7() REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



(ine speciiiien was captured in this tni}) and forwarded to Washington, reaching its 

 destination in good order. 



Exchanges. — Several exchanges were effected during the year. Among the ani- 

 mals obtained were the following: From the New York Zoological Park, a very fine 

 male axis deer; from the Zoological Society of London, a young female yak; from 

 Thomas W. Gibson, of the department of crown lands, Ontario, Canada, eight black 

 squirrels; from William Bartels, New York, a female Barl)ary sheep and a female 

 polar bear. 



Births. — The number of births during the year has been quite satisfactory. It is 

 gratifying to note that two beavers were born during the present season. 



Purchases. — Tender your instructions very special efforts have been made in the 

 last three or four years to procure a Kodiak bear. The animal is by no means 

 exterminated, but has fled to uninhabited, difficult regions, where it can not be 

 obtained except by the expenditure of an inordinate sum of money, whereas it was 

 formerly procurable in relative abundance. A young male was, however, procured 

 during the present year through the cooperation of the Alaska Commercial Com- 

 pany. It was captured on the mainland directly opposite Kodiak Island, and is 

 believed to be the true Ursus middendorff'iL Efforts are being made to get more 

 through the same agency. Considerable rewards for additional sj^ecimens have been 

 offered throughout that region and are still advertised, though scj far without results. 



After years of effort two l)ighorn or Rocky Mountain sheep have been procured 

 from western Colorado, one within the present year. It is desirable to explain that 

 the Institution's extreme difticulty in procuring this animal, not at all an unfamiliar 

 one to hunters, arises from the fact that the Institution proceeds scrupulously within 

 the law, which requires a permit from the authorities of the State in each case. 

 This is charily given, in some cases apparently through the opposition of game war- 

 dens, who seem to have no sympathy with the Institution's aims. These permits, 

 while only obtained with great difficulty, are given for a brief time and to a single 

 individual. The whole system is apparently designed with a proper purpose to throw 

 obstacles in the way of pro(;uring game by unfit persons. It actually operates to 

 almost absolutely prevent its procurement l)y the General Government through insti- 

 tutions or persons who are the fit reciiaients of the game, and as scrupulous in their 

 desire to obey the State laws as the Smithsonian Institution is in its capacity as guar- 

 dian of the Government interests in the National Zoological Park. Further than 

 this, or indeed as a consequence of the practical refusal of permission nnder the law, 

 the final effect is that nearly the only animals which are obtainable arc those for 

 sale ])y persons wlio have taken them in defiance of the law. 



Other ])urchas('S wvre a male moose and a pair of Columl)ian black-taiU'(l deer 

 from the International Forest, Fish, and (Jame Association, two female ])umas from 

 northwestern Wyoming, two young California condors, a female South American 

 tapir (as a mate for the male already in the collection), three red kangaroos, and a 

 carabao, or Indian buffalo, from the Philippine Islands (inider recent regulations of 

 the I)e])artment of Agricndture, to prevent the introduction of "surra," sucli animals 

 can not now be imported) . A stock of birds was obtained for the flying cage, includ- 

 ing a jjair of adjutants, six European storks, an ibis, and other birds. 



One of the bears procured in Alaska for the])ark in the sunnnerof 15»()(), being now 

 ol<l enough for its identity to be deteniiini'd, is found to be the Yakutal l>car, I'rsu.s 

 dalli. 



Losses of animals. — Two old bull bisons; death j)robably dnc to uld ;igi'; diagnosis 

 gastroenteritis. One California sea-lion, from pneumonia. A mule and female 

 moose, from gastroenteritis; received Novend)er, ISi)!), died l)ecend)er, 1901, and 

 March, 1902; in good health until summer of 1901. Great dilliculty is still experi- 

 enced in the care of these great forest animals. Three jjronghorn antelopes, includ- 

 ing a buck that had been in the park five and a half years. One young elk, killed by 

 an old bull. 



