42 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



SCIENTIFIC WORK. 



During the past year an expedition was sent to Alaska, under 

 Mr. J. Alden Loring, to establish the necessary connections in that 

 country, so that the Park may receive from time to time a sup- 

 ply of the little known animals of Alaska, and especially to obtain 

 specimens of the great Kadiak bear and other recently described 

 bear of that country. A brief history of this expedition, with 

 illustrations, follows this report. The next Bulletin will con- 

 tain a more detailed account, and will be fully illustrated with 

 original photographs. 



The medical care of the animals and the scientific investiga- 

 tion of the causes of death have in the past proved a matter of 

 considerable difficulty, but the Committee believes that the 

 problem has now been solved by the establishment of a medical 

 department under the direction of Dr. Harlow Brooks, pathol- 

 ogist, and Dr. F. H. Miller, veterinarian, and a laboratory as- 

 sistant. So far as we know this is a new feature in zoological 

 park administration. The extremely interesting medical reports 

 presented in this volume show what has already been accom- 

 plished, and give great promise for the future. 



It is important, now that the most pressing popular work of 

 the Society is well under way, that the equally important scientific 

 work should begin to assume more prominence. This will nat- 

 urally come under three heads : 



1st. Observations on the habits and anatomy of the animals 

 within the Park. 



2d. Encouragement of explorations, and descriptions of new 

 types of animals. 



3d. Pathological and biological studies on the health of ani- 

 mals. 



Progress has been made in all these directions. 



It is obvious that expeditions like that of Mr. Loring to 

 Alaska, primarily to collect animals, can also be made a source 

 of addition to our knowledge of Alaskan fauna. Similarly the 

 medical staff, while directly looking after the health of the ani- 

 mals, can make substantial contributions to the study of medi- 

 cine ; and the curators will also enjoy exceptional opportunities 

 of observing and recording the instinctive and other mental 

 activities of the animals under their care. Thus, without en- 

 croaching upon the functions of the American Museum of Nat- 



