82 ANNUAL KEPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION^ 1915. 



they should include a small room for watchmen and limited toilet 

 facilities for visitors. 



PREPARATION OF SITES FOR BUILDINGS. 



The park includes but little ground that is even comparatively 

 level, and in order to provide a building site of any considerable 

 extent it is usually necessary to grade off a hill or fill up a valley. 

 This involves the destruction of the trees and shrubs on the area and 

 their replacement after the grading is completed by others required 

 about the building for shade and ornament. Early preparation of 

 such sites is highly desirable, in order that the planting may be done 

 in advance and as much time as possible utilized for growth, especially 

 of trees for shade. The site that has been selected for the aviary 

 will require grading over practically the entire area needed for the 

 building, the attached outdoor cages, and the walks about them. 

 This would involve the excavation and removal of some 14,000 cubic 

 yards of earth. The location is indicated at A on the accompanying 

 map, which also shows Avhere the excavated material could be used to 

 fill a deep, narrow valley adjoining the bear yards at B. Nearly 

 70,000 square feet of ground would thus be made available at the 

 aviary site and some 34,000 square feet Avould be added to the usable 

 area where the fill is made. It is estimated that the cost of this work 

 would be about $4,000, and it is recommended that Congress be 

 asked to appropriate that sum for the purpose. 



ADDITIONS TO THE COLLECTION. 



Attention is again called to the desirabilit}^ of adding to the 

 exhibit some of the more important animals which it still lacks, such 

 as anthropoid apes, rhinoceros, giraffe, African buffalo and ante- 

 lopes, and the mountain sheep and goat of our own country. 



Respectfully submitted. 



Frank Baker, 



Superintendent. 

 Dr. Charles D. Walcott, 



Secretary of the SmitJisonian Institution. 



