REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 87 



monetary and scientific value of the collection is, however, very much 

 greater than ever before. 



VISITORS. 



The attendance for the fiscal j^ear, as determined by count and 

 estimate, was 2,229,605, a daily average of 6,108. This is the first 

 time that the /)fRcial records have gone above two millions. The 

 greatest number of visitors in any one month was 402,403, in April, 

 1920, an average per day of 13,413. The largest single day's attend- 

 ance in the history of the park occurred in this month, on Sunday 

 the 11th, when 95,000 people were admitted to tW gates. The other 

 three Sundays in April show attendance records of 25,000, 87,000, 

 and 55,000. 



The attendance by months was as follows: In 1919: July, 125,700; 

 August, 230,255; September, 268,941; October, 205,398; November, 

 204,944; December, 74,161. In 1920: January, 55,547; February, 

 27,099; March, 203,803; April, 402,403; May, 265,604; June, 165,750. 



Ninety-six schools and classes visited the park during the year, 

 with a total of 8,959 individuals. As usual, these came largely from 

 the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia ; but several were 

 from States as distant as Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



The most needed improvement completed during the year is the 

 public-comfort station at the Harvard Street entrance. This build- 

 ing is set into the steep hillside just inside the gate, and is so nearly 

 hidden by the natural growth of trees, especially by the low-sweeping 

 branches of some fine beeches, that comparatively little planting was 

 necessary to improve the ground around it. » 



The row of old wooden cages along the hill just north of the bird 

 house, the first cages used in the park, some of which were originally 

 brought from the Smithsonian grounds when the park was first 

 occupied, were replaced by nine new inclosures for strictly outdoor 

 animals, especially for the medium-sized carnivores not requiring 

 artificial heat. The new cages are made of iron framework, coverec^ 

 with heavy mesh wire, with cement floors, and comfortable, sanitary 

 retiring rooms in the rear. The laroest of these new cages, 20 by 20 

 by 12 feet in size, is now occupied by the Mexican pumas. The other 

 eight, from 10 by 16 by 9 feet to 14 by 16 by 10 feet in size, are used 

 for the snow leopard, lynxes, certain of the Canidae, and a large 

 chacma baboon. The type of construction adopted for these cages 

 has proved exceedingly satisfactory, and the airy, cleanly quarters 

 are much admired by the visitors. 



The quarters occupied by the chimpanzee in summer having 

 proved unsatisfactory since this animal became mature, it was de- 



