REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 23 



I should fail most lamentably in my duty. Mi-. Secretary, if I did not add to 

 this reply warm thanks in the name of the Belgian Government, in the name of 

 our sdentific establishments and institutions, and in my own name, for the ex- 

 treme kindness you have shown us in reserving for us until the present time all 

 the numerous "series" and "collections" (one and all of inestimable value) 

 which the war has prevented you from ti'ansuiitting to \is at the proper time. 



THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



The National Zoological Park continues in popularity as a means 

 of natural history education and as a place of recreation and amuse- 

 ment for the people of Washington. 



The total number of animals in the park at the close of the fiscal 

 year was 1,336, including 528 mammals, 71 reptiles, and 737 birds. 

 Among the more important additions were two young Sumatran 

 elephants, purchased at a cost of $5,000, for the children of Wash- 

 ington by a number of their friends and donated to the institution. 

 At the time of their arrival they were about 2^ years old and were the 

 first of their kind to be exhibited in Washington. Other important 

 additions were a fine capybara, from the Hon. Henry D. Baker, 

 Trinidad, British West Indies; a great white heron of southern 

 Florida, from Dr. Paul Bartsch; and a pair of Florida bears from 

 Mrs. A. V. N. Stroop. 



Visitors to the park during the year numbered 1,964,715 — a daily 

 average of 5,383. Ninety-eight schools and classes visited the col- 

 lection for instruction purposes. 



Among the recent improvements are exterior cages for leopards, 

 jaguars, and hyenas, and a new chimney for the central- heating 

 plant. A part of the creek-side drive was rebuilt, some animal 

 houses were painted, and small improvements in the animal houses 

 and yards were likewise effected. 



The need of a new house for the exhibition of birds continues to 

 become more urgent from year to year. An increased appropriation 

 for the expenses of the park is also badly needed, as well as one 

 sufficient for the purchase and transportation of animals, so that the 

 park may take advantage from time to time of opportunities to 

 obtain rare and conspicuous animals not before exhibited. The 

 purchase of a frontage of over 600 feet on Connecticut Avenue, 

 urged for several years by the superintendent, but which has not 

 yet been considered favorably by Congress, would satisfy all the 

 needs of the park as regards necessary expansion and better service 

 to the public on the west side; and it becomes more and more im- 

 portant to secure this land, as the probability of losing the oppor- 

 tunity increases every year. It is also desirable to purchase a small 

 strip of privately owned land between the park and the important 

 highway of Adams Mill Eoad, because of improvements being made 



