62 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



only by a very special effort, and a long ride before and after, 

 often disagreeably crowded. Very few persons visit our grounds 

 because they are near at hand. 



But in spite of all handicaps of distance and transportation, 

 our attendance has steadily increased from year to year, literally 

 by leaps and bounds. For 1914 we were quite prepared to find 

 that the war, the hard times and extensive lack of employment 

 had prevented any increase in our list of visitors. Late in the 

 year we were agreeably surprised to find our attendance figures 

 not only were showing no decline, but a good increase was being 

 recorded. The close of the year finds us well beyond our hoped- 

 for 2,000,000 figure. 



During the year one newspaper and two obscure magazines 

 have contained lugubrious editorials and letters on the grave 

 question: "Shall not all Zoological Gardens and Parks be abol- 

 ished, in favor of Museums of Dead Animals?" Thus far we 

 have made no answer to that momentous and epoch-making 

 question. Today, however, we will make our answer, thus : 



2,020,433 ! 



The monthly schedule of attendance for 1913 and 1914 is 

 as follows: 



MONTHLY ATTENDANCE FOR THE YEAR 1914. 



1914 1913 1912 



January 56,268 88,195 38,271 



February 57,235 75,895 75,752 



March 77,257 127,448 118,911 



April 182,131 128,828 136,689 



May 394,154 262,474 183,216 



June 220,406 297,719 266,294 



July 277,901 233,961 193,816 



August 249,072 242,672 228,964 



September 204,206 171,371 162,535 



October 150,872 136,800 155,105 



November 107,922 104,950 77,354 



December 43,009 73,370 71,548 



Total 2,020,433 1,943,683 1,708,455 



1914 Increase over 1913 76,750 



1914 Increase over 1912 311,978 



