128 ^'E\V YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Among the mountain sheep there have been a number of deaths 

 from gastro-enteritis. The chief etiological factor in the causation 

 of this disease has been the grass growing upon their ranges. 

 During the summer, the ranges were thoroughly denuded of 

 grass, and covered with ashes. Since then there have been fewer 

 cases of the disease, and it has been possible to keep the animals 

 on exhibition most of the time. 



At one time during the past summer there were as many as 

 seven animals in the hospital suffering from gastro-enteritis, 

 most of them from Mountain Sheep Hill. If the disease is taken 

 in its earliest stages, the great majority of cases readily respond 

 to treatment. 



Cage Paralysis. — Deaths from this troublesome disease have 

 been fewer in number than during any previous year. Our treat- 

 ment of the disorder in the early stages, as outlined in previous 

 reports, continues to give satisfactory results. There are at the 

 present time several cases of cage paralysis in the Primates 

 collection, that have been under treatment for over two years, 

 and all of them show a considerable improvement in condition. 



PARASITIC DISEASES. 



Intestinal Parasitis. — But few deaths were directly due to 

 intestinal parasitis, and those which took place were among ani- 

 mals of no great value, generally the small mammals. It is an 

 interesting fact that a large percentage of the small mammals 

 which come to our collections, harbor some type of intestinal 

 parasite, which, if not speedily relieved, will result in setting up a 

 fatal enteritis. The occasional administration of vermifuges to 

 these animals greatly reduces the number of deaths which we 

 would naturally expect from this condition. 



Tape-Worm Cysts. — In the medical reports of past years, fre- 

 quent mention has been made of the prevalence of tape-worm 

 cvsts in a large percentage of the animals dying in the Park. 

 During the past two years there has been a great reduction in the 

 number of cases met with, and especially in 1906, when the 

 condition has been noted in only two or three instances. 



J\v'jninous Broncho-Pneumonia in Elk. — There have been no 

 deaths from this disease during the past year : and the elk herd, 

 generally, w^as never in such good condition as at the present 

 time. The reasons for the improved condition of these animals 

 were fullv discussed in the last report of this department, and 

 need no further comment at this time. 



