ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



607 



where. To-day our herd contains 36 head, and 

 easily fulfils all requirements, both for ex- 

 hibition and breeding. 



Long before the opening of the Park, on 

 November 9, 1899, *'^ '"'^'i assembled a herd 

 of Prong-Horned Antelope from Colorado, 

 several Moose from New Brunswick, Mule 

 Deer from Colorado, Columbian Black-Tailed 

 Deer from British Columbia and White-Tailed 

 Deer from Alaine. Notwithstanding the dif- 

 ficulties that others had found in acclimatizing 

 Moose, Caribou, Mule Deer, Antelope and 

 Big-Hom Sheep on the Atlantic Coast, we de- 

 termined to put forth our utmost efforts with 

 each of those species, and try by every means 

 to overcome the well-known obstacles to their 

 acclimatization here. 



The Musk-Ox is represented by tliree speci- 

 mens, one of which is now living. Our 

 specimens of the Big-Horn Mountain SIiccp 

 came from British Columbia and Lower Cali- 

 fornia, and represented two species ; but 

 neither of them elected to live long. The 

 Prong-Honied Antelope herd has not been 

 continuously maintained, for the average life- 

 time of individuals of that species in captivity 

 on the Atlantic Coast is only eighteen months. 



The flock of five JMountain Goats from 

 British Columbia is maintained at its full 

 numerical strength. C)vn- herd of American 

 Wapiti is thoroughly satisfactory. The Mule 

 Deer, Columbian Black-Tailed Deer, White- 

 Tailed Deer, and the Florida and Sinaloa 

 White-Tailed Deer all have been successfully 

 acclimatized in the Park, and all have bred 

 here. 



The JJ'aodland Caribou of Canada, that in 

 1899 was the first large mammal species to ar- 

 rive at the Park, was quickly followed by other 

 Caribou, and enough Moose to constitute a 

 herd. The struggle to acclimatize those two 

 species on the Atlantic Coast has been long 

 and continuous ; but we believe that everyone 

 who has attempted it has suffered defeat. The 

 climatic conditions render it impossible for 

 them to live south of Maine. On the other 

 hand, the Peccary of Texas, is quite at home 

 with us, and breeds freely. 



In the procession of North American mam- 

 mals, the carnivorous species are very numer- 

 ous. First in importance comes a long series 

 of bears, headed by five species of Alaska 

 Brown Bears, — the Kadiak, Peninsula, Yaku- 

 tat. Admiralty, and an undetermined species 

 from north of the Arctic Circle. The magnifi- 

 cent monster, L'rsus merriami, from the Alaska 

 Peninsula, is the second largest bear in cap- 

 tivity, and beside it the largest Polar Bear 



seems small. Our grizzlies have come from 

 Alexico. Colorado, Wyoming, Yukon Territory 

 and Alaska : and our all-too-numerous Ameri- 

 can Black Bears represent Mexico, Florida, 

 Maine, New York, Wisconsin, Colorado and 

 Alaska. 



The Raccoon we have with us always. 



The odd Caconristle and the White-Nosed 

 Coati-Mundi from the Southwest always claim 

 a share of our attention. 



Of the feline carnivores, five important 

 species rise to view, headed by the Jaguar and 

 Colorado Puma, which are supported by the 

 ( )celot and the rare and little known Yagua- 

 rundi Cat. 



The leading genera of the Dog Family 

 are well represented by a long series of the 

 wolves and foxes in which North America is 

 commandingly rich. At this moment, our 

 group of North American Carnivores contains 

 the Gray Wolf, the Northern Coyote, the 

 Mearns' Coyote, the common Red Fox, the 

 Black Fox, the Blue Fox, the Swift Fox, the 

 Desert Fox. and the Gray Fox : and, until vcrv 

 recently, we have also shown the Cross Fo'x 

 and Arctic Fox species. 



Of the prominent fur-bearers belonging to 

 the Marten Family, the species come and go, 

 with rapid change. We know not what the 

 experiences of other zological gardens and 

 parks have been : but for ourselves, we can 

 say that of all the small mammals, the mem- 

 bers of the Marten Family are the most diffi- 

 cult to keep alive for long periods. It is verv 

 unfortunate that this is true ; because at this 

 moment thousands of enterprising Americans 

 are calculating the possibilities of breeding 

 fur-bearing animals in captivity, for profit. In 

 their turn, we have exhibited here the Otter, 

 Marten. Fisher, Mink, Black-Footed Ferret, 

 U'olz'crine, Weasel and Skunk. Without a 

 mental reservation we can say that the above 

 species are the most thankless and disappoint- 

 ing of all the small mammals which we ever 

 have kept in captivity. Although in their 

 native haunts they are supposed to be excep- 

 tionally hardy and brave-spirited, in captivitv 

 and on exhibition, they have no stamina what- 

 ever, and are not long-lived. Their appetites 

 are capricious, their digestive organs are easily 

 upset, and their restless and fierce dispositions 

 are conducive to early death. 



It is to be observed, however, that we have 

 dealt strictly with exhibition animals, and have 

 not attempted to keep or to breed any of these 

 fur-bearers regardless of the uecessiiv of hav- 

 ing them seen />y 7'isitors! It is quite to be 

 expected that when these same species are kept 



