EEPORT or THE SECRETARY. 89 



repair, is imsuited to the present-day crowds of visitors. It is be- 

 lieved that an up-to-date building on the present site, 50 by 100 feet in 

 size, and of two floors, one opening onto the lower slope to the west, 

 would meet the requirements and would pay the Government a fair 

 income in rent. Preliminary plans for such a building have been 

 made by the office of the municipal architect; the present estimated 

 cost of construction is $65,400. 



Alteration of the southeastern houndary. — The District government 

 has now opened Adams Mill Road from the southeastern entrance of 

 the National Zoological Park to Harvard Street and a narrow strip 

 of land, between the park and this new roadway, between Clydesdale 

 Place and Ontario Road, still in private ownership, should become 

 Government property. This narrow strip of land is of very little 

 use, except possibly for garages, and its close proximity to the en- 

 trance to the park makes its public ownership of great importance. 

 The amount required for its purchase is comparatively small and its 

 acquisition by the park or by the District of Columbia should not long 

 be delayed. The cost should not exceed $4,000. 



Outdoor quarters for mammals. — Provision should be made for the 

 exhibition of lions, Siberian tigers, and other mammals now occupy- 

 ing quarters in certain buildings, in outdoor inclosures with warm 

 but unheated shelters. The animals themselves would be greatly im- 

 proved by such conditions and the space they now occupy in buildings 

 would become available for animals actually requiring heated quar- 

 ters in winter. It is proposed that, when funds may be obtained for 

 the purpose, large inclosures of this type be constructed on the space 

 between the lion house and the monkey house now utilized as a pad- 

 dock for ostriches. 



The most urgent need of the park at the present time is increased 

 compensation for certain of the employees, particularly the keepers 

 and policemen. While the rate of pay for these and other employees 

 has been slightly increased during the past four years, the increase 

 has in no measure kept pace with the cost of living, and it is becoming 

 more difficult all the time to retain valuable and trained men in the 

 service. 



Respectfully submitted. 



N. HoLLiSTER, Superintendent. 



Dr. Charles D. Walcott, 



Secretary^ Smithsonian Institution^ Washington^ D. G. 



