432 ANNTJAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1963 



perhaps a dozen. He had 4 reindeer brought from Labrador, but all 

 died." 



As an agent to supervise gathering animals from Canada, Corbin 

 selected Thomas H. Kyan, who had served him in various capacities 

 for many years. Eyan departed in October 1890 with orders to get 

 "any wild animals there except bears, panthers, wolves, and foxes." 

 At Megantic, Quebec, arrangements were made with one Dan Ball to 

 procure the deer. In December, with snow 5 feet deep, Ball and six 

 others proceeded on snowshoes to a deeryard. The deer were ap- 

 proached as closely as possible without alarming them. Then, with 

 a wild yell and the blast of a gun loaded with powder only, the deer 

 were scattered. In the ensuing panic, the deer floundered in the 

 fluffy snow and were easily taken, and their legs were bound with 

 buckskin thongs. Twelve were thus captured, and in January they 

 boarded a boxcar on the Canadian Pacific and Ryan escorted them to 

 Newport. One died en route, and two others after arrival, but the 

 rest remained in good condition. 



At Mattawa, Ontario, a trapper contracted to supply, if possible, 

 at least 20 each of moose, deer, and beaver. Moose, elk, and caribou, 

 captured along the Canadian border, were procured in Minnesota. 

 The bison derived from Montana stock, but were purchased in ISIin- 

 nesota. They were shipped East in the care of cowboys who unloaded 

 them at Newport and herded them the 5 miles or so to the preserve. 

 The last rail consignment, 4 days in transit, consisted of 16 moose, 3 

 deer, and 1 caribou. All arrived in good condition, but 8 moose later 

 died; it was thought that their death was attributable to changes in 

 their water or diet. On another occasion, with a load of 30 deer 

 aboard, a collision with another train killed 22 outright, and 4 others 

 succumbed later. 



The source of 125 mule deer and 30 pronghorns is not a matter of 

 record. The latter failed to survive the rigorous New Hampshire 

 winter, and the former persisted for only a few years. The caribou 

 died for lack of proper food. The elk, deer, bison, and remaining 

 moose did well, all producing young the following year. Wild boars 

 were imported from Germany in September 1891, and did well from 

 the start. Details of the procurement of other exotic species (red deer, 

 Himalayan goats, and pheasant) are incomplete or lacking. In table 

 1 are assembled such data as are available from scattered sources. 

 These sources are not always in complete agreement as to numbers; 

 where discrepancies exist, the smaller figure is cited. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE PRESERVE 



Soon after raising the fence aroimd the preserve, work began on 

 improving the roads. A large force worked at this for two or three 

 years. The marginal road was repaired, with stone watering troughs 



