8 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1944 
National Zoological Park.—In spite of expected difficulties in 
obtaining food and supplies and those resulting from manpower 
shortages, the Park and the animal collection were maintained in good 
condition and continued to be used and appreciated by large numbers 
of visitors. The total for the year reached 1,803,532, including a large 
proportion of service personnel. Many requests for information on 
biological problems were received from the Army and Navy and other 
Government agencies, and numerous schools and medical and other 
groups came to study the collections. Very few animals could be 
obtained by purchase, but a number of desirable specimens were 
received by exchange and as gifts from Army personnel and others 
interested in the Park. Births and hatchings at the Park totaled 73 
mammals, 180 birds, and 126 reptiles. Losses by death included the 
African rhinoceros, the maned wolf, and other animals, birds, and 
reptiles, including a large python that measured well over 25 feet 
in length and weighed 305 pounds. At the close of the year the col- 
lection totaled 2,626 animals representing 696 species and subspecies. 
Astrophysical Observatory—In the division of astrophysical re- 
search, secret war research problems occupied most of the time of two 
members of the staff; the other members were engaged in reducing 
and determining the statistical correction for the solar-constant work 
of the three Smithsonian observing stations at Montezuma, Chile, 
Table Mountain, Calif., and Tyrone, N. Mex., since 1939. Most of 
the Director’s work consisted in the study of solar-constant variation 
and associated solar changes in connection with the weather, resulting 
in the publication of a paper entitled “Weather Predetermined by 
Solar Variation.” As unusual weather conditions are expected dur- 
ing the coming year following a predicted depression of the solar con- 
stant, every effort was made to keep the three observing stations in 
operation. In spite of manpower shortages, this was accomplished 
by the assistance of the wives of the field directors in observing and 
computing. In the division of radiation and organisms, the staff 
was occupied mainly with war research projects. 
THE ESTABLISHMENT 
The Smithsonian Institution was created by act of Congress in 
1846, according to the terms of the will of James Smithson, of Eng- 
land, who in 1826 bequeathed his property to the United States of 
America “to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian 
Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowl- 
edge among men.” In receiving the property and accepting the trust, 
Congress determined that the Federal Government was without 
authority to administer the trust directly, and, therefore, constituted 
an “establishment” whose statutory members are “the President, the 
