable of containing 1200 persons. At the entrances
to the garden and at the doors of the amphitheatre lists of the lectures
are usually posted up; they comprise zoology, physiology, anatomy,
chemistry, physical science, mineralogy, geology and botany, and
are given by a staff of about 15 professors. Scientific men of
European celebrity have received their education here; among
others may be mentioned the eminent botanists de Jussieu (Bernard
d. 1776, Laurent d. 1836, Adrien d. 1853), the mineralogists
Daubenton (d. 1799) and Hauy (d. 1822), and the zoologists
Buffon (d. 1788), Lacépède (d. 1826), Cuvier (d. 1832)
and Geoffroy St. Hilaire (d. 1844).

The project of laying out the Jardin des Plantes was first
formed in 1626, and steps for putting it into execution were
taken by Guy de Labrosse about 1635. In 1732 the celebrated
Buffon became director of the gardens, and was the originator
of all the collections of the present day. He died here in July
1788, whilst in the zenith of his reputation.

His successor was Bernardin de St. Pierre, under whose auspices
(1794) the animals preserved in the menageries of Versailles
and Raincy were transferred to the "Jardin du Roi", as this
garden was at that time termed.

Under Napoleon I., who strongly favoured the progress of
natural science, the collections were considerably enlarged.

In 1805 Humboldt presented a collection of 4500 tropical
plants, brought by him from America, 3000 of which belonged
to species hitherto unknown. To his intercession the garden was
indebted for its preservation from injury on the entrance into

Jardin des Plantes

Paris of the allied troops in 1814. It is now more correctly
termed the "Museum d'Histoire Naturelle", although its original
appellation is still more commonly employed.

Opposite to the N.W. entrance, at the corner of the Rue
St. Victor and the Rue Cuvier, stands the Fontaine Cuvier,
erected during the reign of Louis Philippe. The figure in a
sitting posture, with the inscription "rerum cognoscere causas",
as well as the figures of animals, indicate the object which the
natural sciences have in view.

Entering the gardens by this gate, the visitor ascends by the
tortuous paths of the Labyrinth to the "Gloriette", a pavilion
erected on the summit of a slight eminence which was once a
heap of rubbish thrown here by the inhabitants of the Quartier
St. Victor. On one of the pillars, under the sun-dial, is the
inscription: "Horas non numero nisi serenas". (I count none but
the bright hours.) The view from this point comprises a large
portion of the city and its environs in the direction of Montmartre,
Vincennes and Sceaux.

On the E. slope of the eminence is a magnificent cedar of
Lebanon, the first seen in France, presented in 1734 by Dr.
Collinson, an English physician, and planted here the following
year by the elder de Jussieu. It now measures upwards of 11 ft.
in circumference, and is still in a thriving condition. At the foot
of the slope is a monument to the memory of Daubenton (d. 1799),
a scientific man of high reputation, and superintendent of the
collections of the Jardin des Plantes.

In the vicinity is situated the Administration, or manager's
office, where, on exhibiting a passport (or visiting-card), strangers
are provided with cards of admission (p. 141).

The Zoological Museum (Galerie de Zoologie), adjoining
the labyrinth to the S., is nearly 400 ft. in length, with the
entrance in the centre. The Ground-Floor contains (in the corridor
to the l.) an extensive collection of zoophytes etc.; also
stuffed animals, such as elephants, rhinoceroses and hippopotami.
On the staircase to the first floor, a collection of fishes.

First Floor. 1st Room: fishes, tortoises; 2nd: snakes, lizards,
crocodiles; 3rd: crabs, lobsters etc.; 4th: apes; 5th: shells, sponges,
zoophytes, coral, ammonites, belemnites, numerous species of
oysters; 6th: birds' eggs and nests, in the centre of the room
a fine statue in marble by Dupaty, "alma parens rerum".

The visitor proceeds hence to the Second Floor; on the staircase
a collection of fish; 1st Room: bears, foxes, weasels, kangaroos;
2nd: lions, tigers, cats, bears, rats, mice, hares, rabbits,
snails, insects' nests; 3rd: birds, butterflies; 4th: the large mammiferous
animals, giraffes, camels, buffaloes, reindeer, stags.

The building which contains the Library, and the Geological,
Mineralogical and Botanical Collections, is 550 ft. in length and
consists of a basement story only.

The vestibule of the Geological Department contains
a large fresco recently executed, representing scenes from the
Arctic regions. The E. and W sides of the hall are also adorned
with paintings: W., the limestone cliffs of the Fletschberg and
the fall of the Staubbach near Lauterbrunnen, alluvial land formed
by the Aare between Meiringen and Brienz; E., the Rosenlaui
Glacier in the Bernese Oberland, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius
in 1822, the volcanic islands of Stromboli, basaltic lava near the
waterfall of Quereil in the Department of Puy de Dôme. In the
centre of the hall a statue of Cuvier in marble, by David d'Angers.
This collection is admirably arranged and affords every
facility to visitors who desire to examine it minutely, some of
the specimens being arranged geologically, others chemically,
others according to their uses in domestic economy. To give a
detailed description of these would, however, be beyond the scope
of the present volume.

At the entrance to the Botanical Department stands a
statue of Adrien de Jussieu, by Héral. Non-professional visitors
will find this collection similar and in some respects inferior to
that at Kew: specimens of wood, bark, roots, models of fruit,
fossil plants etc. The following objects of interest deserve special
mention: models in wax of fungi, executed by Pinson, presented
to Charles X. by the emperor of Austria and valued at 1000 L.;
huge trunks of palm-trees; a large round table formed of a solid
slab of the wood of the Baobab tree.

The Library, consisting of works on natural history and
comprising a valuable collection of MSS. and original drawings,
is situated in the S.W. wing of the building above mentioned.

The Cabinet of Comparative Anatomy, situated on
the N. side of the garden, resembles other collections of the same
description: human and other skeletons, anatomical sections of
animals, casts of the heads of criminals, as well as of eminent
musicians, authors etc.

The Zoological Garden (Ménagerie) is the most frequented
portion of the entire establishment. An idea of its arrangements
will be best formed by consulting the annexed plan. The pentagonal
building in the centre (Rotonde des grands animaux) contains
the large vegetable-feeders: elephants, giraffes, hippopotami
etc.; in the long building on the W. side are kept the beasts
of prey (animaux féroces): lions, tigers, hyenas, wolves etc. The
interior arrangements of the different cages and pavilions can only
be inspected by special permission (p. 141), or in some cases by
a trifling fee to the attendant.

The large semicircular Palais des Singes ("palace of monkeys")
is a constant source of attraction to spectators. The same may
be said of the

Bears' Den (Fosse aux ours), "Martin" (named after his predecessor
brought from Bern) being frequently called upon to exhibit
his uncouth gambols. Some years ago one of the keepers ventured
to descend into the den during the night for the purpose of
recovering a coin which had accidentally fallen in. The bear
immediately attacked the intruder, and the unfortunate man paid
for his temerity with his life.

The confined space in front of the Elephant's Cage is always
crowded, its inmate being an unfailing source of amusement.

Birds and Snakes, Crocodiles, Chameleons and Tortoises are
kept in cages and sheds on the N. side of the garden.

The Botanic Garden is intersected by three beautiful avenues
of lime and chestnut-trees, and perfumed with the fragrance
of the choicest flowers, which render it one of the most delightful
promenades in Paris. — Kitchen-herbs are denoted by green
labels, medical plants by red, poisonous plants by black, those
employed in dyeing by blue, and ornamental plants by yellow.

The Nursery of Forest-trees occupies the S.E. side of the garden.