REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 7^ 



The park continues in popularity as a means of instruction to 

 schools and classes, as well as a resort for out-of-doors gatherings for 

 large picnic parties, where the usual woodland surroundings and 

 pleasures may be supplemented by visits to the zoological collections. 

 Ninety-eight such schools and classes visited the park in 1919, with a 

 total of 6,169 individuals. These came not only from the District of 

 Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, but from the more distant States 

 of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Ohio. The Amer- 

 ican Society of Mammalogists held an informal meeting with lunch- 

 eon at the park on April 4, 1919, with 75 members in attendance. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



Exterior cages for leopards, jaguars, and hyenas, on the east side 

 of the north wing of the lion house, were nearly completed before the 

 close of the year. The cages are seven in number, 24 feet deep, and 

 74 feet long over all. The cost, including material and the labor of 

 regular employees, was $3,410. This long-desired improvement adds 

 greatly to the appearance of the building and to the comfort of the 

 animals. 



A perforated radial brick chimney 80 feet in height above the con- 

 crete foundation and 42 inches interior diameter at the top was 

 built at the central heating plant to replace the old and worn-out 

 metal stack. The concrete base was constructed by the park work- 

 men and the chimney by contract, at a total cost of $2,647. 



A public toilet 13 by 28 feet 8 inches was constructed near 

 the Connecticut Avenue entrance. Some of the materials for this 

 work were purchased from the 1918 appropriation, and the labor 

 was all by regular employees of the park. The cost of this struc- 

 ture, including labor, was $1,200. 



The smaller elephant house, roofs of the larger elephant house and 

 restaurant building, outdoor lion and tiger cages, outdoor cages on 

 east and west sides of monkey house, and other fences and inclosures 

 were painted, at a total cost of $1,586. The materials, amounting 

 to $475, were furnished by the park. The contracts for labor to- 

 taled $1,111. 



The creek-side drive from Klingle Ford to the crossroads and 

 the main road from the concrete bridge to the concourse were broken 

 up and rebuilt, the creek-side drive from crossroads to the stone 

 bridge was resurfaced, and roads in other parts of the park were re- 

 paired and resurfaced where necessary. The cost of materials for 

 road work was $1,295, and the labor, including regular park em- 

 ployees and temporary men, amounted to $1,475.50. 



Other minor improvements and repairs completed during the year 

 include a new fence around the nursery and gardens, concrete steps 

 to replace old stone bteps leading from wolf dens up to bear yard 

 steps, cement stairway from Cathedral Avenue leading down into 



