66 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



nients, the Beaver Pond finally received a stock of animals, and 

 to-day it is one of the most interesting of the minor attractions 

 of the Park. Several specimens came from Brownsville, Tex., 

 and one from Colorado. Mr. Hugh J. Chisholm presented a 

 very handsome pair which came from Canada, and later in the 

 year, three more from Maine. A very characteristic dam, about 

 forty feet long, with an up-stream curve, has been built by the 

 beavers at the lower end of the pond, of poles and sticks which 

 they have cut and peeled, small stones, and mud gathered from 

 the bottom of the pond. In the center of the pond, the animals 

 have built a very comfortable house, about four feet high, of 

 mud and sticks. In cutting the saplings and trees left for them 

 in the enclosure, the beavers began ^\dth the smallest, and have 

 now cut everything under six inches in diameter. The larger 

 trees are now being attacked, and are going one by one. 



During his autumn vacation Mr. E. R. Sanborn, the Park 

 photographer, discovered in a tooth-pick factory an unlimited 

 supply of green birch-bark, such as beavers love to feed upon, 

 and immediately shipped to the Park a quantity for trial. The 

 beavers have manifested a great fondness for it, and it is now 

 supplied to them regularly in small piles placed on the banks 

 of the pond. Even in the middle of the day they are seen to 

 leave the water, gravely march up to the piles of birch-bark, fill 

 their mouths with the largest pieces available, and solemnly 

 stride back to the water to consume them. 



Gifts. — The most noteworthy gifts of Mammals during the 

 year were the following: 



I Pair Mouflon, from Maurice Egerton, London. 



I Pair Siberian Brown Bears, from Carl Hagenbeck. 



5 Beaver, from Hugh J. Chisholm. 



I Elk, from Knox Taylor, Ketchum, Idaho. 



1 Black Bear, from Sefior Cruz E. Gonzalez, Chihuahua, Mex. 



2 Cacomistles, from Charles Sheldon^ Chihuahua, Mex. 

 I Mearns' Covote, 



I Ferret, 



I Badger, 



I Mexican Gray Fox, " 



I Western Yellow-Haired Porcupine, from W. T. Hornaday. 



I Florida Deer, from Mrs. Arthur Duane, Sharon, Conn. 



I Virginia Deer, from Frederick D. Camp, New York City. 



