APPENDIX 7 

 REPORT ON THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PxVRK 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report on the oper- 

 ations of the National Zoological Park for the fiscal year ended June 

 30, 1938. 



The regular appropriation made by Congress for the maintenance 

 of the Park was $225,000, all of which was expended. 



IMPROVEMENTS 



The stone large-mammal house, which had been completed in the 

 previous fiscal year, was stocked with animals during August and 

 September 1937, and was opened to the public October 13, 1937, 

 at the same time the giraffes, tapirs, African buffaloes, and 

 gaurs that had been obtained on the National Geographic-Smith- 

 sonian Expedition were moved into it. This building was described 

 and pictured in the last annual report. 



W. P. A. work ceased on January 27, 1937, and was not resumed 

 until September 1937. From this date until the close of the fiscal 

 year W. P. A. workers were engaged mainly in cutting down the 

 hill between the new large-mammal house and the refreshment stand, 

 and in the construction of a stone retaining wall around the base 

 of the hill. This work had not been completed at the close of the 

 fiscal year. In addition, they demolished the octagonal elephant 

 house — the first building ever constructed in the Zoo — which had 

 been vacated when the elephants were moved to the new large-mam- 

 mal house, and they also demolished the brick elephant house in 

 accordance with the plans developed when the small-mammal house 

 was placed immediately adjacent to it. The area occupied by these 

 two buildings and the vicinity thereof was partially graded prepara- 

 tory to the placing thereon of other small exhibits and the providing 

 of pleasing open spaces. A small amount of work was accomplished 

 in connection with other minor grounds improvement, tree surgery, 

 and miscellaneous improvements. 



Moving into the new quarters in the large-mammal house meant 

 several days of big jobs. A contract was entered into with a concern 

 equipped for moving large, heavy objects, and from September 1 to 

 September 22, as the African and Sumatran elephants, the hippo- 



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