SECRETARY'S REPORT 91 



the animal in captivity, require constant study to make certain that 

 a suitable environment is maintained. Failure to provide the proper 

 conditions is likely to result in the loss of animals that are often 

 of great value and are sometimes irreplaceable. Even if the animals 

 do not die, they are almost certain to become unsuitable for exhibition 

 if not properly cared for. 



In the course of carrying on in his home studies of small mammals 

 that were not well known or that had been considered difficult or 

 impossible to keep alive in captivity, the Assistant Director has 

 developed a food mixture that has proved highly satisfactory. The 

 lesser short-tailed shrew {Cryptotis parva) and the large African 

 elephant slirew (Macroscelides rujescens) were fed this and produced 

 young, the short-tailed slu-ews even producing the second generation 

 in captivity. Four species of bats thrived on this diet exclusively. 

 The greater short-tailed sin-ews {Blarina hrevicauda) and star-nosed 

 mole (Condylura cristata) preferred this to most other food. It has 

 been offered to many other small and medium-sized mammals such 

 as marmosets, night monkeys, and several different kinds of rodents 

 and carnivores, practically all of which like the food. It has been so 

 successful with specialized mammals that have heretofore been very 

 difficult or impossible to keep in captivity, that it appears worth 

 while to publish the formula: 



One yolk of hard-boiled egg; approximately an equal amount of rather dry 

 cottage cheese; approximately an equal amount of ripe banana; approximately 

 an equal amount of mealworms; 6 drops of Jeculin; 6 drops of wheat-germ-oil; 

 6 grains of Theragram. 



Make up the mixture with a mortar and pestle. If the wheat-germ oil is in 

 3-minim capsules put in two; add the Theragram, which is a yellowish paste; 

 add a few drops of water to soften the gelatin of the wheat-germ-oil capsules and 

 to dissolve the Theragram. Then put in the other ingredients and grind all 

 together with the pestle until a paste is formed with the chitin of the mealworms 

 scattered through it. 



The mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) are the same as, or similar to, 

 those that get into cereals. Cultures of them can be maintained in 

 bran or cornmeal with the addition of banana peelings, slices of raw 

 potato, and occasionally light sprinklings of water to moisten the 

 bran or cornmeal very slightly but not enough to cause if to form 

 lumps or to mildew. 



The Assistant Director has also developed a milk mixture that has 

 been tried out with many small mammals with excellent success. 

 It is as follows: 



Three ounces cow's milk from which about one-third of the cream has been 

 removed; 1 teaspoonful raw egg yolk; 4 drops Jecuhn; 1 drop Navitol or 

 Viosterol; }i teaspoonful calcium gluconate. 



