29 
and two in the Parrot House; only six died in the 1920 
period. 
The loss of a very good tapir from exhaustion and 
infection after prolapse of the rectum prompted a review 
of the condition and analysis of our records. This rather 
unusual condition is commonly due to straining during 
proctitis or colitis especially in the presence of tumors 
of the lower bowel or hemorrhoids, or to the effect of 
parasites causing tenesmus. It seems possible that 
straining might arise from inflammation high in the 
intestines. In birds one might imagine that trouble in 
the oviduct or collections within the cloaca might favor 
eversion or prolapse. Such indeed proves to be the case 
upon study of the records. There have been 13 cases 
of prolapse either of rectum or cloaca in ten orders of 
the 33 on exhibition, eight cases occurring in mammals 
and five in birds. In regard to the mammals there has 
been no one thing which stands out as a prominent 
cause. Three of the animals had enteritis and none was 
combined with parasites or tumors to favor a prolapse. 
Stones and parasites were present each once. In three 
instances the prolapse was entirely independent of de- 
monstrable causes. Birds on the other hand present a 
definite picture; two of the five cases had general en- 
teritis, one had uratic stones in the cloaca and three had 
trouble in egg laying; one had a broken egg, one too 
large an egg and one a salpingitis — all reasons for straining 
if not for a weakening of the anal muscle. This last 
factor and the lack of support to the perirectal tissues 
in the mammal are factors which are difficult to explain 
particularly in the cases without definite pathology to 
cause tenesmus. All that one can say, in the absence 
of a tumor demonstrable during life, is that enteritis in 
mammals and oviduct disease in birds are prominent 
predisposing factors. 
Dr. Corson-White contributes the following interest- 
ing cases: 
A Hamadryas Baboon, apparently' adult upon arrival, 
was in the collection two years and died of inanition and 
