ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 5S 
collections as a whole surpass those of the New York Zoological 
Park. While this institution was founded and dedicated to zoology 
in no vain-glorious spirit to out-do existing institutions of a sim- 
ilar character, we may at least be allowed to rejoice in the fact 
that the Zoological Society’s plans to do justice both to the people 
of New York City and the living creatures of the world, have been 
prospered to the extent described. In view of the war of anni- 
hilation that is now being waged nearly everywhere against the 
wild creatures that still inhabit this gun-cursed earth, it is impos- 
sible for zoological gardens and parks to become too numerous, 
or too great. 
DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS. 
William T. Hornaday, Curator; Raymond L. Ditmars, Assistant Curator. 
Early in 1906, the Mayor, the Board of Estimate and Board of 
Aldermen approved the Society’s application for funds for an 
Elephant House, and without delay steps were taken to secure the 
animals which it will accommodate. To-day the Antelope House 
is half filled with the elephants, rhinoceroses, a hippopotamus and 
tapirs, which presently will migrate to the new building, and a 
corresponding number of valuable African antelopes are tempor- 
arily crowded out. 
As in many other matters pertaining to our supply of animals, 
the Society has been exceedingly fortunate in securing rarities for 
the Elephant House, precisely when it most earnestly wished to 
have them. It is our understanding that despite the constant 
demands of showmen and zoological gardens, during the past ten 
years only four African rhinoceroses have reached the northern 
hemisphere alive, and of these two were secured last year by our 
Society. Both our animals were captured very near to the south- 
eastern arm of Lake Victoria Nyanza, which is called Speke Gulf. 
The first specimen, a fine female born in the early summer of 
1905, was purchased of Mr. Louis Ruhe, of this city, at a cost of 
$5,000.00 
Our second specimen, a lusty male born in July, 1906, was 
purchased for us in Mombasa by Mr. Richard Tjader, of New 
York, and by him landed in New York, in excellent health, on 
December 31, 1906. The cost of this specimen was $4,531.50, and 
it is the gift of Mr. Frederick G. Bourne. On the journey from 
Africa. this animal was very skilfully managed and cared for by 
Mr. Herbert O. Laing, of the American Museum of Natural 
History, who is entitled to much credit for his success in bringing 
