REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 91 



facilitated by the cooperation of the Department of Asriculture, 

 Bureau of Plant Industry, in lending a power spray. Before 1947 

 the Zoo has each year received numerous reports of ivy poisoning in 

 the Park, but up to midsummer of 1947 no cases have been reported. 



NEEDS or THE ZOO 



A Email addition to the personnel is needed to enable the Zoo to 

 carry on the work in an efficient manner and permit employees to take 

 the leave to which they are legally entitled. The Zoo has been under- 

 manned throughout the entire period of its existence, and with the 

 adoption of the 40-hour week, the situation has become particularly 

 acute. 



As the years go by the need becomes more pressing for new buildings 

 to replace antiquated, dilapidated structures that are still used to 

 house animals. Preliminary plamiing has been taken up with the 

 Public Works Administration for construction of these buildings 

 when economic conditions justify. 



The condition of the Administration Building, which is now about 

 142 years old and has had no major improvements or rehabilitation 

 for many years, is such that it cannot be kept in presentable condition, 

 and the excessive dampness is injurious to equipment, records, photo- 

 graphs, negatives, and books, as well as to the health of the employees 

 who work in the building. 



VISITORS 



Before the war the attendance at the Park was much greater on 

 Saturdays and Sundays than on the earlier days of the week. Since 

 the war there has been a surprisingly uniform attendance throughout 

 the week, even Monday and Tuesday consistently showing good 

 attendance. Throughout the year it was noticeable that there was a 

 consistent increased attendance of visitors over the previous year, the 

 final tabulation showing an increase for the year of 358,341. 



ESTIMATED NtTMBEB OP VISITljKS POR FISCAL TEAB 1947 



July (1946) 311,000 February 64,100 



August 280,000 March 203,225 



September 276, 700 April 374, 053 



October 189, 200 May 343. 800 



November 153, 300 June 356, 400 



December 93, 950 ■ 



January (1947) 84,950 Total 2,730,678 



Groups came to the Zoo from schools in 22 States, some as far away 

 as Wisconsin, Indiana, and Louisiana. 



