449 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1907. 
both by a collection of animals as well as by a cabinet of stuffed specimens of 
the animal kingdom. 
The cabinet of stuffed specimens, derived from the collection of Mr. 
R. Draak, was opened to the public in 1837. Since that time it has 
constantly increased, by gifts and purchases, thanks to an intelligent 
collaboration given by the Municipal University of Amsterdam. 
This part of the garden comprises to-day an ethnographical museum, 
collections of zoology and comparative anatomy, and a representation 
of the fauna of the Netherlands. The latter includes not only Dutch 
vertebrate animals, mollusks, and insects, but has also groups of 
indigenous birds, with their nests, eggs, and little ones, shown in 
their natural surroundings. There are also there a certain number 
of stereoscopic views of nests photographed from nature. The society 
has also at the garden a library containing a very rich collection of 
works on natural history. 
The collection of living animals was commenced in 1839 by the pur- 
chase of a menagerie, then celebrated, belonging to C. Van Aken. It 
has increased normally since that time, especially by the installation 
of an aquarium, constructed on ground granted by the city under 
certain conditions, to which I will again refer. 
The society has at present (1905) 5,000 members. Its affairs are 
administered by a council of nine members. Its receipts amounted in 
1905-6 to 228,500 florins, among which were the following: 
Florins. 
IVA TAA LD CTS, WoL OS ee a te eS ee ee Baya Opt 112, 500 
Mntrance fees from strangers (1159759) persons)=_— = 76, 000 
Salleno flivime Wamim als = 2 eS Se SS ee ee s 2, 100 
Sale of guide books______-_ reg St es oe Ae ees eS Ee ee 2, 250 
Revenue from restauramt_—-__—--_____ = Stl 23a Ne ae ee Be Ll, a5) 
The garden is controlled by the director of the society, Dr. C. Ker- 
bert, who has the power of nominating and removing employees and 
of freely making all purchases except very large ones without refer- 
ence to the council. 
The society puts aside every year 5,000 florins as a reserve fund 
from which to pay pensions to aged or sick employees. 
The total paid for salaries in 1905 was 56,750 florins. Among other 
expenses I noted: 
Florins. 
Moodslorszenini ASS = ee eer ee Ree Eee ad raed ae ka) ee 30, 500 
Purchase of sam TMA sak a lee ee re ee 10, 000 
Maintenance “of iildingess2 2. 2 ee ee eee 8, 000 ~ 
Hxpense: of cardening. 22 & as. 2 see ee a ee ee eee 1, 500 
The garden is situated to the east of the city and has an aréa of 
10.1208 hectares (25 acres). It appears a little shut in by the houses 
that surround it; its lawns and garden plats are not sufficiently exten- 
sive; the water of its ponds is too black and odorous; its buildings are 
a 
