TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 77 



ent, all wood work and sliding partitions have been eliminated, 

 the' fronts are more open, and there is a series of cement gutters 

 for perfect drainage. A number of new cages are already occu- 

 pied by the miscellaneous small carnivores. 



The following animals were sold during 1916 : 



6 axis deer ; 1 Indian sambar deer ; 5 wapiti ; 3 fallow deer ; 

 1 pair raccoon dogs, and 1 kinkajou. 



The Zoological Room of the Washington Irving High School 

 was stocked with mammals, birds and reptiles as usual through- 

 out the school year. 



REPORT OF THE VETERINARIAN OF THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 

 By W. Held Blair, D. V. S. 



The total number of deaths during the year was less than 

 during 1915, even though our losses included a considerable 

 number of aged antelope and deer that had been exhibited in 

 our collections for from ten to fourteen years. In most instances 

 these animals did not die as the result of acute disease, but were 

 destroyed on account of general debility that had rendered them 

 unfit for further exhibition in our collections. 



Among the animals destroyed that had been on constant 

 exhibition for twelve or more years were: two American bison, 

 a sing-sing waterbuck, sloth bear, Indian sambar deer, bara- 

 singha deer, American wapiti, female nylghai, and a markhor. 



The new Animal Hospital is now in use. Fortunately few 

 cases of illness have developed since it became available, so that 

 its utility, as yet, has not been tested to the utmost. The Joseph 

 collection of Australian animals was quarantined in the new 

 building, as well as a part of the shipment of animals received 

 from South Africa in charge of Mr. Loring. 



The building has been available also for the isolation and 

 observation of suspicious cases of infectious or contagious dis- 

 eases, that have occurred among our collections during the win- 

 ter. The prompt isolation of two cases of suspected distemper, 

 that were detected in the early stages, checked a dreaded disease 

 for which we are constantly on the lookout. 



