106 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL "SOGIETY: 
by the mechanical action of intestinal parasites, and should be 
properly excluded from the list, since I prefer to discuss the 
disease as we find it caused by dietetic factors. Gastro-enteritis 
has been second to tuberculosis the most frequent cause of death 
among the primates for the past year, but it has not been suffi- 
ciently frequent to be a serious factor, and the disease in these 
animals is more or less amenable to treatment as well as more 
easily prevented. It is primarily the cause of death among the 
ruminants, and I propose to discuss the disease as we have found 
it in this family, particularly since the more valuable animals 
prone to the complaint belong to this group. 
It may be assumed as proven that the chief causes of gastro- 
enteritis in the ruminants are errors in diet. We may safely 
exclude all possibility of specific bacterial agency—though at the 
same time our observations have shown us that various intestinal 
bacteria serve as exciters of the disease whenever the intestinal 
mucosa becomes abnormally irritated by digestive disturbances 
of any character. The most serious outbreak of this disease has 
been that of the buffalo herd. Investigation of the epidemic 
—for it practically amounted to an epidemic—shows us 
beyond reasonable doubt that it was caused by the faulty 
hygienic conditions existing in the large buffalo pasture. This 
subject was treated in a special report, and I only desire to 
emphasize here that I believe it will be found impossible to 
so alter this range as to make it safe for these animals without 
a very considerable outlay. A review of the disease as it has af- 
fected the buffalo, caribou, moose, and native deer, I believe, 
definitely indicates the difficulty of keeping animals of this class 
in such natural ranges as we are able to provide in the Park. 
They must be placed where the food and water supply is abso- 
lutely under the control of the keepers. We could not expect 
domestic cattle to thrive under the conditions which we are able 
to provide in the way of pasturage. 
The present condition of the caribou warrants our belief that 
the animals above referred to can be kept in asphalt or macadam- 
ized ranges, where all food and water are under the immediate 
control of competent men. 
PNEUMONIA. 
Thirty-three cases of pneumonia are reported. Of these three 
were caused by the presence of bronchial filaria. Dr. Miller will 
specially discuss this important condition in his report, hence I 
pass it by with mere mention. In four other cases the disease 
