EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 23 



in tliis country, and some small collections have, in fact, for many years 

 existed; but I believe that the Eegents of the Institution were the 

 first to consider the national importance of the preservation of the great 

 American fauna, and with that object in view to recognize the need of 

 establishing a preserve for their care and maintenance like the National 

 Zoological Park, action in this matter being all the more imperative in 

 view of the imminence of the extermination of many species of American 

 animals, particularly the bison of our Great Plains. 



It gives me pleasure to state that this interest in living animals has 

 during the last few years greatly increased in this country, as is shown 

 by the many new collections that have been established and the fact that 

 still others are projected. A number of private individuals have under- 

 taken the preservation of animals, paying particular attention to those 

 likely to become extinct or that are best adapted to be kept on a range 

 or in a forest. I can not but feel that the example of the i^ational 

 Zoological Park has been of some value in stimulating such enterprises, 

 and that, though as yet comparatively incomplete, it has tended to 

 develop an interest in our native animals and in their proper protection 

 and preservation. 



As instances of what has been done in this way may be mentioned 

 the large forest park of the late Mr. Austin Corbin, the game pre- 

 serves that have been established in various parts of the country, and 

 the extensive zoological collections planned for the city of Pittsburg, 

 Pa., and for the New York Zoological Society near New York City. 

 Details with regard to some of these parks are given in the appendix. 



Attention is called here to these enterprises because it seems desira- 

 able that an institution of this kind, placed at the seat of Government 

 and under its control and direction, should be representative in char- 

 acter and not fall below the average of such collections, either at home 

 or abroad. 



It should be noted in this connection that most cities of the size of 

 Washington are well provided with public parks possessing imx3rove- 

 ments in the way of roads, walks, bridges, buildings for public comfort, 

 lawns, and plantations far in excess of what is possible under the 

 present circumstances in tlje National Zoological Park. A moderate 

 estimate, made by experienced landscape gardeners, places the cost of 

 such desirable improvements at 13,000 per acre at least. Yet all that 

 is here allowed for these purposes is the small sum that can be reserved 

 after properly caring for the animals and erecting such structures as 

 are required for their needs. While in most establishments of this kind 

 the municipal authorities defray from a separate fund all the expenses 

 of preparing the grounds and buildings and properly policing and main- 

 taining the same, here all must be paid from a general sum that is 

 not more than sufiQcient to merely maintain the animals in a proper 

 condition. 



The buildings and inclosures now existing are plainly inadequate. 



