REPORT OF THE 

 DIRECTOR OF THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK 



TO THE BOARD OF MANAGERS. 



THE year 1921 was marked by the erection of the building for 

 the National Collection of Heads and Horns, and the largest 

 attendance of visitors that the Park ever has known. To a great 

 extent the animal collections remained in a stabilized condition, 

 varied chiefly by the elimination of a number of aged and infirm 

 specimens. Having been in existence since 1899, old age has be- 

 come a prime factor in our herds of hoofed animals, and other 

 collections. Every animal that is too aged and infirm to enjoy 

 life or to present a satisfactory appearance on exhibition must 

 be painlessly removed. 



In past years our herd of American bison suff'ered a blow 

 when fifteen fine breeding animals were taken out, literally by 

 "special selection," and presented to the United States govern- 

 ment for the founding of the Wichita National Herd. That was 

 in 1907. In 1912 another blow was sustained wlien fourteen 

 head were subtracted to form the nucleus of the Wind Cave Park 

 National Bison Herd, in South Dakota. 



Now, those new national herds that were founded by our 

 Park herd, have thriven, and proven exceedingly successful ; but 

 in 1921 we found our parent herd had not yet recovered from 

 the second shock. We decided to bring in some new blood. At 

 this juncture the United States Department of the Interior 

 kindly elected to do the Society a return favor, and in the month 

 of December dispatched to New York from the national herd in 

 the Yellowstone Park, three fine young cow bison and a bull. This 

 shipment, which included two female elk, was personally con- 

 ducted to New York by B. C. Lacombe, of the Yellowstone Park 

 force. The animals arrived in fine condition, and the gift is 

 highly appreciated. The enterprise was arranged by Mr. Robert 



