72 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Specimens. 



Received by gift 229 



Purchased 270 



Collected 79 



Hatched 199 



Net gain during year : 59 species, 234 specimens. 



DEPARTMENT OF REPTILES. — Raymond L. Dittnars, Assistant Curator, 



m Charge, 



During the past year this department has maintained the 

 high standard it reached last year, and its record for the year is 

 excellent. Fortunately for all concerned, its equipment of in- 

 stallations, excepting the Tortoise House, was complete at the 

 opening of the Park. All its cages are kept well filled, and its 

 most valuable specimens seem destined to live longest. 



It is a source of gratification to be able to report that notwith- 

 standing the large number of venomous serpents in the collec- 

 tion, no accidents from them have occurred to any of the men 

 in charge. 



The most noteworthy accession in this department during the 

 year was the purchase of five giant tortoises, from the Gala- 

 pagos Islands. These very interesting specimens will be spe- 

 cially described elsewhere by the Assistant Curator. It is a 

 satisfaction to be able to report that the largest and most valu- 

 able of the giant tortoises has greatly improved in health since 

 his arrival at the Park last summer, and is much stronger than 

 six months ago. Now that the monkeys have been removed 

 from the Tortoise House to their own permanent building, the 

 former will be speedily fitted up for its rightful occupants. 



Among other important additions made to the collections dur- 

 ing the year may be mentioned a giant alligator turtle from 

 Plaquemine, Louisiana, weighing no pounds; two Cuban croco- 

 diles from Cuba, gift of Captain A. G. Hammond, 8th U. S. 

 Cavalry ; a black iguana from the Bahamas, gift of Mr. A. Van 

 Winkle ; a very large monitor lizard, or " Kabra goya," from 

 Ceylon ; and three red rattlesnakes from California. 



In the month of June, Curator Ditmars and Keeper Charles 

 Snyder spent their vacation in South Carolina, where they col- 

 lected 134 serpents, 271 lizards, and 4 chelonians. 



