106 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



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 bufifalo 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 wliich 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 



