June 3, 1968 
Messrs. John Seago and D. Anthony Parkinson 
c/o Barclay's Bank 
P.O. Box 30011 
Nairobi, Kenya 
Gentlemen: 
Based upon your past reputation of delivering various 
wild animals in excellent physical condition and completely 
acclimatized to captivity, and based upon your reputation 
of not only human but loving care of the animals committed 
to your charge, the National Zoological Park, which is a 
Bureau of the Smithsonian Institution, hereby authorizes 
you to act as its agent in the matter of arranging for field 
studies of the Bongo (Boocerus eurycerus) leading to the 
capture of three individuals--a male and two females. 
You are authorized to secure from the Government proper 
official permission for this activity in our name. 
The National Zoological Park has received a financial 
grant from the National Geographic Society of Washington, 
D. C., to assist in this project. It is our desire, with 
your assistance, to briefly study the ecology of the Bongo, 
particularly its feeding habits in the wild, so that we will 
Se more assured successful captive maintenance and eventual 
breeding. aces 
The National Zoological Park is the official repository 
for all gifts of animals to this nation. It maintains an in- 
ventory of over 1,000 species and over 3,000 individuals. 
The National Zoological Park is visited by over four million 
visitors annually from all parts of the United States and 
many foreign lands. The animals are precisely labeled as to 
their country of origin, and much information is given to 
the visitors concerning the animals. 
