The Annual Meeting and Dinner of the Boone and Crockett Club was held in
the Union Club, New York City, at half past seven on the evening of Wednesday, December sixteenth, 1936.
The meeting was called to order by the President, Mr. Madison Grant.
The minutes of the previous Annual Meeting were read by the Secretary and on motion duly made and seconded were approved.
There were present the following members of the Club:
Roy Chapman Andrews •
H. E. Anthony William N. Beach William B. Bristow Charles M. B. Cadwalader W. Douglas Burden Benjamin Chew Harold J. Coolidge Francis T. Colby C. Arthur Comstock W. Redmond Cross C. ^uydam Cutting W. Reid Blair Arthur W. Siting Alfred Ely F. Trubee Davison Richard Derby Fairman R. Dick Stanley Field Oliver D. Filley Albert K. Fisher Childs Frick DeForest Grant H. 6. Gray Chauncey J. Hamlin
E. Roland Harriman Robert C. Hill Evan Hollister
John P. Holman John K. Howard Norman James Alexander Lambert Townsend Lawrence
E. Hubert Litchfield Percy C. Madeira Charles G. Mixter
A. Perry Osborn Samuel E. Peabody T. Gilbert Pearson John C. Phillips John Rogers A. B. Roosevelt Kermit Roosevelt Carl Rungius Dean Sage, Jr.
William Sheldon Sasha Siemel.
Henry L. Stimson Witmer Stone William Lord Smith Charles H. Townsend Frederic C. Walcott
F. Carrington Weems William Fitzhugh Whitehouse C. V. Whitney
Oliver Wolcott
The following geqy.^m^n4’attended $s guests:
Richard Borden Henry Field William P. Harris Clarence Hay Duncan Hodson
Edward House Martin Johnson Robert T. Moore Stanley P. Young
The Secretary reported that during the past year 'there had been four deaths
among the Regular Members, Mr. Robert T. Emmet, Dr. Lewis R. Morris, Colonel
Mr.
Lewis S. Thompson, and/Harry Whitney.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
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Among the Associate Members there also had been four deaths, Dr. William
L. Abbott, Mr. James Barnes, Mr. Truxton Beale and Mr. John Hays Hammond.
There were elected to Regular Membership during the year Mr. John M. Phillips and Mr. F. Carrington Weems.
To Associate Membership Mr. Sasha Siemel and Mr. Witmer Stone were elected. Mr• Harold Coolidge was then asked to give a report on the work done by the International Wild Life Protection Committee. A copy of the report is attached hereto.
Mr. Alfred Ely next reported that work was going forward on the second edition of the "Records of North American Big Game", and that he expected
to have it out before the next Annual Meeting.
The Auditing Committee consisting of Messrs. Henry G. Gray and E. Hubert Litchfield next submitted their report. On motion duly made and seconded, this report was accepted and ordered filed with the minutes.
The Nominating Committee consisting of Messrs. Alfred Ely, Henry G. Gray and Dr. Alexander >6aiibert submitted the following names to be voted upon by the Club as officers for the ensuing year:
President - Madison Grant Secretary - Kerinit Roosevelt
First Vice Presidents Treasurer - W. Redmond Cross '
W. Douglas Burden
C. Suydam Cutting Executive Committee Class 1939
E. Hubert Litchfield R. R. M. Carpenter
Brooke Dolan
Vice Presidents Class 1939 Duncan S. Ellsworth
J. N. Darling Henry L. ^timson
The President called for additional nominations and none being forthcoming, the Club voted on those submitted by the Nominating Committee. They were unanimously elected and the Secretary was authorized to cast one ballot in the name of the Club.
There being no further business to be brought forward, the President adjourned the meeting for dinner.
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Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
After dinner Mr. Martin Johnson showed some of the moving pictures which he had recently taken in Borneo. These the members thought were entirely up to the very high standard which he has set for himself.
Mr. Sasha Siemel next showed some pictures of jaguar hunting in Brazil and told the members some of the instances which had occurred during this last Summer in the hunting field.
Mr. Stanley Young, Chief, Division of Game Management, of the Bureau of Biological Survey, then showed the members of the Club some moving pictures of game on the Sheldon Antelope Sanctuary, and gave a most satisfactory account of the progress that is being made on the refuge.
Mr. Henry Field closed the evening with an extremely interesting account of his work in Arabia and Mesopotamia. At the termination of this talk the meeting was declared adjourned.
Secretary.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
For the Boone and Crockett Club
AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR INTERNATIONAL WILD LIFE PROTECTION
December 16, 1936,
This Annual Meeting marks the close of seven years in the active life of the American Committee. We have brought out one publication during the past year. This is Number 8 of our Special Publications, a seventy-three page English translation of a valuable report on nature protection in the Netherlands Indies which was published by our sister society in Holland, The Nederlandsche Commissie voor Internationale Natuurbescherming. This Dutch Committee was founded in 1925 and has made an important contribution in promoting Nature Protection by educational work under tho active loadership of our warm friend Mr * Peter G. Van Tienhoven. The report has been widely distributed and, we feel, has aroused a considerable degree of appreciation of the efforts that are being made to preserve the fauna and flora of the East Indies. These efforts have been greatly stimulated by the activity of the Netherlands Indian Society for the Protection of Nature, in Java, and the active interest of Dr. K. W. Dammerman.
Both the Chairman and tho Secretary of the American Committee have devoted a large part of their time to the correspondence of our office during the past year. Wo both attended the North American Game Conference in February where there was an opportunity to discuss problems of mutual Interest with Mr. Iloyes Lloyd of Canada and Senor Juan Zinser of Mexico. At the time of this Conference the signing of the Migratory'Bird Treaty with Mexico was announced. This Treaty is, in substance, very similar to the one which we now have with Canada and marks an important step in forwarding wild life protection by international agreement. We also had several meetings with George Wright, tho head of the Wild Life Resotirces Division of the National Park Service. He took a lively interest in our plans and discussed with us a cooperative study of the National Parks of the World in which he was to have taken an important part. He said that his first listing of the species to be found in one of our National Parjcs was prepared at the request of our Committee when we wore answering a call for this information from a foreign government. Less than a month after the Conference George Wright and Roger W. Toll, the superintendent of Yellowstone National'Park, were tragically killed in an automobile accident near Deming, Now Mexico. At the time they were members of a commission to study the possibilities of international parks and wild life refuges along the Mexico United States border.
The Secretary made a report to the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists which took place in Philadelphia in May, on the work of the Committee during the previous year.
Chairman Dr. Phillips made a brief visit to England, Holland, Belgium and France during May and June, principally in the interest of International Wild Life Protection, and during the course of his trip he visited the properties of the British National Trust which has achieved such noteworthy results in preserving places of natural beauty and historic Interest. He also visited the Duke of Bedford‘*s estate, Woburn Abbey, where the Pdre David deer herd and the European bison are doing well. He had conferences with Lord Onslow, Professor Julian Huxley, and Mr. Kobley the Secretary of the Fauna Society to which we contributed §250 for the year 1936. He attended the meeting
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
* of a Sub-Committee of the British Section of the International Committee for Bird Protection. He spent three days with Mr. Van Tienhoven in Amsterdam and learned the method of operation of the Dutch Society. He visited the International Office at Brussels to which our Committee contributed §500 during the past year, and had interviews with Dr. Graim, the Secretary and with Dr. Van Straelen, the Director of the Institute that controls the Parks in Belgian Congo. He also visited Mr. Delacour in France, and called on Mr. Ducrocq, the President of the Conseil International de la Chasse. Mr. Delacour has recently^ been in this country and made a brief visit to our office in^Cambridge. He is a well-known French ornithologist and is extremely active in promoting measures for international bird protection. Other visitors to our office during the year have been Major Kenneth Hadow^who lives in Kashmir and who expressed a keen interest in the protection of disappearing fauna of that area; and Dr. Boschma, Director of the Royal Natural History Museum at Leyden, who kindly translated for us some Dutch reports dealing with wild life protection in the Netherlands Indies. Count and Countess della Gherardosca whom Dr. Barbour met on his way to South Africa visited the office and expressed great ihterest in the developing of Italy*s conservation program for the protection of rare species in Abyssinia* Another visitor was Mr* Theodore Hubback, Honorary Game Warden of Malaya, who has devoted many years of his life to the sttidy of the best methods of wild life conservation in this important region. We have recently received for distribution a splendid paper on "Principles of Wild Life Conservation” which Me. Hubback prepared for the London "Game and Gun". This pamphlet calls attention to the critical state of the wild life in many of the British Colonies and Dependencies, and suggests a practical and well tried method of financing conservation measureby means of direct and indirect revenue received from the exploiting of wild life resources. Income from; Game and Arms Licenses, duties on arms and cartridges, fines, and sale of confiscated trophies should all be credited to the department for the conservation of wild life.
He describes as a glowing example the success of this policy in our -state of Pennsylvania. This pamphlet*s illustrations are unique photographs of the wild seladang taken by the author in the Malay Forest.
The World Wide Broadcasting Foundation, operating an endowed educational station, W1XAL,has offered the Committee a chance to broadcast over their ultra short wave unit which can be heard in all parts of the world. The first broadcast will be a -general account of International Wild Life Protection by the Secretary at 5:45 on Sunday, January 3rd, the second will be at 5:30 on Sunday, January 24th, by Dr. Thomas Barbour on the subject of Wild Life Conservation in South Africa.
For six and a half months Mr. Francis Harper, formerly with Biological Abstracts, has been working intensely on the problem of preparing a list of the recently extinct and vanishing mammals of the world, using the valuable library of The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He has prepared overlfiLCO cards with information on these species. He still has several months more work before the final list of perhaps 350 forms can be completed. The Committee proposes to make wide use of this report in the recommendation of areas which should be set aside as fu.ture reserves and national parks throughout the world.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
The Secretary of the American Committee will make a survey of National Parks and Game Reserves in Java and Sumatra during July and August, 1937. He will prepare a report on wild life conservation in the Netherlands Indies with special reference to measures for the protection of such fast disappearing species as the Rhinoceros sondaicus and the Sumatran orangutan. He hopes to attend the Pan Asiatic Convention for the Protection of the Fauna and Flora of the Pacific Area which i3 scheduled to meet in London in October 1937.
His visit to Java and Sumatra is to be made in cooperation with the Netherlands Committee for the International Protection of Nature, and the Netherlands Indian Society for the Protection of Nature, and financed by a special grant from the Bureau of International Research of Harvard University and Radcliffe College.
During the past year we are pleased to report that the London Convention for the Protection of African Fauna and Flora received its fifth ratification in that of South Africa, and we hope for further ratifications in the near future by France and Italy.
We have received a copy of the regulations that give effect to the Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, and the Whaling Treaty Act as far as the United States waters and vessels are concerned.
This is an important measure for the preservation of Right Whales, young whales, and females with young.
There has been a further Mandate of the Republic of Ecuador concerned with preservation of fauna in the Galapagos Islands. This second decree is dated May 14th, 1936, and appears to be a sort of enabling act to the first decree. Article 74 of the first decree mentions certain Galapagos Islands which might be set aside for an unlimited period of time as reserves or National Parks for the complete protection of fauna and flora fotmd there. This subsequent decree" definitely establishes these parks and reserves and further provides for a provisional Committee to recommend the formation of a Board of Directors to further scientific investigation on these Islands and set up field stations or laboratories for the purpose of 'such investigations. This decree is important as an official recognition by the Ecuadorian Government of the need of protecting the fauna of the Galapagos for the benefit of scientific investigation and the preservation of rare species.
It is always of interest when new reports come in as to the whereabouts of vanishing species* The Monk Seal, formerly abundant in the Caribbean is probably on the verge of extinction. We recently received a letter from Mr. Francis Taylor of the Warren Fish Company in Pensacola telling of his understanding that they are still to be found on a single island in the Gulf of Mexico.
We have been investigating efforts to farm the Chinchilla in South America and in this country. This has broiight to light many interesting facts about this unique furbearer and the way it is exploited.
The Committee continues to receive reports on the Musk-ox. Cap-* tain Bob Bartlett, who spent last summer on the East Coast of Greenland reports two or three small herds near the water in Musk-ox Fiord*
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
In Ice Fiord lie saw seven cows and young bulls, further up three more bulls. Captain Bob did not find that there was a scarcity of calves. The U. S. Biological Survey has placed the 31 animals m their Alaskan herd of Greenland Musk-ox on Nunivak Island, having tested this location with four animals last year.
We have two recent reports on the Dugong (Halicore dugong) in Japanese and Formosan waters where it is extremely rare. There are authentic reports of specimens caught by fishermen off the^west coast of Formosa in 1931, The Government of Formosa, on the ^ advice of the Commission for the Preservation of Natural Monuments, intends to forbid the capture of this animal or the disturbance of its resorts-.
An unusually interesting report has been prepared by Professor George Graft Wilson and Sir John Fischer Williams for the Institute of International Law, dealing with the development of international action in the conservation of the resources of the sea* This report, it is hoped, will shortly be published.
Thanks to the efforts of Mr. James L. Clark of our Advisory Beard and Mr. Quincy F. Roberts, our Consul in Saigon, we have^a complete set of the Indo — China Game Laws, both in French and English.
It is surprising that there should be so few reserves of any kind in Indo-China outside of the province of Tonkin. There^is one near Dalat in Annam, established in 1933, which is primarily for the preservation of the Eld*s Deer. It is estimated that there are from 2000 to 5000 of this species in the reserve. Mr. Clark suggests in his report the possibility of setting aside as a game sanctuary an area in Annam which is at a place called Cioba. This area has never been'hunted by a non-resident, and probably contains the water buffalo, hog deer, banting, gaur, elephant, tiger, leopard, wild pig, barking deer, sambur and lesser game. He reports that in spite of loose shooting by Frenchmen and natives, the game generally, with the exception of the buffalo is holding its own very well. The sambur, hog deer, and Eld*s deer, whose horns in the velvet are valu.ed as Chinese medicine, are very much shot and probably in some danger of extinction for this reason. In Mr. ClarkTs report he refers to the Sondaicus Rhinoceros which may survive in remote parts of Indc-China in greater numbers than has been suspected in recent years. The Chinese will pay 2500 piastres (^1500) for a single animal. This explains why the Sondaicus is so rare. to. Clark concludes his valuable report by the statement that there seem to be ,rplenty of laws regarding the game and its protection but there are no game wardens and as you know the French are not interested in game and its protection”.
The Rhinoceros unicornis continues to be killed for the value of. its horn and blood. It used to be common along the foot of the Himalayas from the Punjab eastwards. It now survives in a few places in Nepal, Northern Bengal and Assam. We have called to the attention of the Maharajah of Nepal the importance of protecting this species.
He has recently written that every effort is being made to save the species from becoming extinct particularly from the depredation caused by poachers. He says that the number of rhinos at present in his reserve may be estimated at about one hundred.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
Outside of Sidney, Australia, Mr# Noel Burnet has been conducting biological researches on the Koala# He has established a Park and has been most successful in raising this "native bear" which has been exterminated for its fur in many parts of its former range. There are some fears for its survival in a wild state# Burnet has done much to popularize this helpless marsupial but unfortunately, he now finds himself in financial difficulties and has sent out an appeal for funds to keep his park in operation#
Dr. Oscar De Beaux of the Genoa Museum has prepared a most interesting report on the Nubian Ibex in Italian Eritrea. He has recommended to his Government the absolute protection of this Ibex and also of the Aard wolf, the Ant Eater, and the Dugong in Eritrea; in Somaliland the Aard wolf, the Ant Eater, the Dibatag, the Alip- springer, and a pectinator rodent; in Libya the Desert Antelope (Gazella leptoceros), the Ammotragus, and the Addax.
We have been most concerned over the fate of the last two surviving herds of Mountain Zebra in Africa. For the^past two years we have cooperated with colleagues of associated societies in South Africa in efforts to get the range of one or both of these herds set-aside'as a permanent park, similar to the Bontebok Reserve. Dr. Phillips, our Chairman, wrote a long article that was featured in the Capetown otar and we received those appreciative words from the Secretary of the Y/ild Life Protection Society of South Africa:
"I was extremely pleased to read your letter in the "Star" last week. I enclose a cutting herewith.
The position regarding the sanctuary for Mountain Zebra is somewhat improved and I hope that your letter, of which full use will be made by my Society, will settle the
question once and for all.
We are most grateful for your assistance in our campaign on behalf of tho Mountain Zebra and hope with you that it will have the desired effect."
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This was soon followed by the following letter from the Secretary of the National Parks Board:
"I thank you for your very nice letter of the 17th ultimo, and in reply have great pleasure in advising that your Association's interest in the preservation of Mountain Zebra is sincerely appreciated by my Board.
It will no doubt be welcome news to you to learn that my Board's efforts to acquire the Mountain Zebra will in all probability be realized in tho near future.
We have as a matter of fact obtained options to purchase the land on which the zebras are found, and only today I was privileged to discuss this matter with the Minister of Lands who feels confident that the acquisition of the Mountain Zebra Park will be a fait accompli shortly.
Thanking you again for your great interest in our work.'
Another African tragedy that might be averted is the extinction of the Cape Hartebeest (Alcelaphus caama). According to two reliable sources there were twenty-two left on the farm of Messrs. Moe Brothers who do everything possible to protect them from the blood lust of
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
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■ neighboring fanners and'the attacks of dogs owned by the natives.
This was in New Hanover, Natal, in 1934. New Hanover is in the Drakensberg and this remnant is apparently the only remaining herd of the true southern form of the Cape Hartebeest. Vfe do hope that our friends in South Africa will make every effort to save these surviving animals.
In Switzerland the Federal Inspector of Forests, Hunting and Fishing at Berne reports that a total of close to 380 Ibex (Capra ibex) have been reintroduced at various places since 1911. This reestablishes a species which disappeared from the Alps. The Ibex is absolutely protected from hunting or capture by Federal Law.
In southern Austria the numbers of chamois are reported officially as not in danger in the Austrian Reserves, in spite of a yearly hunt of six or seven thousand head. The dreaded scabies has appeared in some of the reservations and as yet no method of controlling it has been evolved other than that of the complete destruction of the bodies of the infected animals. "There is no ground for the reports of the extinction or the danger of extinction of the Austrian chamois."
Wo have been furnished with some reports on the status of the Barbary Stag in Algeria by Mr. Delacour. We also have a recent report from our Consul in Tunis who states that "It Is believed that there
I are about 50 of these deer in Tunisia and that they are all found in the extreme northwostern part of the country in the region of Tabarka and Ain Draham, near the Algerian frontier. The hunting of the red deer is forbidden at all times of the year in Tunisia but the Direc- tour du Service des Forets is of the opinion that there is no such prohibition in Algeria."
A problem of international importance is that of oil pollution.
. Conferences have been held, much propaganda literature has been circulated, but little definite progress has been made. We were pleased to hear recently from the Department of State that "The League of Nations has under consideration the convening of an international conference which would have as its purpose the drawing of an international convention looking to the abatement or eradication of the pollution problem through international cooperation. This Government has indicated to the League that it is prepared to. participate in a conference on this subject, and it is expected that the League will call such a conference sometime in the near future".
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Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
This Secretaryrs report touches briefly on some of the matters that come to the attention of the Office of the American Committees Like the previous reports it is in some measure a news bulletin rather than a simple catalogue of our activities during the past year. The response of friends of the Committee to the extra appeal for the support of the work on vanishing species being carried out by Francis Harper has been most gratifying, and we wish at this time to especially thank the organizations and individuals who will, we hope, continue to contribute towards this work and the inevitable expenses of ou.r Office Budget. Only by such support can v/e continue ever more actively our efforts to save for future generations the rapidly disappearing species of the world1s fauna and flora.
Respectfully submitted,
H. J. Coolidge, Jr. Executive Secretary
E)CECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
John C. Phillips, Chairman Thomas Barbour Charles M. B. Cadwalader Kermit Roosevelt Arthur S. Vernay Alexander Wetmoro
Harold J. Coolidge, Jr., Secretary
Frederick R. Burnham
James L. Clark
Rodolphe M, de Schauensee
Stanley Field
Frank B. Foster
Childs Frick
Madison Grant
Joseph Grinnell '
William P. Harris, Jr.
.Edward House
Edward I.Iallinckrodt, Jr.
John T . Me C ut che o n Robert T. Moore
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB
REPORT OF THE TREASURER
December 1, 1966.
To the Members of the Boone and Crockett Club:
I have the honor to report the following receipts and disbursements
for the twelve months1 period from December 1,1965, to December 1,1966:
CASE BALANCE December 1, 1965 ............................ $ 2,686.40
RECEAInPnTuSa:l Dinner and Luncheon . ............$ 709.50
Dues and Initiation F e e s ............... 1,010.00
Book Royalties........................ 92.40
Bond Interest .......................... 480.00
Stock Dividend.............. 80.00
Big Game Records Fund:
Sale of book le t ....... $ 9.06
Contributions .......... 6200.00 6,209.06
National Association Audubon Societies
(toward plaque for Sheldon Antelope Refuge) 68.00 5,618.96,
Total December 1, 1966 ................................$ 8,602.66
DISABnURnSuEaMlE NDTiSn:ner ........................... $ 486.41
Treasurer!s Office Expenses ........... 136.42
SecretaryTs Office Expenses ........... 264.92
Year Books.......................... 201.50
International Wild Life Protection
Committee ........................... 500.00
Purchase 40 shs Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe stock...................... 6,056.60
Safe Deposit B o x ...................... 6.60
Big Game Records F u n d ................. 1,527.68
Bronze Plaque for Sheldon Antelope Refuge 76.00 6,226.15_
BANK BALANCE December 1, 1966............................. ^ $ 2,079.20
CAPITAL ACCOUNT
$2000 Harlem River & Portchester 1st Mortgage 4%
Fifty Year Gold Bonds due 1954
$4000 Colorado Fuel & Iron General Mortgage 5%
Sinking Fund Gold Bonds due 1946
$4000 New York Central Convertible 6Ts due 1944
40 shs Atchison,Topeka & Santa Fe Common Stock
Auditing Committee:
Respe
reas
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
Boone and Crockett Club Records
