ON DEATHS IN THE SOCIETY S GARDENS. 



183 



9. Report on Deaths of Animals in the Gardens in 1917. 

 By J. A. Murray, M.D., B.Sc, F.Z.S., Director, 

 Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Pathologist to the 

 Society. 



[Received April 23, 1918 : Read April 23, 1918.] 



The accompanying tabular statement of the numbers of deaths 

 of mammals, birds, and reptiles (including amphibia and fishes) 

 in 1917, shows only minor difierences from the figures recorded 

 in 1916 by Professor Plimmer or from the average numbers in 

 the previous 5 years. In 1917 rather less than 25 per cent, of 

 tlie animals dying had been less than 6 months in the Gardens, 



Table I. 



As has been pointed out by Dr. Chalmers Mitchell, little statistical 

 value attaches to such tabular statements of combined mortality 

 of species with widely difi:erent liability to disease and duration 

 of life. The only conclusion to be drawn is that there lias been 

 freedom from severe epidemics during the year. 



Table 11. summarises the results recorded under the more 

 important causes of death for the chief mammalian orders, and 

 for mammals, birds, and reptiles generally. These have been 

 compiled from the careful records made by Professor Plimmer as 

 regards the first 7 months of the year. There was an interval 

 of nearly two months before I entered upon the duties of 

 pathologist, and the incomplete data recorded in this interregnum 



