64 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The company remains, and will continue to remain, on an 

 active footing, and its members have been supplied by the city 

 of New York with good warm overcoats for winter use, which 

 now render duty in winter not only possible but fairly com- 

 fortable. 



WAR GARDENS. 



During the year our efforts to raise vegetables and grain 

 in the Zoological Park for our animals were diligently contin- 

 ued. The employees of the Privilege Department also raised con- 

 siderable supplies of vegetables for the Rocking Stone Restaurant. 



The report of the Chief Constructor and Chief Forester, 

 Mr. Merkel, shows in detail the quantities of vegetables raised 

 fo-r animal food, from which it will be observed that the saving 

 effected by this industry was quite considerable. 



DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALS. 

 W. T. Hornaday, Curator; R. L. Ditmars, Assistant Curator. 



Like a millstone hanging upon the neck of every zoological 

 park or garden is the necessity of continuous replenishment of 

 the collections. The inflow of new accessions must at least be 

 equal to the outgo by old age, accident and disease. 



A four-year embargo on imports places a great strain upon 

 any vivarium ; and that is precisely what we have been through. 

 Partly by good luck, and partly by extra diligence, the holes 

 that exist in the Zoological Park collections are not really no- 

 ticeable, save in the Small-Mammal House. There, twenty-six 

 empty cages in one building are decidedly noticeable. 



The census of December 31 shows that falling off in the 

 three departments, in figures, but with the exception noted above, 

 our cages seem to be well filled. With the return of peace, all 

 our losses and shortages will be made good, within a reasonable 

 time, and — if adequate maintenance is forthcoming — the end of 

 1920 will see all the Park collections again up to high-water 

 mark. Already our male African elephant, Kartoum, is starting 

 out again to renew the hilarity of the nations of the earth by 

 becoming "bad," and breaking everything that his Titanic 

 strength can subdue. Really, his actions make us feel that the 

 renewal of "old times" is at hand ! 



