UNIVERSITY MAINTAINS LARGE COLLECTION OF ANIMALS FOR RESEARCH

As part of the regular research and course work of the University, Harvard is maintaining hundreds of animals ranging from African bullfrogs and alligators, to gila monsters and South American raccoons.

The Psychology Department maintains a zoo on the top floor of Boylston Hall for the purpose of research into the nature of hunger and reactions of animals to various conditions of light and situation. About 200 rats, 15 cats and kittens, a pair of squirrels, and about 40 salamanders are regularly kept and a pair of monkeys were added last year to the collection. There is also a moth-eaten stuffed tiger whose tail is at present in the process of decay that was, according to one of the professors, rescued from the rubbish heap of the University Museum and is now used as a hat rack by the students.

Glass Jars and Cement Tubs

Over in the Biological Institute the instructors in Zoology are principally interested in small insects and the lowest forms of life. It is estimated that there are over two billion one-celled animals of various types kept by the Department in glass jars and long cement tubs. There are, however, 50 large mussels, 75 ordinary frogs and three African bullfrogs, 300 minnows, 500 gold flies, two crayfish, 50 leeches, 5000 tadpoles, 125 lizards of different kinds, about 100,000 worms of different varieties, 300 tropical fish, 300 mice, and 15 rats included in the collection.

Lots of Crawly Things Too

Under the University Museum, the same Department keeps a smaller collection consisting of 30 garter snakes, a boa constrictor, a copperhead, a dozen turtles, 10 tree frogs, a pair of chamma which is a type of Oriental fish, a newt, a crayfish, and a few frogs.

3000 Mice

The Physiology Department experiments almost entirely with rodents and keeps about 3000 mice and half as many rats besides seven rabbits, three cats and seven guinea pigs.

In the Fatigue Laboratory of the Business School, the experimenters have on hand 16 gila monsters, three dogs, two cats, five rabbits and a hen.

It is in the Medical School that the greatest number of animals is kept. Some of the doctors get their own specimens for special experiments, but the majority is cared for in a special animal farm, that requires several attendants to operate. One doctor receives 1000 mice every week for pneumonia injections, while another doctor administers yellow fever germs to 25 monkeys each week. About 2500 pounds of horse meat is used each week as food for the animals.

Occasional Oppossums

In this zoo there are regularly 25 monkeys, 250 mice, 150 rats, 6 alligators, 45 frogs, three pigeons, a dozen garter snakes, 50 rabbits, 40 guinea pigs, 12 turtles and two or three dozen Louisiana bullfrogs. This supply is replaced about twice a week. There are also occasional specimens of oppossums, wodchucks, chimpanzees, special varieties of monkeys, canaries, raccoons, crayfish and sheep. Each winter the farmers of Wake-field and Reading, donate a hog for the study of diseases of swill-fed swine.

Gila Monsters Only $15

The prices paid for these animals naturally vary according to their comparative rarity and difficulty in handling. Mice cost $10 a hundred, alligators vary according to size from $2.50 to $4, and the supply companies do not carry a stock of alligators exceeding four feet in length. The gila monsters are priced at $15 each while a medium-sized chimpanzee costs between $500 and $600 depending on how "civilized" the animal may be. Monkeys range from four to seven dollars. Hens, ducks, etc. are all bought at regular market prices by the pound. Pigeons and turtles both range from a quarter to eighty-five cents and a Louisiana bullfrog costs a dollar. Oppossums are $4 a pair and copperheads are $3. Crayfish and snails both cost about a nickle each and salamanders are 25 cents each.