26 DISEASE IN WILD MAMMALS AND BIRDS 
the neoplasms found at the Garden, discussion arose as 
to the effect of inbreeding, and thereafter some observa- 
tions were made in this direction. With the exception of 
the hyperplasias of the thyroid, not certainly of neo- 
plastic nature, in a much mixed-up family of wolves, we 
could find no evidence that inbreeding was responsible 
for tumors. Plimmer and Murray of London, seem to 
imply that some of their inbred animals are likely to have 
tumors ; reference to this matter will be made later in this 
book. In so far as diseases of the organic systems are 
concerning those of the bones seem to be the only ones in 
which inbreeding is significant. 
The individual resistance will be reduced of course by 
the unsanitary surroundings incident to trapping, ship- 
ping and storage, but this need not affect the figures or 
pathological tendencies of classes or orders. 
The effect of captivity is felt in another way. A very 
large percentage of wild life perishes during the first 
weeks or months after its capture, and in gardens the 
heaviest mortality occurs among the recent arrivals. The 
London Garden figures that from thirty-three per cent, to 
fifty per cent, of their total mortality is in animals that 
have not been in the garden six months and that die 
because they are not yet accustomed to their new sur- 
roundings. It seems to us, both from an academic 
and a practical standpoint, that this is a long 
time and should afford ample opportunity for the 
garden to study the specimen and for the specimen to 
become acclimated. These early deaths are perhaps 
to be ascribed in large part to failure of acclimatiza- 
tion but many are doubtless the result of infection 
acquired in the mid, in transit while in the hold of ves- 
sels, at quarantine, or in trains, or at the establishments 
of dealers. We have seen a few deaths which have fol- 
lowed behavior that might be hkened to homesickness. 
Perhaps the age at arrival has an influence upon the 
morbidity and mortality of wild animals, for it is easily 
