REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 23 



At the close of the year there were in the collections a total of 

 1,768 animals, an increase of 87 over the previous year. This total 

 represents 498 different species, including 184 species of mammals, 

 271 of birds, and 43 of reptiles. There were born or hatched in the 

 park during the year 80 mammals and birds, while the death rate 

 has again been kept at a very low mark. Sixty-six surplus mam- 

 mals and birds were sent away in exchange to other zoological 

 gardens, which resulted in securing some. very desirable specimens 

 for the park. 



Among the improvements undertaken during the year the super- 

 intendent's report mentions the complete reconstruction of the wolf 

 and fox dens below the sea-lion pool, making the quarters for these 

 animals much more comfortable and sanitary and greatly improved 

 in appearance. The principal construction during the year was 

 the continuation of the grading of the area left vacant through the 

 changing of the main automobile road through the park. Here will 

 soon be available a large area of flat ground, on which paddocks are 

 being completed for Rocky Mountain goats, red deer, barasingha 

 deer, and Japanese deer, Indian buffaloes, tahr goats, aoudads, axis 

 deer, and similar species. The outdoor cages for rhesus and other 

 monkeys were all repaired, repairs to the ostrich inclosure were 

 made, and safety guards placed along the fence in front of the main 

 bear dens. The principal needs of the park, as enumerated by the 

 superintendent, are a suitable restaurant building, which has been 

 urged for many years, a new bird house to replace the old temporary 

 one, which is far too small and in very bad condition, and the es- 

 tablishment of a reasonable fund to enable the park to grasp the 

 occasional opportunities offered to secure rare and desirable animals 

 which otherwise it is impossible to obtain. 



ASTKOPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 



The observatory now occupies a number of frame structures south 

 of the Smithsonian Building, at Washington; a cement observing 

 station and frame cottage for observers on Mount Wilson, Calif.; 

 an observing station at Montezuma, Chile; and a new observing 

 station on Mount Harqua Hala, Ariz. ; the last erected from funds 

 donated for the purpose by Mr. John A. Roebling, of New Jersey. 

 At Washington no observations were attempted, but as much time 

 as possible was devoted to computations necessary to the following : 



(1) The search for systematic errors in the work of Mount Harqua Hala, 

 Ariz., and the application of carefully determined corrections thereto. 



(2) The publication of a comparison of two years of observations at Mount 

 Harqua Hala, Ariz., and Mount Montezuma, Chile. 



(3) The preparation of a new set of curves for use from January 1, 1923, 

 in the short method of solar constant determination at Montezuma, Chile. 



