166 AIs-NUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTnUTION, 19 60 



1 month. 7 days; a short-tailed shrew {Blarina hrevicauda) ^ which 



usually does not live in captivity, was exhibited from December 27, 



1957, to March 28, 1960, a total of 2 years 3 months 1 day; and a 



marabou stork {Leptopilus crumeniferus) ^ received from the Victor 



J. Evans estate on February 20, 1931, died May 19, 1960, after 29 



years 3 months. 



COOPERATION 



At all times special efforts are made to maintain friendly contacts 

 with other Federal and State agencies, private concerns and individ- 

 uals, and scientific workers for mutual assistance. As a result, the 

 Zoo receives much help and advice and many valuable animals, and 

 in turn it furnishes information and, whenever possible, animals it 

 does not need. 



Special aclniowledgment is due George Kirk and John Pulaski, in 

 the office of the U.S. Dispatch Agent in New York City, and Stephen 

 E. Lato, dispatch agent in San Francisco, who are frequently called 

 upon to clear shipments of animals coming from abroad, often at 

 great personal inconvenience. The animals have been forwarded to 

 Washington without the loss of a single individual. 



Wlien it is necessary to quarantine animals coming into this country, 

 they are taken to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's station in 

 Clifton, N.J. During the past year Dr. B. C. Swindell and Andy 

 Goodel, two of the officials stationed there, have been most cooperative 

 in keeping the National Zoological Park informed as to the well-being 

 of animals and birds held there for quarantine. 



Animals that die in the Zoo are offered to the United States National 

 Museum. If the Museum does not need them, they may be sent to re- 

 search workers in other institutions. During the past year the 

 Museum accepted 41 mammals, which are to be preserved as scientific 

 specimens. 



The Zoo cooperated with the National Capital Parks and lent small 

 animals to Park naturalists and to the Nature Center in Eock Creek 

 Park for demonstration. A collection of reptiles was loaned to 

 Walter Ee^^d Army Medical Center in order to have a film made of 

 poisonous snakas. Senior Keeper W. Widman trapped a number of 

 sea gulls for a research project at the National Institutes of Health. 



Gifts of plants were received from Mount Vernon, the Botanical 



Gardens, St. Elizabeths Hospital, the Naval Obsen-atory, and the 



Soldiers' Home. 



VISITORS 



Attendance at the Zoo this year reached a total of 4,059,804. In 

 general, tliis figure is based on estimates rather than actual counts. 



