250 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1924 



velopment in recent years throughout the civilized world. In Amer- 

 ica, particularly, the number of zoos has increased enormously of late, 

 and requests for information on development, cost, and care are 

 coming in to the Smithsonian Institution from cities, large and 

 small, at a constantly increasing r'ate. 



The attendance at the National Zoological Park now regularly 

 exceeds two million visitors annually, and in 1924 reached the record 

 figure of 2,442,880. The p'ark was established by an act of Congress 

 approved April 30, 1890, " for the advancement of science and the 

 instruction and recreation of the people," and has been, from the first, 

 under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution. When the present 

 site was occupied in 1891, a small collection of animals then kept 

 near the Smithsonian Building and known 'as the Division of Living 

 Animals, United States National Museum, was moved to the new 

 location. The National Zoological Park, like the National Gallery 

 of Art, is thus a direct offshoot of the National Museum. At that 

 time the only important zoological gardens in America were in 

 Philadelphia and Cincinnati; although some few other cities main- 

 tained small city-park menageries like the one still in Central Park, 

 New York. 



The National Zoological Park was, at the time of its establish- 

 ment, some distance from the main part of the city of Washington, 

 but the rapid growth of the city to the northwest has entirely sur- 

 rounded it, and now it is in the center of one of the best residential 

 districts. Fortunately, its area of 175 acres, much of which is wood- 

 ed land, gives sufficient space and seclusion, and the city develop- 

 ment has added to, rather than detracted from, the value of the site 

 for zoological garden purposes. Rock Creek Park, later established, 

 joins the National Zoological Park on the north. 



Visitors to the Zoological Park daily remark on the splendid col- 

 lection of animals, the cleanly quarters, and the care and effort that 

 must be taken to provide such an interesting and varied collection 

 of the mammals, birds, and reptiles of the world. Few realize, 

 however, the magnitude of the task involved, the varied require- 

 ments of bird and beast, or the expert services necessary for their 

 health, comfort and care. 



The modern zoological garden is a very different affair from the 

 old-time menagerie. New plans for the comfort and health of the 

 animals, new methods for more satisfactory exhibition, new ar- 

 rangements for the constantly increasing numbers of visitors, are 

 all the time being considered, and each improvement is eagerly 

 adopted as soon as its merits are proved and funds are available for 

 its realization. 



Animals are expensive, and many of the rarer species are not 

 easily obtained at any price. The opportunities to secure any but 



