FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 101 



worthy of all praise and appreciation. But for the patience with 

 the public over raw conditions that were unavoidable, though 

 none the less annoying when they existed, the Society's task 

 would have been much harder than it was; and we have every 

 reason to be thankful to the people of New York for the manner 

 in which they patiently bore with us when there were unsatis- 

 factory conditions which for the moment were beyond control. 



In reviewing the events of the past twelve years, the retro- 

 spect reveals a chapter of practically unbroken progress. This 

 is remarkable, because it is so unusual in the creation of insti- 

 tutions of higher education ; and it is cited for the encourage- 

 ment of others who seek to build great institutions dedicated to 

 zoology. In comparison with the length of time that usually 

 elapses between the inception of a great vivarium and its com- 

 pletion, the Zoological Park sprang almost full-fledged into ex- 

 istence as Minerva sprang from the brain of Jupiter. 



Already it is history, and nine-tenths forgotten, that the 

 Zoological Park came into existence because the members of the 

 Zoological Society agreed to produce from their own private 

 purses the very considerable sum of a quarter of a million dol- 

 lars, and expend the same on the new institution they proposed 

 to create. It was agreed that //' the Society fulfilled its pledges, 

 the City of New York would undertake to share the general 

 burden, in return for free admission for the millions. 



At a period when it seemed as if even New York's mar- 

 vellous private philanthrophy had been drained to its depths by 

 museums, libraries, hospitals and botanical gardens, the Zoo- 

 logical Society cheerfully took up the burden of raising a large 

 sum of money for the purpose of putting the finishing touch to 

 the greatness of Greater New York ; for it is well known that no 

 city which lacks a good, respectable, adequate zoological garden 

 or park may properly be described as Great. 



For the sake of historical completeness, I am tempted to 

 repeat here a few facts that have already been stated elsewhere 

 in print. Even with one repetition they will be remembered 

 none too widely, nor too well. 



The original impulse and eflfort for the creation of the New 

 York Zoological Society came from Madison Grant, then a 

 sportsman and student of nature, and by profession a lawyer; 

 and very early in its career the new organization secured the 

 active support of Professor Henry Fairfield Osborn. It is im- 

 possible to overstate the influence of those two men on the 

 Society's undertaking, and their devotion to the task, year in 



