126 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1955 



partment, who has frequently been called upon to clear shipments of 

 animals coming from abroad. This he has done, often at great per- 

 sonal inconvenience, and the animals have been forwarded to Wash- 

 ington without the loss of a single specimen. 



For several years past the Zoo has been given, or has been able to 

 buy at greatly reduced prices, considerable quantities of food ma- 

 terials such as rice, flour, beans, and canned and packaged foods that 

 had been condemned by the courts as unsuitable for human consump- 

 tion. But this year almost no material of this type was made avail- 

 able and the lack has been reflected in the additional expenditures 

 necessary for the purchase of food for the animals. 



The National Institutes of Health, the Army Medical Center, the 

 Navy Medical Center, and the Nutritional Laboratory of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture gave the Zoo mice, rats, guinea-pigs, rabbits, and 

 other animals no longer suitable for their purposes. These are valu- 

 able food for many animals. 



The Poultry Division of the Department of Agriculture gave a 

 considerable number of day-old chicks that were hatched in connec- 

 tion with certain of their experiments. These are a highly desirable 

 addition to the diet of many animals. 



Samuel M. Poiley, associate chief of the Animal Production Sec- 

 tion, National Institutes of Health, continued to supply sui'plus lab- 

 oratory animals and some that were raised for laboratory purposes, 

 which were desirable additions to the exhibition collection. 



NEEDS OF THE ZOO 



Replacement of antiquated structures that have long since ceased 

 to be suitable for the purposes for which they are used is still the 

 principal need of the Zoo. Urgently required are : 



A building to house antelopes and otlier medium-sized hoofed ani- 

 mals that require a heated building. 



A new administration building to replace the 150-year-old historic 

 landmark that is still in use as an office building but that is neither 

 suitably located nor well adapted for the purpose. 



A fireproof service building for receiving shipments of animals, 

 quarantining them, and caring for those in ill health or those that 

 cannot be placed on exhibition. 



A new ventilating system for the bird house. 



Lesser items of equipment that are needed are a vacuum pump for 

 more efficient and economical operation of the heating system in the 

 reptile house ; a band saw to replace one that is more than 40 years 

 old ; and an air compressor for general use about the Park. 



The enclosures and pools for beavers, otters, seals, and nutrias, in 

 the ravine, need to be reconstructed. Owing to lack of funds for up- 



