430 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT KID. 

 Three days after birth. 



tivity, but very few have survived longer than a 

 few months. The climatic conditions of the 

 Atlantic coast region have carried off eight other 

 goats of our acquaintance in two years or less. 

 and until now it has been doubted whether it 

 were possible to acclimatize the species on the 

 Atlantic coast, and maintain it in health and 

 vigor up to the breeding point. For this rea- 

 son, the news of the birth in the New York herd 

 will be hailed with delight by all sportsmen and 

 nature-lovers. 



The period of gestation was from November 

 25, 1907, to May 20, 1908, or four days less 

 than six months. The kid now in the public 

 eye was born at 3 A. M. At 3.10 it arose to its 

 feet; by 3.30 it was jumping about the stall, and 

 climbing upon its mother's back, as she lay upon 

 the straw. It nursed for the first time at 3.20. 

 Two days after birth it was thirteen and a 

 half inches high at the shoulders, and weighed 

 seven and a quarter pounds. Of course its 

 pelage is pure white, and, like nearly all young 

 hoofed animals, its eyes now are practically 

 black. It is very strong and capable, and seems 

 to take a very hopeful view of life. It is a 

 male, and has been christened "Philip," for rea- 

 sons that every goat-hunter will understand. 



While nursing, it stands directly under its 

 mother's body, and makes a continuous whining 

 noise, like a young puppy. Frequently it butts 

 the udder, and then the mother patiently raises 



a hind leg, to give her off- 

 spring the best possible op- 

 portunity. The mother is a 

 model of what wild-animal 

 mothers should be, a good 

 milker, affectionate, solicit- 

 ous for her offspring, and 

 quiet and sensible toward 

 her keeper. 



The Zoological Park goat 

 herd is in charge of Keeper 

 Bernard McEnroe, who has 

 managed it with great skill 

 and success. He never per- 

 mits any of the goats to get 

 thoroughly rain-soaked, but 

 shuts up the herd whenever 

 it begins to rain. In New 

 York it was quickly learned 

 that Oreamnos can not en- 

 dure rain. The pelage ab- 

 sorbs water like a sponge, 

 holds it for hours, and the 

 animals have not sufficient 

 vitality to endure it. 



THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



ITS PRESENT STATUS, AND HOW IT APPEARS TO 

 FOREIGN CRITICS. 



AT this date the New York Zoological Park 

 may be regarded as seven-eighths complete. 

 But for the unfortunate financial conditions 

 which have prevailed during the past six months, 

 and which seem destined to influence both the 

 public mind and the public purse during the 

 next half year, the end of 1909 would have wit- 

 nessed the rounding-up of the Zoological So- 

 ciety's work in the Bronx. 



On August 1 1, 1908, ten years will have elapsed 

 since the beginning of work in the improvement 

 of the Park. It will be remembered that the 

 Park was formally opened to the public on 

 November 8, 1899- But for the temporary 

 halt in the erection of the final buildings, the 

 Park would have been rendered practically com- 

 plete in eleven years from the beginning of 

 active work. At present there remain to be 

 erected the Elephant House yards and the Ad- 

 ministration Building — funds for which have 

 already been formally appropriated, and at last 

 are expendable, and also the Zebra House, and 

 the Eagle and Vulture Aviary — as yet unpro- 

 vided for. The end of all this is so near, that 

 it seems reasonable to hope the very small 

 amount of additional funds required to secure 



