SECRETARY'S REPORT 107 



BIRDS 



Anas platyrhyrichos Mallard duck 18 



Branta canadensis Canada goose 8 



Chauna torquata Crested screamer 2 



Columba livia Domestic pigeon 1 



Oallus gallus Silky bantam fowl 1 



Lams noraeliollandiae Silver gull 6 



Nijcticorax nycticorax hoactli Black-crowned night heron 12 



Padda oryzivora Java finch 8 



Pavo cristatus Peafowl 1 



Porphyrio poliocephalus South Pacific swamp hen 3 



Streptopelia decaocto Ring-necked dove 23 



Taeniopygia castanotis Zebra finch 8 



REPTILES 



Egemia tvhitii White's skink 1 



E7-yx thebaicus Sharp-tailed sand boa 5 



Srincus ofpcinalis Shovel-nosed skink 23 



MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMExNTS 



Maintenance and repair work at the Zoo suffered considerably dur- 

 ing the fiscal year 1954 owing mainly to shortage of funds for the 

 hire of personnel. Being forced to absorb salary increases, the Zoo 

 could employ but little temporary labor and also had to leave vacant 

 permanent positions on the maintenance staff. 



The routine work of the division of maintenance and construction, 

 which is carried on practically every day of the year, consists of such 

 varied tasks as the removal of stoppages from drains and sewers, re- 

 pairs of faucets, doors, cages, water lines, steam lines, boilers, refrig- 

 eration equipment, buildings, roads, and walks, and innumerable 

 miscellaneous jobs necessary to keep the National Zoological Park in 

 a safe and presentable condition. This year, as in the previous year, 

 because of shortage of manpower due to lack of funds, only the most 

 urgently needed repairs could be undertaken. Consequently mainte- 

 nance of the grounds, as well as the physical plant, has been at a 

 minimum. 



No serious permanent harm has resulted, but it will take some time 

 to catch up on neglected work such as the fight against poison ivy, 

 the trimming or the taking down of old trees, and planting to replace 

 lawns, trees, and shrubs that have deteriorated or become unsuitable 

 for the locations. 



The larger jobs done during the year were: 



1. The laying of 2,300 linear feet of concrete road shoulders, 2 

 feet wide and 3 inches thick, to prevent deterioration of the edges of 

 the road, 



2. Keplacement of badly deteriorated cage fronts in the parrot room 

 with glass fronts, 



3. Repair of the lion house roof, which necessitated replacing sheath- 

 ing and covering with 50 square yards of 240-pound shingles. In 



