ON DEATHS IN THE SOCIETY'S GARDENS. 



27 



3. Report on the Deaths which occurred in the Zoological 

 Gardens during 1916, together with a List of the Blood- 

 Parasites found during the Year. Bv H..G. Plimmer, 

 F.R.S., F.Z.S., Professor of Comparative Pathology 

 in the Imperial College of Science and Technology^ 

 Loudon, and Pathologist to the Society. 



[Received and Read February 6, 1917.] 



Index. Page 



Pathology 27 



Blood -Parasites 31 



No.es 33 



On January 1st, 1916, there were 690 mammals, 1989 birds, 

 and 426 reptiles in the Zoological Gardens : during the year 

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

 making 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 y 

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

 years 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 that 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 

 ascertained. Table I. summarizes the actual causes of death in the 

 three groups specified. Amphibia are included under Reptiles. 



Table I. — Analvsis of the Causes of Death. 



Diseases. 



Mammals. 



Birds. 



Reptiles. 



Reference 

 to Notes 

 following. 



— 



1 . JSIicrohic or Parasitic 











Diseases. 









1 





]6 



71 



1 



2 





12 



29 



6 



3 



Pneumonia 



30 



53 



48 



4 



Septicaemia 



5 



... 



1 



5 



Abscess 1 



2 





1 





Empyema 



2 









Peritonitis 



2 



1 







