49 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SSOCIE DY. 
nucleus for the proposed collection, his private collection of 131 
heads and horns, representing 108 species. A list of the species 
contained in this gift is published herewith. 
As an evidence of his keen interest in the success of this under- 
taking, Mr. Charles T. Barney, Chairman of the Executive Com- 
mittee, purchased and presented to the Society (at a cost of 
$2,500), the magnificent pair of world’s record elephant tusks 
which reached the Zoological Park on February 4, 1907. In 
length they far surpass all other tusks ever known to have come 
from any living species of elephant, and in curve and symmetry 
they are remarkably beautiful. The longest tusk measures eleven 
feet, five and one-half inches, the other eleven feet, and the weight 
of the pair is 293 pounds. They are from an African elephant, 
and it is reported that they once were owned by King Menelik, of 
Abyssinia, who presented them to a European political officer. 
They were offered for sale in the London ivory market, were 
bought by Mr. Rowland Ward, from whom they were purchased 
by the order of Mr. Barney. 
In every respect these astounding specimens—which scarce can 
be credited until seen—are fit to start a national collection. 
It is proposed that the collection to be formed shall include 
two series of specimens, one to be arranged zoologically, the other 
geographically. It is intended to collect not only heads, horns, and 
tusks, but also game records and photographs. At first the collec- 
tion will be installed in the picture gallery of the Administration 
Building, and exhibited under proper restrictions, but it is rea- 
sonable to suppose that later on it will be housed permanently 
in a building specially erected for it. 
Naturally, the standard of acceptance will be made sufficiently 
high that only particularly fine specimens will be admitted to the 
exhibition collections, so that any sportsman may fairly regard it 
as an honor to be represented in the National Collection. 
M. G. 
W;-T.. Ei 
