THE new Gorilla House at the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London was opened on Friday, April 28. Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, in a short but admirable speech, traced the origin and the merits of the new house, which are many; indeed, there is no other like it in Europe. Having regard to the rarity of gorillas in captivity, and their frailty, it was felt that an entirely new method of housing them should be devised. The general plan of the house was conceived by Sir Peter, but its elaboration was entrusted to Mr. B. Lubetkin, of Messrs. Tecton Ltd., architects. Briefly, it forms a large, circular chamber divided into two equal portions, a winter and a summer house. In the winter, the public have access in the half set aside for summer, and they are shut off from the animals by a glass screen to eliminate the danger of infection from influenza by the public. The air in this enclosure is filtered, warmed, and moistened, before passing into the chamber, which is free from draughts. Here we saw the two gorillas which the Society has now had since last August in a particularly frolicsome mood, due no doubt to the ample proportions of their apartment. In the summer the semicircular wall and roof of iron which forms the winter “Hall of Audience”, is caused, by machinery, to pass behind the winter house, leaving it fully exposed to the sun and air, and enclosed only by strong bars. The glass partition is also withdrawn, leaving a great circular space wherein the animals may furnish their visitors, now standing outside, with opportunities for studying the habits and movements, of these, the largest and most powerful of all the great apes.