REPORT ON THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



77 



VISITORS. 



All records for the numbers of visitors to the park have been ex- 

 ceeded during the past year. The total number of people admitted 

 to the grounds, as determined by count and estimate, was 1,593,227, 

 a daily average of 4,365. The greatest number in any one month was 

 202,793 in March, 1918, an average per day of 6,542. The attendance 

 by months was as follows: 



In 1917 : July, 76,100 ; August, 157,700 ; September, 195,350 ; Octo- 

 ber, 175,350 ; November, 158,000 ; December, 70,350. In 1918 : Janu- 

 ary, 35,850; February, 56,300; March, 202,793; April, 139,934; May, 

 187,300; June, 137,600. 



These numbers exceed the attendance records for last year by 486,- 

 427, and are 436,117 over the attendance . for 1916 — the record year 

 up to that time. Heretofore there has usually been a falling off in 

 the number of visitors during the heat of summer; but, with the 

 population of Washington so increased by war workers, the attend- 

 ance throughout the past heated season has hardly diminished from 

 that of spring and autumn. 



The great increase in the number of visitors to the park in the 

 past three years is graphically shown in the following statement of 

 attendance records for the last 10 years: 



1909 504, G39 



1910 721,555 



1911 521,440 



1912 L - 542,738 



1913 033,520 



1914 733,277 



1!)15 794,530 



llHG 1, 157, 110 



1917 1, 100, S00 



1918 : 1, 593, 227 



Seventy-eight schools and classes visited the park in 1918, with a 

 total of 4,945 individuals. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



Owing to a lack of sufficient funds for any substantial improve- 

 ments, only minor repairs or additions were made during the year 

 to the buildings and equipment of the park. New boiler tubes and 

 some other fittings in the central heating plant were provided at a 



