50 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



to walk the half mile between the Northwest Entrance and the 

 railways at Fordham. 



The monthly record of visitors for the year is as follows : 



1902 1903 



January 12,958 1 1,405 



February 12,155 42,134 



March 54,742 81,222 



April 56,081 133,662 



May 105,519 187,940 



June 89,691 72,776 



July 87,164 154,290 



August 126,874 I55>505 



September 63,370 151,162 



October 45,262 70,060 



November 68,268 89,215 



December 9,431 14,775 



731,515 1,164,146 



Total increase for the year, 432,631, or 59 per cent. 

 Increase in 1902, 38 per cent. 



PRACTICAL WORKING OF THE PRIMATES' HOUSE. 



The Primates' House has now been in active use for a little 

 more than two years ; and inasmuch as the entire building was 

 evolved from our own ideas, it is now proper to place on record 

 our estimate of its working value. It is no exaggeration to say 

 that this building has not only come up to our expectations, but, 

 in many respects, has surpassed them. 



All persons familiar with zoological gardens are well aware 

 of the fact that the odors of monkey houses are difficult prob- 

 lems to contend with. Wherever either ventilation or cage sani- 

 tation is imperfect, the odors become disagreeable — especially 

 in winter weather, when doors and windows must be closed, and 

 the supply of pure air is necessarily restricted. The best evi- 

 dence that can be offered of the success of the ventilating sys- 

 tem of our Primates' House lies in the expressions of satisfaction 

 that have been offered, voluntarily, by visitors. The absence of 

 the usual ape and monkey odors from the Primates' House — 

 even in the severest winter weather — is frequently remarked by 

 visitors, and from this fact we have reason to believe that the air 

 supply is pure, and therefore beneficial to the living inhabitants 

 of the building. 



