NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 61 
pair of European bison, which came from the forest of the Prince 
of Pless, as the gift of Mr. Norman James, of Baltimore. These 
animals were quartered at the Buffalo Entrance, and are the first 
living specimens to be seen by visitors after entering the closed 
grounds. Next in zoological importance was the acquisition of 
a pair of young mountain goats, from Fort Steele, Alberta, the 
first ever exhibited alive in New York City. Up to the end of 
the year these strange animals had thriven satisfactorily, and it 
is hoped the species can be acclimatized here with a fair degree 
of success. 
A fine tusk elephant, about seven feet in height, was imported 
direct from Assam, northern India, and was very successfully 
broken for riding by Keeper Frank Gleason. This animal was the 
gift of Col. Oliver H. Payne. During the latter half of the warm 
season, “Gunda” regularly carried visitors, and besides earning 
an income, proved a very interesting exhibit. Thus far, all efforts 
to secure an African elephant have been unavailing, on account 
of the scarcity of elephants throughout Africa generally, and the 
infrequency of captures. 
From Mrs. Hugh D. Auchincloss two female snow leopards, 
from Central Asia, were received as a gift. These animals were, 
after due precautions, placed in the large outside cage occupied 
by the fine male snow leopard—also the gift of Mrs. Auchin- 
closs—and visitors to the Park enjoyed the rare opportunity of 
seeing three snow leopards living in one cage. Unfortunately, 
however, the trio was finally broken up by the escape of a female 
through a skylight, and her unfortunate and uncalled-for destruc- 
tion before any Park officer could reach the scene, and take steps 
for her recapture. 
During the year, two exhibition collections required to be tem- 
porarily broken up. The temporary Small-Mammal House was 
removed to the Nursery, to do duty as a permanent greenhouse, 
and the small mammals it contained were stored in the Animal 
Yard during the erection of the permanent Small-Mammal House. 
The Burrowing-Rodents’ Quarters became infested with rats, 
which killed most of the small rodents, and rendered it necessary 
to construct concrete floors a few inches below the earth. It was 
also found that the more timid of the rodents spent so many day- 
light hours deep down in their burrows, the public derived little 
benefit from them. It was therefore decided to construct bur- 
rows, or shelter-boxes, above ground, in the rock piles, in such 
a manner that the whole interior of each burrow might easily be 
opened and examined. At the same time, new wire was placed 
