REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 81 



SUMMARY. 



Animals on hand July 1, 1916 1, 383 



Accessions during the year 397 



1,780 

 Deduct loss (by exchange, death, return of animals, and .animals lib- 

 erated) 557 



On hand June 30, 1917 1, 223 



Class. 



Species. 



Individ- 

 uals. 



Mammals 



159 



182 



14 



484 



Birds 



68S 



Reptiles 



56' 









Total 



355 



1,223 







VISITORS. 



The number of visitors to the park during the year, as determined 

 by count and estimate, was 1,106,800, a daily average of 3,032. The 

 greatest number in any one month was 171,400, in April, 1917, an 

 average per day of 5,713. The attendance by months was as fol- 

 lows : 



1916: July, 78,800; August, 80,500; September, 122,550; October, 92,200; 

 November, 43,250; December, 44,625. 



1917: January, 37,750; February, 55,675; March, 108,400; April, 171,400; 

 May, 110,550; June, 161,100. 



Excepting 1916, this was the largest attendance in the history of 

 the park. The number of visitors was only 50,310 less than in 1916, 

 and doubtless would have exceeded that record year but for the un- 

 seasonable weather oh Easter Monday. 



One hundred and fifty-three schools and classes visited the park, 

 with a total of 8,492 individuals. In addition to the local schools 

 and those from near-by States, these included schools from Alabama, 

 Arkansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, 

 Pennsylvania, and Vermont. A number of officials from other zoo- 

 logical gardens visited the park. 



The exceptionally favorable weather made the skating pond an 

 attractive feature during the past winter and for a much longer 

 period than usual. The ice was kept clean of snow throughout the 

 season and the appreciation of the public would seem to warrant the 

 construction of additional lakes to be used for exhibits of waterfowl 

 during the summer and skating in winter. 



