ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 
11 
oldest one two and one-half years of age, and 
all the others calves in their first year. 
As soon as the whalers returned with their 
catch, we obtained an option on the entire lot, 
partly for the purpose of enabling other Ameri¬ 
can zoological gardens to obtain a share of the 
herd if they wished to do so. The New York 
Zoological Society acquired five, specimens, and 
the Philadelphia Zoological Society and the Na¬ 
tional Zoological Park at Washington each one 
pair. 
We are now advised that the government of 
Denmark, which owns Greenland, has prohibited 
the capture of any more musk-ox in Greenland 
until further notice. Because of this we are 
led to fear that when our animals have lived 
out their lives and disappeared we will have 
serious trouble in procuring other specimens 
from Ellesmere Land, which is practically the 
only other source of supply. While there are 
plenty of musk-ox on Melville Island, that is¬ 
land is so remote and inaccessible that it rarelv 
is visited bv persons who could capture musk-ox 
calves and bring them alive to the United 
States. 
The entire shipment of nine Ovibos wardl, 
familiarly known as the white-fronted musk-ox, 
arrived late in November and was quarantined 
at the Zoological Park. All the animals were in 
excellent condition and now are located in their 
permanent homes. It is a curious fact that the 
musk-ox lives far better in New York than the 
moose, caribou or Rocky Mountain sheep. Of 
the herd that was presented to us several years 
ago by Mr. Paul J. Rainey, the longevity record 
was excellent. The longest-lived individual lived 
here nearly eight years. W. T. H. 
DR. BLAIR’S NEW DUTIES 
On December 1, 1922, the Zoological Society 
appointed Dr. W. Reid Blair to the newly 
created position of Assistant to the Director of 
the Zoological Park. This appointment is 
necessary to the prompt handling of the ever- 
increasing business of the Director’s office. 
For twenty years—excepting two years of 
highly creditable service with the American 
Army in France, with the rank of Major,—Dr. 
Blair has served the Zoological Park as Veteri¬ 
narian. In the course of that service he has 
acquired a rare fund of knowledge of the wild 
animals of the world, and their needs in humane 
captivity. 
Dr. Blair is a graduate of McGill University, 
President of the New York State Veterinary 
Medical Association and Consulting Veterinar¬ 
ian to the New York Society for the Prevention 
of Cruelty to Animals. In the spring and sum¬ 
mer of 1922 he made, for the S. P. C. A., an 
extended European trip to inspect and report 
upon the newest and best abattoirs and abattoir 
methods, with a view to the amelioration of cer¬ 
tain objectionable conditions now prevailing in 
the United States, and now a quarter of a cen¬ 
tury behind the times! 
In addition to Dr. Blair’s new line of duties 
he will of course continue his work as Park 
Veterinarian. W • T. H. 
MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIETY 
The following persons were elected members of 
the Society, November 9, and December 14, 1922, by 
the Executive Committee: 
November 9, 1922 
Life 
C. R. Holmes John Hubbard 
Annual 
Russell S. Fowler, M.D. Mrs. Harry L. Hamlin 
Edward D. King Mrs. Wm. Howard Good 
George Gibbs P. Harnischfeger 
Franklin U. Gregory Alfred E. Loveland 
Mrs. J. M. Goetchius Ernest Ingersoll 
December 14, 1922 
Life 
Samuel Christopher Miss Isabel R. Cooper 
Annual 
Henry S. Bowers Miss Betty Hanson 
Leonard Robert Brightwell Edwin Phillips Kohl 
Frederick M. Godwin Robert Gordon McKay 
Harold N. Rust 
The General Endowment Account .—This is 
the most vulnerable point of the Society’s 
finances. Not only does it bear the burden of 
general expenses and the costs of all special 
work, but it must be used, also, to supplement 
annually the present inadequate Pension Fund. 
The meagerness of the General Endowment 
hampers the Society’s aims at every turn, and 
until it is greatly augmented there will be little 
opportunity for the Society to develop its useful¬ 
ness to the fullest extent. 
The remedy is an increase in the General En¬ 
dowment Account, and members of the Society 
are urgently requested to secure further bequests 
and donations to this fund, which amounted to 
$481,153.00 on January 1, 1923. 
Testamentari) Provision :—I do hereby give 
and bequeath to the New York Zoological So¬ 
ciety of the City of New York, * * * * * 
