REPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 95 



These improvements were urged in the last year's report. There 

 are others perhaps equally important which are needed to bring the 

 establishment up to the modern standard of what a zoological park 

 ought to be. Most of these have been mentioned from time to time 

 in other reports or have been urged upon the appropriation com- 

 mittees of Congress. They are briefly as follows : 



Administration building. — The present office of the park is in an old 

 dwelling house situated rather remotely from the buildings for the 

 animals and inconveniently for the prompt and constant supervision 

 of the operations of the park, as is the general practice in the foreign 

 zoological gardens. A modest office building should now be erected 

 in a central location. This would greatly expedite the general work 

 of the park and improve the discipline of the working force. It is 

 estimated that a building 50 by 36 feet, to contain office rooms, a 

 drafting room, and a room for specimens would be sufficient. 



Stable and forage barn. — There should be a stable and garage 

 where the work horses and automobiles of the park could be stored. 

 These should be on the ground floor, a storage loft for forage above. 

 The dimensions should be at least 100 by 40 feet. 



Shop. — The present shop is not large enough to accommodate 

 conveniently the carpenters employed at the park. The woodwork- 

 mg plant is now dangerously near the blacksmith shop and the cen- 

 tral heating plant. A separate building 100 by 46 feet should be 

 erected. 



Ape house. — Special quarters should be provided for the large 

 anthropoid apes. These are probably the most interesting animals 

 that can be exhibited and require special treatment and care. The 

 group comprises the gorilla, the orang, several species of chimpanzee 

 and of gibbon. They are so nearly related to man that observation 

 and study of them is of the highest importance. The park has now 

 only a chimpanzee, and it has been necessary to provide special quar- 

 ters for him. It would be quite proper to place in the same building 

 some of the larger species of baboons, as they require nearly the same 

 treatment. A house for these animals should have a main building 

 150 by 60 feet, cages on both sides, and a wing 90 by 60 feet also, 

 with similar cages. Outside cages should be erected along the 150 

 feet of the main building 18 feet deep, along the sides and end of 

 wing 16 feet deep. 



Lion house. — The house now occupied by the cat tribe is quite too 

 small for the purpose, and it has always been intended to increase its 

 capacity both by replacing the wooden extension by a masonry 

 structure and by building an addition 120 feet long across the north 

 end of the present building. This, of course, would be fitted with 

 cages both within and without. 



