REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



The Executive Committee takes great pleasure in recording 

 the fact that, after four years of preparation, the Zoological Park 

 was finally opened to the public on November 8, 1899. Between 

 the opening day and January ist it was visited by no less than 

 90,000 people, in spite of inclement weather, the unsettled condi- 

 tion of the walks and paths, and the difficulty of access. 



The public has accepted with good nature the many evidences 

 of incompletion, and the buildings and animals have met with 

 almost universal praise. A visit to the Park upon a fine after- 

 noon will satisfy anyone that the original scheme of the Society, 

 which led to the setting aside of this fine tract of land for its 

 present purpose, was well conceived, and that the Park is 

 destined to be one of the most attractive, useful, and beautiful 

 features of the City of New York. 



From these facts the Committee derives much encouragement, 

 and extends its congratulations to the Board of Managers and 

 the Members of the Society, who by their generous contributions 

 and interest have made it possible to bring the Park to its present 

 state of development. 



The Committee has constantly kept in mind the fact that the 

 most important objects must first be provided for, that the back- 

 bone of the work is the proper conception of a general plan and 

 its development, so as to provide for the growth which surely 

 awaits the Society in the future. Thus, many details of our 

 general scheme, while useful and important, have been neces- 

 sarily postponed until time and means can be found for their 

 prosecution. 



MEMBERSHIP. 



As we look forward to the future permanent financial support 

 of our undertaking, it appears that, if the membership list can 

 be increased to correspond with those of similar societies in Lon- 

 don, Antwerp, and Berlin, the Annual Membership Fund will 

 not only be adequate to constantly renew the supply of animals, 



