THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 35 



Owing to the increase in the cost of niainlenance, hy reason of 

 the added cliarges on account of the Elepliant House and other 

 new buiUhngs, this adchtional appropriation from the City is most 

 timely. It is also proof of the continued confidence of the present 

 City administration in the management of the Park. 



Maintenance of the Aquarium. — The amount appropriated by 

 the City for the maintenance of the Aquarium for 1908 w-as 

 $45,000. which proved sufficient for that year. Owing, how- 

 ever, to the fact that the cost of maintenance at the Aquarium Is 

 increasing, the amount of $46,000 has been provided for the 

 coming year, 1909. This action on the part of the authorities is 

 very satisfactory and gratifying to }our Committee. 



Aquarium Improvement Fund. — The small balance available 

 in this fund in January, 1908, prohibited the making of highlv 

 necessary betterments. Therefore, application was made for 

 $5,000 for improvements, the most important of which is a new 

 roof. This application was granted, but the money has not yet 

 been actually placed to the credit of the fund. On January i, 

 1909, there w^as a balance of $441.57 to the credit of the fund. 

 The plans and specifications for the work are now being pre- 

 pared. 



Detailed statements of the above accounts are set forth in the 

 Treasurer's report. 



IMPORTANT GIFTS TO THE PARK. 



The most important gifts during the year have been : One 

 Sarus crane, presented by Mr. William Rockefeller ; one white- 

 tailed deer, presented by Captain H. Blake ; one black bear, pre- 

 sented by Mr. Rex Beach and Mr. F. A. Stone ; one white-tailed 

 deer, presented by Mr. S. B. Chittenden ; one African rock 

 python, presented by Miss Trixie Roderico ; one golden baboon, 

 presented by Mrs. Annie Kellogg Dale ; one anteater, presented 

 by Mr. Gustav Butnee ; eight pheasants, presented by Mr. Clar- 

 ence Whitman ; and donations to the Special Animal Fund as fol- 

 lows: $1,000 from Mr. Charles H. SenfT : $500 from Mr. Robert 

 S. Brewster; $500 from Mr. Andrew Carnegie; $500 from ^Ir. 

 Edward S. Harkness, and $500 from ]\Ir. Nelson Robinson. 



A detailed list of subscriptions to the Special Animal Fund 

 will appear in the report of the Director of the Park. 



NEW BUILDINGS AND INSTALLATION'S. 



The Elephant House, acknowledged to be the finest zoological 

 building in the world, was completed and opened to the public 

 on November 20, 1908. 



