802 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



AN EXPERIMENT IN ACCLIMATIZATION. 



IN the Antelope House, — their temporary 

 quarters for several years past, — our zebras 



have not bred freely, nor have any of the 

 colts lived to maturity. Being desirous of 

 breeding zebras, this result was far from satis- 

 factory. 



In course of time, our first pair of Grant 

 zebras, (Equun burchelli granii), passed away; 

 and with the purchase of a new pair, we decid- 

 ed to carry out the experiment we had for some 

 time desired to make with a zebra species. 



Owing to tile nature of the Antelope House, 

 all the inmates of that building are in winter 

 housed in an artificially warmed atmosphere. 

 The temperature is kept as low as the exigen- 

 cies of two very valuable giraffes will permit; 

 but for all that, the air lacks the crisp and in- 

 vigorating quality of outdoors. 



Two years ago. a new and physically perfect 

 pair of (irant zebras was installed in the large 

 Fallow Deer Range, near the southeastern cor- 

 ner of the Zoological Park, with the freedom 

 of an eight-acre meadow. For shelter the 

 zebras were given a roomy shed of two rooms. 



one of which serves as a sort of vestibule to an 

 inner room having no outside door. The sky- 

 lights and windows are ample, and in cold 

 weather the temperature of the inner room is 

 favorably affected by the sunlight, and by the 

 bodies of the zebras themselves. In the sever- 

 est weather of winter, the animals are confined 

 in their inner room, and two doors are shut 

 against the cold; but there is no artificial heat 

 in the shed. 



On July 1 7 the pair of zebras gave signs of 

 having become acclimatized. A fine, vigorous 

 colt was born, which when only two weeks old 

 was seen to become peevish, and vigorously kick 

 its own father, with both hind feet. 



Our Zebra House is well started; but even 

 when it is finished, the experiment described 

 above will be continued without interruption. 

 In fact, we are looking forward to the time 

 when a real herd of Grant zebras will be the 

 first sight to greet incoming visitors as they 

 climb the steps from the West Farms Entrance. 



W. T. H. 



