NEWS BULLETIN OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Mew York Zoological Tank 

 TtEPTILE HOUSC 



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GROUND PLAN OF THE REPTILE HOUSE. 



CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OF ANIMALS. 



The Zoological Society is in receipt of so many inquiries regarding 

 its intentions concerning the purchase of animals for the Park, it is 

 desirable that some information on this subject should be published. 



First of all, let it be stated positively that the Society does not 

 propose to engage men on salaries, to travel about for the purpose 

 of capturing wild animals. The cost would be too great, and the 

 results too meagre, to justify such a method. Nor does the Society 

 propose, in very many cases, to attempt to purchase animals that 

 are running wild, and have not consented to be caught. Occasion- 

 ally, however, when a rare and particularly desirable species is 

 wanted, a standing offer will be made to buy a certain number of 

 specimens at stated prices and under stated conditions. As a gen- 

 eral rule, most attempts to buy animals previous to their capture 

 end in disagreement, or disappointment to at least one of the parties 

 concerned. " First catch your hare," is a rule which is as sound in 

 selling animals as in cooking them. 



As a general thing, it is necessary for every zoological garden or 

 park to patronize responsible dealers in live animals and resident 

 collectors. From hard-earned experience they know how to crate and 

 ship animals to the best possible advantage. They know that it is 

 unwise to forward a diseased or deformed animal, and they also 

 know beforehand something about values— which saves much time. 

 Not unfrequently it happens that a hunter who captures an animal 

 that to him is strange, imagines that it is worth double its real value, 

 and feels indignant when a zoological garden offers him what is 

 really a fair price. In about nineteen cases out of every twenty, the 

 man who captures a wild animal thinks it is worth far more than it 

 really is. For example, if we were to offer a farmer's boy $2.50 for 

 a wild goose that he had caught and cooped, the chances are he 

 would be highly indignant ; but at this moment we know of thirty- 

 two wild geese for sale, properly crated, at that price. 



If we were asked to name the greatest small annoyance that comes 

 in the daily mail of a zoological park, we would reply : — the letters 

 which say. "What will von give me for it?"' Very often not the 

 slightest clue is given to the size, age, sex, or condition of the captive 

 animal. All these are left to be divined by the man who is asked to 

 submit an offer. Occasionally, however, it is possible to fix the value 

 of an animal, if it is fully and fairly described. 



The Zoological Society will not be ready to place any orders for 



animals before January, 1899; and nothing can be received earlier 

 than April It is hoped that some of the owners of large private 

 game preserves will present to the Society enough animals to start 

 the herds of buffalo, elk, and deer, and that all friends of the Society 

 will do their utmost to bring about the presentation to the Society 

 of a large number of desirable specimens. If the Monkey House and 

 Antelope House are erected at an early date, the Zoological Park 

 will then be able to receive and care for any animal that may be 

 offered to it. 



When the Zoological Park is ready for animals, all members of 

 the Society, and also friends who are not, are expected and re- 

 quested to do their utmost to secure, as gifts for the Park, a large 

 and continuous supply of fine, typical quadrupeds, birds, and rep- 

 tiles, especially of North American forms. 



ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP. 



Among the advantages of membership in the New York 

 Zoological Society are, first of all, the satisfaction of taking 

 part in a great popular enterprise of the utmost interest to 

 every lover of Nature and her works. The direct practical 

 benefits to members are as follows : Admission to the Zoo- 

 logical Park on the two davs of each week when to the 

 general crowds it will be closed, except upon payment of 

 an admission fee; the privilege of the library building, the 

 library, and its picture collections ; the receipt of the So- 

 ciety's publications, many of which will undoubtedly pos- 

 sess considerable artistic and literary value, and will be free 

 to members only ; the privileges of all lectures, receptions, 

 and special exhibitions. In brief, the time will soon come 

 when the Society will give ample returns for the assistance 

 of those who come forward helpfully during the initial 

 stages of its work. 



Applications for membership should be addressed to 

 Madison Grant, Secretary, No. 11 Wall Street, or to the 

 Director of the Zoological Park. 



There is no initiation fee. The yearly dues for Annual 

 Members are $10. The Life Member's fee is $200 : Patron's 

 fee, $1,000 ; Associate Founder's, $2,500; and Founder's, 

 §5,000. Subscriptions should be made payable to the New 

 York Zoological Society, and addressed to the Secretary. 



