FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 39 



Society's officers received a courteous hearing from tiie members 

 of the Special Committee of the Board of Estimate and Appor- 

 tionment, who had this matter under consideration, and instead 

 of a decrease, the Society was allowed a $7,000 addition over the 

 preceding year, giving us for 1911, the amount of $174,632. 



Maintenance of the Aquarium. — The Maintenance of the 

 Aquarium for the year 1910, viz., $46,000, proved sufficient for 

 the administration of that institution, without a deficit. An in- 

 crease of $2,000 has been secured for the year 1911, making a 

 total allowance of $48,000, which, in view of the strict economies 

 practiced by the city authorities in connection with other City 

 institutions, proves the high esteem in which this institution is 

 held. 



During the year the original law, which stated that the City 

 could provide maintenance for the Aquarium only up to $50,000 

 per annum, was amended on May 6, 1910, so that the Board of 

 Estimate and Apportionment can now provide maintenance for 

 the Aquarium in its discretion. A copy of the amendment ap- 

 pears on page 143. 



The increase in the maintenance of $2,000 will enable us to 

 retain the services of Dr. Raymond C. Osburn as Assistant 

 Director. 



Aquarium Improvement Fund. — On January 1, 1911, there 

 was a balance of $344.44 in the old Aquarium Improvement 

 Fund. The sum of $5,000 had been received from the City for 

 alterations to the Aquarium roof. These alterations have been 

 completed and a small balance of $23 remains in this fund. 



The Auditing Committee during the yast year made a special 

 audit of all the accounts of the Society, including the Privilege 

 Accounts, and reported to your Committee that they found all the 

 accounts of the Society in excellent condition. 



Detailed statements of the above accounts are set forth in 

 the Treasurer's statements on page 50, followed by the report of 

 the Auditing Committee. 



Important Gifts to the Park. — The most important gifts re- 

 ceived during the year were, of course, the subscriptions to the 

 Endowment Fund, but in addition to that the Society was for- 

 tunate in securing, from Mr. Paul J. Rainey, a gift of six musk- 

 ox calves, two polar bears, two walruses and one blue fox; and 

 through Mr. Charles Sumner Bird, a lioness that had been las- 

 soed in British East Africa by Colonel C. J. Jones and his cow- 

 boys. 



