NINTH ANNUAL REPORT. 59 



has been fruitful of excellent results, and the value of his work 

 is steadily increasing. 



Only those who are in or near the storm-center can appreciate 

 the extent to which unexpected, and often deadly, diseases and 

 parasites are constantly being brought from all parts of the habi- 

 table globe by the living animals which come into a large zoologi- 

 cal garden or park. Our \'eterinarian and the Director agree in 

 the belief that we are destined to receive here all the diseases and 

 parasites that wild animals are heir to, and while closely guard- 

 ing all avenues of approach we need be surprised by nothing. 



Thanks to the continuous struggle that has been made ever 

 since the Zoological Park opened, by every one either directly 

 or indirectly connected with the welfare of our animals, the death 

 rate amongst our mammals has been brought down from 24 per 

 cent in 1900 to 16 2-3 per cent in 1904. It should be noted at 

 this point, however, that while in figures the annual death loss 

 in every large zoological garden seems very large, about three- 

 fourths of the total number of deaths are of small, inexpensive 

 and short-lived animals. By eliminating the smaller carnivores, 

 rodents, edentates, marsupials, and short-lived primates, it would 

 be a comparatively easy matter to bring an annual death rate down 

 to 8 or 10 per cent ; but the end thereby attained would not justify 

 the means. 



The poisonous nature of all the grasses in the Zoological Park 

 meadow ranges, both wild and cultivated, has been strikingly 

 apparent in the ranges of Alountain Sheep Hill. After many 

 experiments, and much grass sickness amongst the wild sheep 

 and goats kept in those enclosures, we have been compelled to 

 choose between animals and grass. Nothing remains but to up- 

 root every square foot of green turf on Mountain Sheep Hill, 

 and this will be done early in the coming spring. We will then 

 be enabled to regulate absolutely the food supply of our large 

 and valuable collection of wild sheep and goats. 



Fortunately, the most valuable animals in the Park are the 

 ones which thrive best, and seem resolved to live longest. Since 

 the opening of the Antelope House (November 9, 1903). there 

 has been but one fatality in that collection. A small redunca 

 antelope died of tuberculosis— the only case of that dread disease 

 amongst our mammals for the entire year. The anthropoid apes 

 are the healthiest and most active of all the animals in the Pri- 

 mates' House, and they are growing more rapidly than any others. 

 During the year 1904 the only loss in the Lion House— aside 

 from Imperfect lion cubs— was the female snow leopard which 



