ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 
71 
types of board labels. These are of a wood 
calculated to best withstand the weather and 
hold the paint. They are braced against warp¬ 
ing by shallow steel channels at the rear. There 
is a general renewal of outdoor labels each 
spring, and in the mammal department alone 
this amounts to several hundred at a time. A 
gradual renewal all over the Park takes place 
through the year. We have conducted many 
experiments with different types of varnish to 
produce the most durable results. Apart from 
the mechanical work upon the labels, the data 
composing them is prepared with great care. 
This is made as interesting as possible from the 
visitor’s point of view. Some of our labels 
contain as much as two hundred words. Statis¬ 
tics, scientific data, locality of capture, date of 
birth, and interesting characteristics of ana¬ 
tomy, growth and habits are all considered in 
the preparation of labels. Besides the labels 
we display many charts and maps, a number 
of the latter tinted to show distribution. The 
maps are frequently renewed owing to the 
dampness from watering the decorative plants in 
buildings, or seepage of hay dust through the 
frames in buildings where hoofed animals are 
quartered. 
Southern Reptiles .—A particularly valuable 
series of southern reptiles was recently pre¬ 
sented to the Society by Mr. Arthur L. Gillam. 
These were captured in Florida, where Mr. 
Gillam has several times hunted and studied the 
habits of snakes. Among the snakes was a 
batch of the largest water moccasins that the 
writer has ever examined. There were over 
two dozen of these savage reptiles. Twelve 
large diamond-back rattlesnakes were collected, 
besides a number of species of harmless ser¬ 
pents. Owing to the difficulty of finding cages 
enough to properly quarter and feed this ex¬ 
tensive series, we suggested to Mr. Gillam that 
some of the specimens be donated to associated 
institutions and division was subsequently made 
among the zoological gardens maintaining rep¬ 
tile exhibitions, namely at Philadelphia, Mem¬ 
phis and San Diego. 
Wichita Bison .—As an addition to our bison 
herd, where a number of the specimens are be¬ 
coming quite old, we recently received six fine 
young animals from the government herd in 
Oklahoma. This herd was originally established 
by the Society through the presentation of fif¬ 
teen of the finest members of its Zoological Park 
herd and the shipment of these animals to the 
great range in Oklahoma, now known as the 
Wichita National Bison Range. Our new speci¬ 
mens were received through the courtesy of the 
United States Department of Agriculture. The 
status of the American bison now seems to be 
assured. A census for the United States and 
Canada in 1918 showed a total of over six thou¬ 
sand pure-blooded bison, captive and wild. 
The census for 1922 shows a total of over 
eleven thousand bison in the same areas. 
Nero Arrivals .—Important animals are fre¬ 
quently arriving this spring. Most noteworthy 
among rare and valuable arrivals is a female In¬ 
dian rhinoceros, collected for the Society by Mr. 
Frank H. Buck, in Nepal, northern India. This 
animal is about three years old. An exception¬ 
ally handsome male Bengal tiger was recently 
installed at the Lion House. Among other ar¬ 
rivals are an Indian mouse deer, a Siberian 
camel and a Mongolian hedgehog. The latter 
rare animal is the gift of Mrs. J. B. Shackel¬ 
ford. 
Cool Spring affects Reptiles .—This has been 
an unusual spring, with abnormally cold nights 
and backward vegetation. The Curator of Rep¬ 
tiles has noted much that is interesting and 
disappointing on his early collecting trips, 
which were largely unsuccessful as regards the 
capture of specimens. Visits to the snake dens 
in the Berkshires at the same dates when in 
past seasons we have captured large numbers 
of reptiles yielded meagre results. A few 
rattlers and copperheads were observed here 
and there, yet indications pointed to the snakes 
scattering as usual, though keeping well shel¬ 
tered in leaving the ledges. We have since been 
unable to note evidences of the serpents remain¬ 
ing near the hibernating crevices later than 
usual. In moving away, however, they are fol¬ 
lowing shattered masses of rock affording deep 
shelter rather than the usual thin, shelving 
formation which is accessible to the collector. 
One curious thing we noted was the retarding 
effect of the cold nights on masses of frogs’ eggs. 
Some of these had been killed in the process and 
were strikingly distinct in the water as opales¬ 
cent masses—a hue which indicates that de¬ 
velopment has ceased. 
Sales of Animals .—We have made a record 
this spring in the sale and shipment of dupli¬ 
cate hoofed animals. Among the animals crated 
and shipped to various parts of the country were 
a large bull yak, a zebra, nineteen deer of sev¬ 
eral species and several Himalayan tahr. On 
one occasion we crated and shipped sixteen deer 
in a single day. It requires great care and plan¬ 
ning to crate without injury any of the deer 
species, owing to their being excessively nervous 
