ON DEATHS IX THE SOCIETY ,S GARDENS. 



27 



3. Report on the Deaths which occurred in the Zoolooical 

 Gardens dnrino- 1916, together with a List o£ the Blood- 

 Parasites found during tlie Year. Bv H, Gr. Plimmee, 

 F.R.S., r.Z.8., Professor ol: Comparative Pathology 

 in the Imperial College of Science and Technology 

 London, and Pathologist to the Society. 



[Received and Read February 6, 1917.] 



Index. Page 



Tiitliology 27 



]-!li)oi)-l'arasites 31 



No.es 33 



On January Ist, 1916, there were 690 mammals, 1989 birds, 

 and 426 reptiles in the Zoological Gardens : during the year 

 1916, 165 mammals, 545 birds, and 199 re23tiles were admitted, 

 maknig a total for the year of 855 mammals, 2534 birds, and 

 625 reptiles. 



During 1916, 242 mammals, 594 birds, and 179 reptiles have 

 died : that is, a percentage of 28'3 for mammals, 23-4 for birds,, 

 and 28-6 for reptiles : the average percentages for the last five 

 yeai-s being 27, 23-3, 31-2 respectively. 



Out of the total deaths for the year, 1015 in all, 269 occurred 

 in animals which had been less than six months in the Gardens, 

 that is a little more than a fourth of the deaths. It has been 

 found that after six months' residence in the Gardens the death- 

 rate of the animals falls rapidly ; so it is assumed tha.t by this 

 time the new arrivals have got used to their new environment, 

 or have died from any diseases of a parasitic kind which they 

 may have brought with them. Of these 269 animals 60 were 

 mammals, 132 were birds, and 77 were reptiles; and, if these 

 be deducted from their respective totals, the death-rate per- 

 centage will come out as 21-2 for mammals, 18"1 for birds, and 

 16"3 for reptiles, the average percentages for the last five years 

 being 17'3, 15-6, 13-8 respectively. 



The following Tables show in outline the facts which have been 

 ascei-tained. Table I. summarizes the actual causes of death in the 

 three groups specified. Amphibia are included under Reptiles. 



Table I. — Analysis of the Causes of Death. 



Reference 

 to Notes 

 foUowiiio-. 



3Iicrohic or 



Diseases. 



Tuberculosis 



Mycosis 



Pneumonia 

 Septicaemia... 



Abscess 



Eni])vema ... 

 Peritonitis ... 



Parasitic 



