24 ANNUAL EEPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1925 



The attendance for the past year was the highest the National. 

 Zoological Park has even loiown, the number of visitors recorded 

 reaching a total of 2,518,265. 



During the year the animal warehouse, construction of which was 

 begun last year, was completed and put into service, a double bear 

 cage of steel was erected, and many minor repairs were made on old 

 buildings. In many instances these, even when carefully repaired, 

 are poorly adapted to the present needs of the park and should be 

 replaced by new ones that would not only safely and comfortably 

 house their inmates, but would also better accommodate the great 

 throngs of visitors to the collections. The buildings most urgently 

 needed are a house for birds and one for reptiles. 



ASTKOPHYSICAL OBSERVATOKY 



Much progress has been made during the year in the study of 

 the sun and its application to weather forecasting. Through the 

 generous assistance of Mr. John A. Roebling, the experimental fore- 

 casts by Mr. H. H. Claj'ton for the city of NeAV York, based on daily 

 telegraphic reports from the observing stations in Chile and Arizona, 

 mentioned in last year's report, were continued. Four papers have 

 been issued in the Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, reporting 

 in detail on the results of this work. While it is still largely experi- 

 mental, the forecasts have certainly indicated a moderate degree of 

 foreknowledge. A higher degree of accuracy in the solar measure- 

 ments upon which the forecasts are based will undoubtedly lead to 

 better results, and to this end the staff of the observatory is now 

 engaged in completely revising the methods of observing, measuring, 

 and recording the solar radiation. The station at Harqua Hala, 

 Ariz., has been removed to Table Mountain, Calif., to obtain better 

 atmospheric conditions and greater convenience of access. This 

 transfer was made possible through the aid of Mr. Roebling. 



The director occupied the Mount Wilson station during the sum- 

 mer and autumn of 1924. He continued work on the three projects 

 outlined in last year's report with the following results: The solar 

 cooker was greatly improved; measurements of atmospheric ozone 

 were made with the Fabry type of apparatus ; and new devices were 

 tried in stellar energy spectrum measurements which seem to open 

 the way for great advances in that line. 



INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC 

 LITERATURE 



Attention is again called to the urgent need of financial assistance 

 to enable the International Catalogue to resume publication of the 

 17 annual volumes which for so many years were depended on to 



