Appendix IV. 



REPORT ON THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report on the condition and 

 operations of the National Zoological Park for the fiscal year ending June 

 30, 1909. 



RESOURCES. 



The entire support of the park was provided for by an item in the sundry civil 

 act approved May 27, 190S, appropriating $95,000 for general purposes, includ- 

 ing the purchase, transportation, care and maintenance of animals ; the care and 

 improvement of grounds; the construction and repair of all buildings, inclosures, 

 roads, walks, and bridges. A sum of equal amount has been appropriated 

 annually for several years past. The considerable increase in the prices of the 

 necessary provisions and labor has made it increasingly difficult to do any- 

 thing toward developing the park to the standard that such institutions usually 

 attain at the capitals of great nations. The expenses of maintenance alone 

 amounted to about $S5,000, so it will be seen that there was but little margin 

 left for additional works. 



It should be remembered that at the inception of the park the funds provided 

 for buildings and improvements were entirely inadequate for its proper equip- 

 ment and that consequently the management was forced to construct cheap, 

 temporary shelters, roads, walks, and inclosures. These have now arrived 

 at about their limit of usefulness and do not admit of further economical repair. 

 It is not for the interest of the Government to continue to erect structures of this 

 class, and it would certainly be advantageous to have sufficient appropriations 

 to replace them with satisfactory permanent buildings. 



BUILDINGS AND INCLOSURES. 



The principal improvements made during the year were the completion of a 

 series of bear yards and the construction of a series of 10 new yards for wolves 

 and foxes. 



Bear yards. — Six yards of the series had been built up to the beginning of 

 the year. During 1908-9 the terminal yard, 42 feet wide and 26 feet deep, at 

 the east end of the series, was built, and the north end of the series was com- 

 pleted by the construction of three yards from 32 to 36 feet deep and 32, 24, 

 and 40 feet wide, respectively. All of the yards have floors of rock and con- 

 crete except the large one at the north end, where most of the area has been 

 left in the original hard clay over which is spread a thick layer of sand. A 

 concrete walk 12 feet wide was constructed in front of all the new yards, and 

 a trellis of steel bars was built over the walk and in front of the cages, over 

 which vines will be trained, to afford shelter until trees are large enough to 

 give sufficient shade. The cost of the work on the bear yards during the year 

 was about $6,000. The steep bank adjoining the yards was graded and a 

 macadam walk with stone steps was built to furnish a convenient approach. 

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