HEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 21 



increase of 19 per cent over the 3' ear 1901-2, and the weight an increase 

 of 41 per cent. Seventy-five per cent of the weight represents i)ack- 

 ages sent aljroad and 25 per cent the weight of packages received from 

 foreign countries. 



The total nunilljer of correspondents or beneficiaries of the facilities 

 of the exchange service at home and a])road aggregates 11,012, of which 

 13,121 are foreign institutions, 21,332 foreign individuals, 3,319 domes- 

 tic institutions, and 6,210 domestic individuals. 



In 1901 Congress increased from 50 to ()2 the number of sets of 

 oflScial documents of this country to be exchang'ed w^ith foreign coun- 

 tries, and provided for a further increase to 100 sets when deemed 

 expedient in the judgment of the Lil)rarian of Congress. Thus far, 

 however, the institution has been called on to transmit through its 

 exchange service only 12 parts of sets to foreign exchanges, thus 

 leaving 12 full sets actually provided for and 26 additional sets, or 

 such parts thereof as may be deemed necessary, still available for 

 exchange with other countries. 



NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



The collection of animals housed and cared for in the National 

 Zoological Park continues to increase in interest and value, and in 

 order to adequatel}^ provide for it new buildings for special groups of 

 animals need to be erected. During the past 3'ear an elephant house 

 has been built, which, owing to the limited appropriation, can only be 

 spoken of as a considerable improvement over the temporary (|uarters 

 previously occupied. 



It is expected that the funds provided under the general appropria- 

 tion for the present year will permit the commencement of the con- 

 struction of a house for small manunals, which is the next most 

 important need. 



As the number of buildings in the park increases it becomes neces- 

 sar}^ to consider a method of heating them in an eii'ective and econom- 

 ical manner. At present each separate building has its own heating 

 apparatus, each requiring the employment of a special set of men for 

 its care and management. It would conduce to economy both in fuel 

 and in service if all the' buildings in the park lying within a reason- 

 able radius could be heated from a central heating plant, which could 

 be managed by a single set of men. 



Considerable additions to the collection have been made during the 

 year through the public spirit of Dr. F. W. Coding, United States 

 consul at Newcastle, New South Wales, who has sent more than 140 

 specimens of the unusually interesting fauna of that region. This 

 shows in a remarkable manner what can be done by our officers abroad 



