106 



NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



INJURIES. 



The Society should congratulate itself on the fact that but nine 

 deaths have been due to accident. This number, of course, in- 

 cludes all animals which were killed on account of injuries re- 

 ceived by accident. It also speaks very highly for the general 

 efficiency of the keepers, since but one of these accidents occurred 

 as the result of gross carelessness or thoughtlessness; the other 

 eight cases being mostly the result of the inevitable quarrel be- 

 tween animals, or of other causes which may be justly classified 

 as unavoidable. 



MONTHLY DEATH RATE. 



Careful observations have been made in order that it might be 

 determined whether the month or time of year had anything to 

 do with the death rate, as is the case with human disease in this 

 climate. Our statistics are as yet too few to allow any well- 

 founded speculations in regard to this matter, though in the course 

 of a few years we may find the facts which we are now collecting 

 of some considerable value. Taken singly, this year's figures seem 

 to indicate that the monthly death-rate is more dependent upon 

 the monthly accessions than on any other factor. The figures 

 are as follows : 



January 5 



February.... 8 

 March 14 



April 10 



May 6 



June 8 



Jul)' 9 



August 12 



September... 12 



October 7 



November. . . 11 

 December... 11 



DIETETIC DEATH RATE. 



Observations are being made in relation to the number of deaths 

 which occur among the various types of animals classified in re- 

 gard to their food. Thus during the past year I Carnivore, 32 

 Ungulates and 34 Primates have died. Improvement is especially 

 evident among the Primates, where the deaths have been reduced 

 from 89 instances in 1902, to but 34 in 1903. 



PROPHYLACTIC MEDICINE. 



This department has especially concerned itself during the past 

 two years in the adaptation to the Park of the principles of pre- 

 ventive medicine, and during this last year we have particularly 



