REPOKT or THE SECEETAEY. 103 



IMPORTANT NEEDS. 



Restaurant. — A suitable restaurant building remains the most 

 urgent need of the park. As pointed out in previous reports the 

 old refreshment stand, originally constructed when the attendance 

 was very small, is in a bad condition and is wholly inadequate to 

 serve the needs of the public. Following the acquisition by the park 

 of a large quantity of valuable chestnut and oak timbers and lumber, 

 as mentioned in the report for last year, and in consideration of 

 the fact that much of the work of construction can now be done by 

 regular park employees, the estimated necessary appropriation for 

 such a structure as is needed has been reduced to $20,000. The old 

 refreshment stand at the Connecticut Avenue entrance, on land re- 

 cently transferred to the Government as an addition to the park, 

 should also be replaced by a new and more sightly booth. The in- 

 creased income from rental of these two concessions will well repay 

 for the construction of buildings adequate for the service of the 

 •constantly increasing number of visitors. 



Bird house. — Estimates for a new bird house were submitted 

 for several years prior to the war, but were never favorably acted 

 upon by Congress. The need for a new building for the exhibition 

 of birds is now greater than ever before. The old building was 

 <!onstructed of the cheapest materials many years ago, as a tempo- 

 rary relief, and it is now in a very bad state of repair. It also 

 provides far too little space for the collection and far too little room 

 for visitors ; on days of large attendance the public aisles are greatly 

 overcrowded. The collection of birds is one of great importance, 

 •containing as it does numerous rare, interesting, and beautiful 

 species; and new arrangements for its care and exhibition to the 

 public should not much longer be delayed. 



Respectfully submitted. 



N. HOLLISTER, 



Superintendent. 

 Dr. Chaeles D. Walcott, 



Secretary., Smithsonian Institution. 



