68 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



On the whole, our attendance figures afford, without a word 

 of support, the best answer to the occasional printed denuncia- 

 tions of zoological gardens and parks in which an extra sensitive 

 humanitarian occasionally indulges. 



The attendance by months was as follows : 



January . . 

 February 

 March 

 April .... 



May 



June .... 



July 



August 

 September. 

 October . . 

 November 

 December 



2,250,177 2,035,859 



OUR COLLECTIONS. 



The first, the last and the greatest business of every zoologi- 

 cal park is to collect and exhibit fine and rare wild animals, in 

 healthy and happy conditions. Next comes the duty of enabling 

 the greatest possible number of people to see them with comfort 

 and satisfaction. 



In comparison with these objects, all others are of secondary 

 or tertiary or quaternary importance. The breeding of wild 

 animals is extremely interesting, and the systematic study of 

 them is fascinating, but both those ends must be subordinated 

 to the main objects. We must not forget that the millions of 

 visitors expect us to bring within their reach, and keep them 

 constantly in view, choice representatives of the most beautiful 

 and most interesting wild creatures of this vast earth. The 

 metropolitan zoological park that fails in the accomplishment of 

 that only partially fulfills the main purpose for which it exists. 



