SECRETARY'S REPORT 141 



Cross to employees of the National Zoological Park who have donated 

 a gallon or more of blood to the blood-donor program. 



Six walkie-talkie sets were acquired to facilitate direct communica- 

 tion between headquarters and the officers on outside duty in the 

 Park. Two sets have been assigned to the animal department and 

 have proved very useful. 



The police, under the supervision of Private Adams, assisted Albert 

 Mindlin of the Management Office of the District of Columbia in 

 making the visitors' survey, as noted elsewhere in this report. 



In January 1963 the Federal Bureau of Investigation requested 

 from the division a monthly report on the number of arrests and 

 complaints, to be used by the FBI in its compilation of data on the 

 total crimes committed in the United States. 



A total of 92 truant children were picked up in the Park, and 

 appropriate action was taken by the division. The police found 311 

 lost children and returned them to their parents or chaperones. Eight- 

 een pairs of eyeglasses and sunglasses, found and unclaimed, were 

 sent to the Society for the Prevention of Blindness, and nine bags 

 of clothing and miscellaneous articles, found and unclaimed, were 

 turned over to Goodwill Industries. During the year 9,776 visitors 

 stopped at the police station requesting various types of information. 

 The first-aid station, at police headquarters, treated 69 severe cases 

 and 705 minor cases. 



The American Eed Cross Blood Bank received 67 pints of blood 

 from Zoo employees during the year. Total donations are now well 

 over 700 pints. 



MAINTENANCE, CONSTRUCTION, AND GROUNDS 



The mechanical division has the responsibility for the maintenance 

 and repair of the buildings and facilities of the National Zoological 

 Park. This responsibility is met by the heating and ventilating sec- 

 tion, and by the building section which, in addition to continuing 

 maintenance, constructed numerous new shelters, paddocks, and cages 

 for the animals exhibited. 



The renovations of the puma house and the main bear line were 

 completed. The interior dens at the puma house are now completely 

 rebuilt. Five partition walls at the bear line were rebuilt, using the 

 gunnite or sprayed concrete which proved so satisfactory during the 

 previous year. 



A new exhibit for gibbons was constructed in the area adjacent to the 

 lion house. The cage, 12 by 40 feet, provides two separate enclosures, 

 each large enough to allow space for the gymnastics of these animal 

 aerialists. 



