REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



61 



Any animals that die should of course be removed at once. 



Fli'sh-eating animals. — An adult lion or tiger requires about 10 pounds of meat, 

 including bone, once a day; a leopard or panther about 5 pounds; an ocelot or wild 

 cat 2 J pounds; smaller animals in proportion. The meat should be given "on the 

 bone" whenever possible, as this compels the animal to eat slowly. 



The cheetah requires very careful feeding, and it will be ))est, before shipping, to 

 secure a supply of live chickens or other fowls for its food while in transit. 



Bears are omnivorous, and may be fed dry bread, biscuits, boiled rice with sugar, 

 vegetables, and fruit. They do not require meat. 



The civet eat, ichneumon, coati, and kinkajou require bread and milk, boiled 

 rice, and milk with sugar, fruit, and a little meat. Small birds and mice will be 

 relished. 



Insect-eating animals. — Anteaters and armadillos should have boiled milk beaten up 

 with raw egg. The great anteater will take from two to three pints, with two eggs, 

 and the small species one pint and one egg. They should also have raw meat finely 

 minced and entirely free from long fibers. 



Vegetable-eating animals. — Antelope, deer, etc., require hay, oats, or dry bran and 

 oats mixed, and a little green food can be used when obtainable. 



Hippopotamus and rhinoceros should be given hay, fresh green food when obtain- 

 able, carrots, beets, and other roots. Mixed bran and oats should also be fed, to be 

 moistened for the rhinoceros and thoroughly wet for the hippopotamus. 



Tapirs require great care in feeding. Hay, straw, beets, or carrots cut up and 

 mixed with bran may be fed, also boiled rice or potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams, 

 bread, biscuits, boiled Indian corn with grass, cal)bage leaves, and small branches of 

 trees. Constant care and watchfulness will be required to arrange a diet upon Avhich 

 the animal will thrive. 



Sloths require fruit, such as bananas, figs, etc., lettuce and other green food; also 

 bread and milk. 



Kangaroos may be fed on hay, with oats and bran, roots of all kinds, and apples; 

 also green food, such as grass, cabbage leaves, and beet tops. 



Rodents will eat green food, roots of any kind, apples, bread, biscuit, etc. 



Birds. — Parrots of the larger kinds will eat Indian corn, oats, buckwheat, dry bis- 

 cuits, apples, pears, grapes, and the various tropical fruits; also lettuce, cabbage 

 leaves, and other green food. The smaller kinds require the same sort of food, 

 except that millet, hemp, and canary seed should be used instead of the larger kinds. 



INIarsh and water birds will eat small fish, or larger fish cut into small strips; also 

 fresh meat cut into small pieces. 



Eagles, owls, and other birds of prey should have fresh meat and fish cut into 

 strips. Live birds, mice, and rats should be given them occasionally when obtainable. 



Ostriches, emeus, and cassowaries require beets, carrots, and other roots, cut into 

 small pieces, cabbage leaves, lettuce, etc. ; also a small quantity of oats and a very 

 little corn. The food should be varied from day to day as much as possible. 



Reptiles. — Some lizards are exclusively vegetable feeders, while others eat only 

 insects, and in manj' cases it will be necessary to try them with different kinds of 

 food in order to ascertain what they require. For the iguanas and others requiring 

 vegetable food, lettuce, leaves of cabbage, mangrove, etc., and various fruits may he 

 used. IVIany of the insectivorous species will eat cockroaches and ants. Eggs, both 

 raw and hard boiled (minced finely) , should be tried. 



It will not be necessary to feed snakes while in transit, as most of them are able to 

 go for a considerable time without food. It is well, however, where it can con- 

 veniently be done, to feed them just before shipping. They shoultl be sprinkled 

 with water once in every two or three days, when this can be done without wetting 

 the blanket. 



Animals in the National Zoological Park June 30, 1899. 



MAMMALS. 



North American species. 



American bison {Bison americanus) 



Prong-horn antelope (Antilocapra ameri 

 cana) 



Virginia deer (Cariacus virffiniavus) 



American elk {Cervus canadensis) 



Num- 

 ber. 



Name. 



MAMMALS— continued. 



North American species — Continued 



Collared peccary {Dicotyles tajacii) ... 



Ocelot {Fclis pardalis) 



Puma {Felis concolor) 



Spotted lynx {Lynx ruftis macidatus) . 

 Gray wolf (Canis lupus grisco-albus) . . 



Num- 

 ber. 



