Appendix IV. 



REPORT ON THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



Sib : I have the honor to submit the following report on the operations ot 

 the National Zoological Park for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1906. 



The work has been conducted in accordance with a scheme approved by 

 the Secretary June 13, 1905, slight alterations in the expenditures therein 

 proposed being made from time to time as required by the exigencies of the 

 service. 



'Seic house for mammals. — This building, which has been under construction 

 for several years, is now practically completed, with the exception of the 

 exterior cages, walks, etc., which are yet to be made. Work on it has been 

 much delayed because of the difficulty of procuring suitable workmen, owing 

 to the great amount of building going on in the city. The amount expended 

 from the appropriation for the year in couuection with this building is about 

 $11,500. 



Gentral heating plant. — Since the inception of the park it has been desired 

 to establish a central plant for heating the permanent buildings of the park. 

 It is evident that a considerable annual saving would thus be effected, both 

 in fuel and in the wages of firemen. Funds have been lacking to do this 

 in a thoroughly satisfactory manner, but the matter seemed so urgent that a 

 beginning was made during the present year. Two large boilers were placed 

 in an extension of the temporary shop building, a coal vault w^as excavated 

 in the adjoining hillside, and conduits were constructed from the boilers to 

 the new house for mammals, to the lion house, and to the temporary bird 

 house. Part of the heating mains was also installed. The cost of the work 

 was about $2,500. 



Culvert in the heaver valley. — During heavy rains a large quantity of detri- 

 tus is carried down the valley that extends from the western entrance of the 

 park to Rock Creek and which is occupied by the great flying cage, the 

 beaver, otter, and other iuclosures. This was sometimes suflScient to dam 

 up the little stream that runs down the valley and thus give it sufficient force 

 to carry away the fences and release the animals. In order to avoid this 

 constantly recurring expense for clearing out the beaver dams and remov- 

 ing unsightly material, it was found necessary to build a concrete culvert 

 of considei'able capacity directly through the beaver and otter yards. Its 

 total length was 404 feet and its cost $1,800, It is so arranged that during 

 an ordinary tlow the water passes into the yards, while flood water is turned 

 into the conduit. It has been found to work satisfactorily, and it should be 

 extended as far up the valley as the flying cage. This would greatly improve 

 this part of the park, as it would prevent the wash of frequent rains, which 

 now disfigures it. 



Repairs. — The tempoi'ary structures in which the collections were housed 

 when the park was first established are so rapidly deteriorating and becoming 



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