TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 39 



The Park has lost during the year, chiefly from old age, sev- 

 eral valuable specimens. The most important were, an Indian 

 rhinoceros, a mountain zebra, a Bactrian camel, a white-tailed 

 gnu, a Rocky Mountain goat and several kangaroos. 



Owing to the prohibition by the War Trade Board of im- 

 portation of animals, large or small, into the United States the 

 acquisitions have not quite kept pace with the losses. Moreover, 

 owing to the food shortage, no special eft'ort was made to increase 

 the collections. With the return of normal times these conditions 

 will be speedily remedied. The most noteworthy accessions of 

 the year were three camels, a mountain goat, an exceptionally 

 fine chimpanzee, a rare entellus monkey and many birds. 



COLLECTIONS AT THE AQUARIUM. 



A census of the exhibits at the Aquarium taken December 

 31, 1918, shows the following results: 



December 31, 1917 December 31, 1918 



Species Specimens Species Specimens 



Fishes 137 4,611 113 2,628 



Reptiles 21 112 15 96 



Amphibians 8 69 9 105 



Invertebrates 18 1,255 17 1,094 



Mammals 2 2 2 2 



186 6,049 156 3,925 



The Aquarium has suffered, like the Park, from our inability 

 to transport specimens with the result that we are without our 

 customary tropical collections. 



The collection of fresh-water fishes was difficult on account 

 of conditions resulting from the war, chiefly as regards trans- 

 portation by rail. The same is true in the case of local marine 

 fishes. The operations of local fishermen and the movement of 

 small boats in local waters were restricted. The collecting of 

 tropical fishes also was hampered by war conditions and one of 

 the customary shipments from Florida was omitted. 



A reduction in the number of employees and, later, illness 

 from influenza, served further to retard the work of collecting 

 specimens. 



