ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



Z2Z 



Among evenly-matched cage associates, the 

 Tegus soon evmced a less pugnacious dis- 

 position. R- L- D. 



THE END IN SIGHT. 



AFTER ten years of diligent effort, two of 

 which were spent in planning and eight in 

 ^ active operations, the end of construction 

 work in the Zoological Park is to-day actually 

 in sight. With the completion of the Elephant 

 House, the Zebra Houses, and the Administra- 

 tion Building, all of which are measurably as- 

 sured, we may contemplate a Zoological Park 

 which is practically finished. We see no reason 

 why the three structures named above can not 

 be erected and occupied by December 31, 1908. 

 The most important of these structures, the 

 Elephant House, will be under contract within 

 two months, and it should be finished in the 

 spring of 1908. 



Of course it is to be understood that in an 

 institution of this kind, an absolute end of all 

 betterments never is found. By "practically 

 finished" we mean — as complete as zoological 

 gardens and parks ever are at any given period. 

 Boundarv walls and permanent entrance pavil- 

 ions are very small matters in comparison with 

 the large undertakings involved in the care 

 and exhibition of animals, and the w'elfare of 

 visitors generally. 



It is no secret that the Executive Commit- 

 tee is laboring very diligently to reach what we 

 may justly call "the finish." ^Ir. Barney, Pro- 

 fessor Osborn, Mr. Grant, and the other mem- 

 bers of the Committee are not willing that the 

 making of the ideal Park should drag on for- 

 ever, and involve incalculable expense. But 

 the pace set has been very rapid for all con- 

 cerned, and the resting-place, when reached, 

 will be greatly enjoyed. 



THE GUIDE-BOOK. 



UNDER ordinary conditions, the Official 

 Guide to the Zoological Park would 

 have been revised and brought down to 

 date one year ago. It was deemed advisable, 

 however, to delay this work until the end of 

 the present year, in order to include the last 

 of the installations for animals, and make the 

 volume substantially complete and permanent. 



The Director of the Park has now completed 

 this revision and extension, and by April first 

 the new volume will be ready. The future will 

 be anticipated far enough to include the Ele- 

 phant House and Zebra Houses, chiefly for 

 the reason that half the living creatures neces- 

 sary to fill them are already in hand, and re- 



quire notice. The new volume will be much 

 larger than the current edition, its map will be 

 brought down to date, and it will contain many 

 new illustrations ; but the price will not be 

 advanced. As usual, all members of the So- 

 ciety will receive the new issue as soon as it can 

 be finished and mailed. 



WILD-ANIMAL PROTECTION IN 

 AFRICA. 



THE ponderous blue-book of nearly four 

 hundred pages recently published by the 

 British Government on "The Preserva- 

 tion of Wild Animals in Africa" is evidence of 

 the deep and practical interest of Great Britain 

 in that subject. Even a brief inspection of the 

 documents set forth is sufficient to show that 

 already the game situation is well in hand, and 

 that eventually every territory of the British 

 possessions in Africa will have its game laws 

 and game reserves. The measures that already 

 are in force in territories whose names are yet 

 unknown to Americans, are to us both an ex- 

 ample and a reproach. In Africa, the white 

 population is organizing to protect its lawful 

 heritage of big game. In Alaska, both whites 

 and natives seem to hate all game laws, and 

 think onlv of destruction. 



DESTRUCTION OF ANIMAL LIFE IN 

 ALASKA. 



ALARMING reports have reached the Zo- 

 ological Society concerning the destruc- 

 tion of moose, caribou, and mountain 

 sheep in Alaska. It appears that hundreds of 

 laborers on the Alaska Central Railway, and 

 in various mining camps, are regularly svib- 

 sisting upon the finest game animals in North 

 America. The slaughter along the line of the 

 above-mentioned railway is particularly ap- 

 palling. 



It is charged by men who recently have ar- 

 rived from Alaska that not only is game being 

 slaughtered most ruthlessly, but that heads of 

 moose, sheep, and caribou are being surrep- 

 titiously shipped to the United States in large 

 numbers. The situation seems to demand im- 

 mediate action on the part of those who do not 

 wish to see the large game of Alaska com- 

 pletely exterminated in quick time. 



THE ANNUAL MEETING. 



The Annual Meeting of the New York Zo- 

 ological Society will be held in the small ball- 

 room of the Hotel Astor on January 8, 1907. 



