Wildlife Conservation Society Archives

WCS Archive

Located in the Bronx Zoo, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is home to the New York Zoological Park (now the Bronx Zoo) and the New York Zoological Society…

Includes something about Ruth to connect to LOC

Link to NYZS page

Found McAleenan in the NYZS Journal (Brooks there, too)

William Horniday, Madison Grant, Henry Fairfield Osborn…

William Holiday

Director William Holiday, hire from the National Zoo where he was the [title]… established the Camp Fire Club around the Park and Society’s founding.

Popular official guide to the New York Zoological Park

Harlow Brooks, a member of McAleenan’s hunting party and pathologist, was hired as one of the park’s for veterinarian

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Mention taxidermy – John Murgatroyd did it for them… member

John Murgatroyd

Art Gallery (mention Ruth and artists going on exhibitions)

In the belief that by encouraging the production and sale of paintings and statues of American wild animals, the New York Zoological Society can render the public an important service, the Society has resolved to at once take the first step in that direction. In the belief that America can produce animal painters who will equal in skill any who have ever lived,- provided they receive from art galleries and art patrons a proper amount of encouragement,-the Society will endeavor to stimulate work in certain lines in which scarcely anything is now produced. It proposes to afford our animal painters a series of special opportunities for placing their work before the public under favorable conditions, and to call the attention of art lovers and patrons to the fact that thus far American animals have not received a tithe of the attention which their number and their beauty really merit. (IMG_4148) Henry F. Osborn, 1897

In general, it is expected that works in competition will be judged with reference to the following qualities, which are placed about in the order of their importance:- (IMG_4150)

  • By general difficulty of subject chosen.
  • By drawing and anatomy.
  • By coloring.
  • By quality (or texture) of pelage, plumage or scales.
  • By life-likeness, or expression.
  • By composition.
  • By landscape, or surroundings.
  • By Scientific or zoological value.

Carl Rungis & NYZS collections to which McAleenan donated

Carl Rungis

Ota Benga

https://library.wcs.org/Archives.aspx

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Brooks

Brooks

Murgatroyd

New York Zoological Park

Indicative of conservation movement = taxidermy, paintings, photography – sent artists into the filed, including Ruth Brooks

Osborn’s letter to Grant about Brooks working for the NYZS IMG_5088; Brooks letter saying he is too busy IMG_5093, Hornaday is angry at Brooks for leaving, takes it personally

Brooks pushed for more money, Madison Grant letters, IMG_5076

Brooks mammal report to Grant, last one, IMG_5106

Parks relationship to photography IMG_5184, NYZS photographing policy – request to take own pictures = collecting/capture IMG_5176 / people bringing cameras IMG_5181

Campfire Club