REPORT 

 OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



THE chief events of the year 1901 were the raising of the re- 

 mainder of the Park Improvement Fund of $250,000, the 

 opening of the new House for Primates, the estabHshment of a 

 medical department for the care of the animals, and the be- 

 ginning of the permanent Zoological Bulletin. 



COMPLETION OF PARK IMPROVEMENT FUND, AND FINANCES OF 



THE SOCIETY. 



The Park Improvement Fund marked the fulfillment of all 

 the obligations to the City assumed by the Society in its agree- 

 ment of March 27, 1897, with the City. At that time we prom- 

 ised to raise and expend upon the Park, on or before August 11, 

 1901, not less than $250,000. These conditions, while more 

 onerous than those assumed by the other scientific institutions 

 of the City, were kept to the letter, and the Executive Com- 

 mittee had the satisfaction of officially notifying the Mayor, the 

 Comptroller, and the Park Department on June 17, 1901, that 

 the Society had not only expended the sum required, but some 

 $17,000 in addition for plans and for engineering, long before 

 the expiration of the time limit. 



The Society thereby acquired the title to the land now occu- 

 pied by it, which can only be forfeited by failure to maintain a 

 zoological collection in the Park. For this purpose we have 

 the guarantee of a constantly increasing membership, and the 

 income derived from the various Park franchises. The amount 

 of such franchises during the year 190 1 was $5,497.09. These 

 sources of income should ultimately be sufficient for increasing 

 the Park collections and the purchase of new types ; but this de- 

 sired result is still some vears in the future. 



