226 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



THH CASSOVVARIHS. 





La1)cls |iainti-(l in oil colors 

 crack and j^row dim. Labels 

 printed upon pajier or card- 

 board fade with astonishing 

 rapidity, even when the}' are 

 not soon ruined by rain or 

 dampness. Labels painted 

 upon heavy sheet zinc often 

 come to grief through the 

 oxidization of the zinc under 

 the paint. Sometimes a very 

 good oil painting of a bird 

 will peel oft" bodily — for no 

 particular reason. Even 

 enamel on sheet steel is not 

 jjroof against the extremes 

 of heat and cold, or .stones 

 thrown by bad little boys, and 

 only the Isest enameled labels 

 last long without " llakiiig 

 off" in s]3ots. 



But we are doggedly i)ur- 

 suing our task of tinding out 

 how to label live animals 

 adequately and effectively. 

 One of our latest experi- 

 ments is with our new bear 

 labels. They are painted 

 upon steel plates, and each 



OSTRICH HOUSE I.AHEL. 



LABELING LIVE ANIMALS. 



IT is not inexcusable treason to state that in 

 the world's zoological gardens, generally, the 

 labeling of the living creatures is a task that re- 

 ceives only a fraction of the attention which it 

 merits. The struggle for the existence of the 

 animals themselves is so constant and so worri- 

 some that the writing of well-considered descrip- 

 tive labels, and the working-out of majis of dis- 

 tribution, seems like the traditional "last straw." 

 The transient character of all animal life 

 within a zoological park or garden, and the 

 constant struggle with the elements, renders the 

 proper labeling of live animals a difficult and 

 vexatious task. In comparison with the setting 

 torth of the name.s and merits of live animals, 

 exhibited in the open air, the labeling of museum 

 specimens sinks to the level of a ])leasing pastime. 

 In mild weather, nearly all the mammals which 

 deserve special descriptive labels and maps show- 

 ing their distribution, live out doors; and the 

 label which tan withstand the destructive power 

 of sun, rain, winils, heat and cold, for any length 

 of time, is \et to be imented. In a.ssaults upon 

 a fine label out of doors, what one element can 

 not accomplish, another can. 



ALASKAN BROWN BEAR. 



Bo/-// /nJ.900. Col/eclef/ />//•/. ILorwrr. 

 P/yil)(//j////r^//^ iiiiMiw/or/p (/a/ii,(jUfr/J . 



c/MJctt/'/'f/ /'/ /'(• (/ f//'/j-/f//jr(ij\ ////VA 

 (frorr/Ji Juf^ //•f///s/'ojwr(/ // ////// a// /•////>///// 

 iiJiirJ/ /^ (I j'(////// crat/ fOf////r/y///-/^f//-' t/tc 

 Ict/r/r //tfi/f //(!ff/'f/'o//tJ7U(/sf//fL/f/i'r'. 



iiK.\R di;n 1,.\11EI.. 



