REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 23 



the Amazon River, and other naval and army officers have called 

 attention to the probability of securing further important accessions. 



Among- other additions have been several secured in Japan by Dr. 

 Alexander Graham Bell. Though all of those who have thus aided in 

 developing the national collections have their contributions acknowl- 

 edged, the Secretary desires to take this opportunity of again express- 

 ing to them his thanks. 



Improvements in the park buildings and roads have been made as 

 far as available appropriations permitted. 



The most important work in road construction has been grading and 

 macadamizing the road to Klingle Ford entrance, at an annual expense 

 of $5,000, in compliance with the terms of the appropriation act. 



An expensive yet necessary improvement, now that roadways lead- 

 ing to the park have been completed at established grades, is the con- 

 struction of a tight fence around the entire park, in order to prevent 

 the entrance of dogs and other predatory animals, and thus to allow 

 small game to run at large. There appears to be great need of grading 

 the precipitous banks on the eastern boundary of the park, a work, 

 however, which would require the expenditure of about $10,000. 



The aquarium, of which 1 have already spoken to Congress, and 

 which is a feature of the highest popular interest, deserves a building, 

 and an estimate to cover the cost of commencement of one ample to 

 accommodate the immediate needs of the park has been included in the 

 general estimate for appropriations, though the item is not specifically 

 given. 



A primar}^ object for which Congress established the zoological 

 park was the preservation of fast vanishing species of American ani- 

 mals. 



The same phenomenon which was noticeable in the western part of 

 of the country some years ago is now occurring in Alaska. With the 

 advent of the settler and the railroad in the West, the great herds of 

 animals which ranged over our western territory were practically 

 exterminated, though by strenuous efforts here and there small collec- 

 tions of the buffalo and other large interesting mammals, like those in 

 the National Zoological Park, have been kept alive. Whether a race 

 can be made to survive in this way is open to question, but the effort 

 at least should be made, and the Institution is trying to promote this 

 survival. 



The United States still possesses at Kadiak Island, on the southeast 

 coast of Alaska, a few living specimens of the largest carniverous ani- 

 mal now in the world — a monster bear — which has not, to m}' knowledge, 

 at any time been brought into captivity. I have been trying for two 

 years, through American companies on the island, to obtain live speci- 

 mens of this and other great manmials of Alaska with the hope of 

 preserving the species before the inevitable opening of all that distant 



