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the increase of the collection of bears, the importation of a choice lot of mammals from Japan, China, and the East Indies, and the purchase of a fine lot of mature North American mammals in Maine, the stocking of the Beaver Pond, and the starting of a collection of Wild Sheep and Goats.

Primates.-On December 22d the new Primates' House was opened to the public with 114 specimens, representing 42 species, gathered from a wide range of sources. The rarest, and in some respects the most wonderful specimens in the collection, are two gelada baboons of the largest size, and in very fine condition. So far as can be learned, these are the only specimens in captivity, and their acquisition was a piece of goodfortune. These specimens are native to Southern Abyssinia, but were found in Moscow, Russia, by the son of Carl Hagenbeck, and purchased by cable at a cost of $750. Of all the baboons, the gelada is the most wonderful in form and habit, and it is also one of the largest in size. Like most baboons, it is quite ferocious in disposition. Its heavy mane and body mantle of wavy dark-brown hair strongly resemble the hair on the shoulders of a musk-ox. Unlike other baboons, its nostrils are placed far back on the muzzle, and the endless grimaces of the animal are quite beyond description.

At one time during the past summer the collection of anthropoid apes contained five orang-utans and one chimpanzee. Several of the former were trained to eat at table in human fashion. During warm weather daily exhibitions of the largest specimen, " Rajah," were given in the open air before immense crowds of visitors. Unfortunately, in October there occurred among the apes an outbreak of septic ulcerative dysentery, caused by the presence of a deadly microscopic organism known as Balantidium coli, which caused the death of all the anthropoid apes except the female called "Sally." This animal has been in the Park for nearly two and a half years, and was cured of the dread disease which conquered her companions. Fortunately we have thus far succeeded in preventing the spread of this disease beyond the group of animals first attacked by it. Just how this deadly protozoan first reached our orang-utans remained for three months a complete mystery. A diligent microscopical search of all possible sources of immigration was finally rewarded by the startling discovery that the giant tortoises from the Galapagos Islands, exhibited during the summer in a yard surrounding the open-air cages of the apes, were swarming with Balantidii, but which had not caused the reptiles the least inconvenience. Since this discovery the giant tortoises have been most rigidly isolated. The health of the baboons, monkeys, and lemurs is excellent, in spite of the crowded condition in which they had to live prior to December 22d.

Believing that members of the Society will be interested in knowing fully the zoological value of the collection of primates on exhibition in the Primates' House on the opening day, the following list of species is offered:

PRIMATE COLLECTION.

List of Species Represented in the New York Zoological Park

White-Throated Sapajou...... Cebes hypoleucus . S. America

Bears. The collection of bears is rapidly increasing, both in number and in scientific interest. The efforts put forth to bring together a choice series of representative bears have been very well rewarded, and the present dens are now filled to overflowing. The first object has been to secure a fine series of American specimens of all species, and also to show all known variations of the American black bear, from jet black to the lightest brown "cinnamon." We next sought Old World species, with several gratifying results.

The two Kadiak bears, presented in 1899 by the Messrs. Niles, have thus far developed finely. The male has completely outgrown the Colorado grizzly of the same age, and although he is less than three years of age, with four years more in which to grow, he is already a very large bear. The coats of the two Kadiaks have now taken on the color and texture of adolescence, and the identity of these specimens as Ursus middendorffi may be considered as beyond doubt.

Mr. J. Alden Loring secured in Alaska two fine grizzly bear