NEWS BULLETIN OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



WKRFOR WATER-FOWL IN THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



lion. The first and most serious difficulty met with in caring for cap- 

 tive animals is to give them sufficient exercise, and if they can be 

 induced to move about, and especially to climb and descend steep ac- 

 clivities, the prospects for their health and well-being will be greatly 

 increased. Such rocks would be used also as scratching places, and in 

 this way would contribute to the animal's comfort. 



I have elaborated this idea to the Director, and have suggested how 

 such erections may be made not only without marring the landscape, 

 but may even be made to add to its picturesqueness. 



It is, of course, well known that the hoofs of the ungulates grow 

 more or less to compensate for the wear to which they are subjected 

 in a state of nature, and in the case of certain species which travel over 

 rocky or gravelly ground, this wear is considerable and the growth of 

 the hoof correspondingly rapid. It is evident that the hoofs of ani- 

 mals confined in pens, or in limited ranges where the soil is soft, will 

 not be subjected to this wear, and yet their growth continues. Pro- 

 vision must therefore be_rnade for an artificial wearing down of the 

 hoof, or the animal's feet must be pared from time to time. The 

 great amount of rock and stone now on the ground allotted to the 

 Society will make it an easy matter to build, within and close to the 

 fences confining each species of ruminants, a walk of rough broken 

 stone which will be of the greatest value in keeping the animals' feet 

 in good condition. 



The locality selected for the dens of the bears is admirable, and I 

 am inclined to approve that chosen for the wolves and foxes. It may 

 be necessary, however, to plant a line of evergreens west of these 

 dens. 



I heartily approve of the location of the beaver pond, and have 

 suggested to the Director a mode of treating it which I believe will be 

 greatly for the benefit of any animals that may be confined there. 



As vet T am somewhat in doubt as to how to treat the aecoimnoda- 

 tions for the squirrels and other gnawing animals. It is quite obvious 

 however, that it will prove impracticable to furnish the squirrels with 

 permanently living trees in their enclosures, unless these enclosures 

 shall be moved from time to time. In other words, if the number of 

 souirrels using a tret is large, in tj : ofacompar 



short time the animals will kill the tree. I: 



therefore, for the Society to provide living trees for the groups of 

 squirrels and to accept the fact that they 1 must be killed. After the 



FROM j PELHAM AVENUE j^BRIDriE. 



trees have been killed, the squirrels may be allowed still to live in 

 them. 



The location of the burrowing rodents presents problems that re- 

 quire further investigation, as in many places the rock is so near the 

 surface of the soil that it may well be that artificial burrowing places 

 will have to be prepared for animals such as prairie dogs, woodchucks 

 and other species of like habits. *********** 



Yours respectfully, 



GEO. BIRD GRINNELL. 



ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP. 



Among the advantages of membership 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 Zoological Park on the two days of each 

 week when to the general crowds it will be closed, except 

 upon payment of an admission fee ; the privileges of % the 

 library building, the library, and its picture collections ; the 

 receipt of the Society's publications, many of which will 

 undoubtedly possess 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 dur- 

 ing the initial stages of its work. 



Applications for aiembei 

 Madison Grant, Secretary of the Zoological Society, No. 11 

 Wall Street, or to the Director of the Zoological Park, 

 at the Society's office. No. 6?) Wall Street. 



There is no initiation fee. The yearly dues for Annual 

 Members are $10 ; the Life M« ! Patron's 



fee, §3 ,000 ; and Found I . 



should be addressed to the Secretary and made payable tu 

 the New York Zoological Society. 



