﻿108 
  ANNUAL 
  KEPORT 
  SMITPISONIAN 
  INSTITUTION, 
  1927 
  

  

  exhibition, 
  such 
  a 
  house 
  has 
  always 
  been 
  most 
  popular 
  with 
  the 
  

   public 
  in 
  zoos 
  where 
  they 
  exist; 
  so 
  popular, 
  in 
  fact, 
  that 
  in 
  certain 
  

   zoological 
  parks 
  where 
  admission 
  is 
  required, 
  an 
  extra 
  admission 
  is 
  

   charged 
  for 
  entry 
  into 
  the 
  reptile 
  building. 
  Here 
  in 
  Washington, 
  

   visitors 
  repeatedly 
  ask 
  the 
  location 
  of 
  such 
  a 
  building. 
  

  

  Despite 
  the 
  fact 
  that 
  the 
  park 
  management 
  makes 
  no 
  particular 
  

   attempt 
  to 
  get 
  reptiles, 
  our 
  collection 
  at 
  present 
  consists 
  of 
  nearly 
  400 
  

   specimens 
  representing 
  many 
  rare 
  and 
  valuable 
  species. 
  Among 
  

   them 
  is 
  a 
  notable 
  collection 
  of 
  the 
  now 
  almost 
  extinct 
  Galapagos 
  

   Island 
  tortoise, 
  represented 
  here 
  by 
  six 
  specimens 
  belonging 
  to 
  three 
  

   species. 
  During 
  the 
  winter 
  these 
  are 
  kept 
  in 
  a 
  gloomy 
  room 
  not 
  on 
  

   exhibition 
  and 
  in 
  a 
  situation 
  crowded 
  and 
  otherwise 
  unsuited 
  to 
  

   their 
  well-being. 
  The 
  majority 
  of 
  other 
  reptiles 
  in 
  the 
  park 
  are 
  kept 
  

   in 
  the 
  same 
  building 
  in 
  small 
  boxes. 
  

  

  A 
  request 
  has 
  been 
  made 
  in 
  the 
  estimates 
  for 
  appropriations 
  for 
  

   such 
  a 
  building 
  in 
  which 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  exhibited 
  not 
  only 
  reptiles 
  and 
  

   batrachians 
  but 
  also 
  insects 
  and 
  a 
  collection 
  of 
  small 
  tropical 
  fishes. 
  

  

  CONCESSIONS 
  

  

  Practically 
  all 
  zoological 
  gardens 
  maintain 
  refreshment 
  stands 
  

   and 
  restaurants, 
  and 
  the 
  profits 
  from 
  these 
  are 
  used 
  to 
  purchase 
  

   animals 
  for 
  the 
  collection. 
  The 
  control 
  by 
  the 
  National 
  Zoological 
  

   Park 
  of 
  a 
  limited 
  number 
  of 
  concessions 
  would 
  be 
  a 
  distinct 
  benefit 
  

   to 
  the 
  public 
  in 
  two 
  ways 
  — 
  the 
  service 
  would 
  be 
  enlarged 
  and 
  greatly 
  

   improved, 
  and 
  the 
  entire 
  profit 
  from 
  the 
  concessions 
  would 
  be 
  used 
  

   to 
  purchase 
  additional 
  specimens 
  for 
  the 
  exhibition 
  collection. 
  

  

  Respectfully 
  submitted. 
  

  

  W. 
  M. 
  Mann, 
  Director. 
  

  

  Dr. 
  C. 
  G. 
  Abbot, 
  

  

  Acting 
  Secretary, 
  Smithsonian 
  Institution. 
  

  

  