REPOKT OF THE SECEETARY. 83 



SUMMARY. 



Auimals on hand July 1, 1912 1, 551 



Accessions during the year 331 



Total 1, 882 



Deduct loss (by exchange, death, return of animals, etc.) 414 



On hand June 30, 1913 1,468 



VISITORS. 



The number of visitors to the park during the year, as deter- 

 mined by count and estimate, was 633,526, a daily average of 1,731. 

 This was nearly 100,000 more than during the fiscal year 1912. The 

 largest number in any one month was 120,908, in March, 1913, an 

 average per day of 3,900. 



During the year 142 classes, schools, etc, with a total of 5,579 

 pupils, visited the park, a monthly average of 465. These were 

 mainly from the District of Columbia and neighboring States, but 

 other States, from Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, 

 to Tennessee and South Carolina, were represented, and " Com 

 Growers " belonging to 18 States. 



IJIPROVBMENTS. 



The construction of a house for the storage and preparation of 

 food, which was begun toward the close of the previous year, was 

 completed early in this year and equipped with a large range for 

 cooking and baking, a small cold-storage room, dumb-waiter, etc. 

 The total cost of building and equipment was $3,615, of which 

 $3,050 was paid from this year's appropriation. The building is of 

 stone, 24 feet wide and 40 feet long, and has one story and a basement, 

 both with concrete floors. It is abundantly lighted and thoroughly 

 sanitary. It is located at the rear of the temporary bird house, so 

 that the building and the yard about it are screened from public view, 

 while still convenient of access. This improvement had been much 

 needed, as the only place previously available for the preparation of 

 food was the cellar of the lion house, where both light and ventila- 

 tion were far from satisfactory. 



An inclosure and shelter house were built between the lion 'house 

 and the small-mammal house to afford temporary quarters for the 

 small flock of ostriches recently acquired. The house is 16 feet 



