PROTECTION OF FAUNA IN U.S.S.R.—DEMENTIEV 491 
the Dnieper River; this animal is now common in the Ukraine be- 
tween the Dnieper and the Dniester Rivers. In 1901 five sables were 
transported to Karaginski Island in the northeastern part of the 
Kamchatka Peninsula; in 15 years they became common. The fallow 
deer was introduced in many places in European Russia. The mouflon 
was brought into the Crimea, as were European bison. In the 
Askanya Nova Park, bison were introduced (unfortunately they 
crossed with the gray race of Ukrainian bulls), along with many 
African and Asiatic antelopes. There was an effort to introduce 
pheasants, and also ostriches and emus; attempts were made in many 
localities to introduce the Hungarian or gray partridge; the fran- 
colins were introduced in Turkmenia, the red-legged partridge in the 
Crimea, etc. In 1857, on the initiative of Prof. A. Bogdanov, a com- 
mittee on animal and plant introduction was founded at Moscow; it 
was reorganized in 1863 as the Society of Introduction. (At present 
the introduction of land animals is done mostly under the auspices of 
the Institute of Hunting as well as under the national parks.) 
But, taken as a whole, introduction before the October Revolution 
(1917) was only accidental or experimental. It was only after 1917 
that the introduction and reintroduction of animals were undertaken 
on a large scale. 
The theoretic preparations for these activities, in regard to fur 
bearers, were started in 1925, under the direction of Professor B. Zhit- 
kov. The realization of these plans came in 1927 with the introduction 
of the muskrat (Ondatra zibethica). Since then and until 1953 
(N. Lavrov, 1954), this rodent, numbering 117,000 individuals, was 
introduced in 500 localities throughout the U.S.S.R. It already occu- 
pies an important place in the fur industry of our country. In 19380 
another rodent, the nutria (I/yopotamus coypus), was brought into 
Caucasia and Turkestan. In many regions the American raccoon was 
introduced, as was, in great quantity, the American mink (J/ustela 
vison). The Ussuri dog (Nycthereutes procyonoides) was introduced 
in European Russia and the Transcaucasia. The sable was reintro- 
duced in Siberia with great success; since then the numbers of this 
precious animal have grown to a considerable total. A great deal of 
work has been done on the introduction of beavers in European Russia 
and in Siberia, and this animal now inhabits nearly 50 administrative 
areas in our country. The squirrel of central Siberia, the “teleoutka,” 
an animal with an excellent pelt, was introduced in the Crimea and the 
Caucasus. But in a short time this animal lost its remarkable fur 
qualities, making the economic success of this introduction not very 
satisfactory. From the point of view of evolutionary theory the 
results will no doubt be very interesting. The European hare (Lepus 
europaeus) was brought into Siberia. In many national parks of 
