110 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 192 8 



buildings and other slielters, the majority of which are of a cheap and tem- 

 porary cliaracter, and sooner or later must be replaced. (Report of June 30, 

 1906.) 



It should be remembered that at the inception of the park the funds pro- 

 vided for buildings and improvements were entirely inadequate for its proper 

 equipment and that consequently the management was forced to construct cheap, 

 temporary shelters, roads, walks, and indosures. These have now arrived at 

 about their limit of usefulness and do not admit of further economical repair. 

 (Report of June 30, 1909.) 



The buildings mentioned in the above reports are still being used. 



For more than 20 years earnest, but at the same time modest, 

 appeals have been made in each annual report for adequate housing 

 of the animals. Our buildings have been for years a source of most 

 unfavorable comment on the part of visitors. While other zoos 

 throughout the United States have been improving and enlarging, 

 the National Zoological Park, with the exception of the bird house, 

 has been able to do almost nothing in the way of construction, so 

 that at present, in comparison with a half dozen other American 

 zoos, our equipment is extremely shabby. It is impossible to main- 

 tain the collection at its present status if this condition is ignored. 

 The fine new bird house just completed is an indication of the condi- 

 tions that should be provided for other animals. 



To house a collection of animals properly, suitable buildings are 

 needed, and the following building program is presented. This pro- 

 gram is limited to strictly essential buildings : 



1. Exhibition house for reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, with 



proper heating and lighting apparatus (based on cost of recent rep- 

 tile houses elsewhere) $220,000 



2. Ape, lemur, and small mammal house — this to house the collection of 



small mammals of the world and to have a wing for the great apes- 150, 000 



3. Pachyderm house — this to include also quarters for giraffe 250,000 



4. To make permanent one wing of the carnivore house and to remodel 



the one wing which is of sufficient value to repair 1(X), 000 



5. Antelope, buffalo, and wild-cattle house 100, 000 



6. To add wing to bird house and develop areas about with open-air 



aviaries, pheasant and game-bird runs 100, 000 



7. A proper fence around the park (a high iron fence on a concrete 



base) 85, 000 



The above items are most necessary. To these sliould be added : 



8. Open, barless exhibition quarters for bears, lions, and tigers. Such 



exhibitions are most popular and some of the newer zoological 

 parks are specializing in them. It is our desire to have only a lim- 

 ited number of these 80, 000 



9. Monkey pit — a barless, open village for monkeys 10,000 



Respectfully submitted. 



W. M. Mann, Director. 



Dr. Charles G. Abbot, 



Secretary^ Smithsonian Institution. 



