REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 27 



prises only fresh water species, but a series of tanks for sea water will 

 also be established. No part of the park attracts more attention or 

 interest than this, and I could wish that Congress would provide the 

 means for making a better exhibit. This is only one out of many 

 instances, however, of the need of buildings. The temporary sheds 

 already alluded to were put up at first in that form at the instance of 

 the Appropriation Committee, which desired to await the result of 

 experience before erecting permanent quarters. These sheds are rot- 

 ting and all but ready to fall, and some appropriation for buildings 

 must be made. 



The births in the collection continue to be more frequent than was 

 anticipated. As wild animals do not ordinarily breed in captivity, this 

 increase is gratifying as bearing testimony to the care which has been 

 bestowed by their keepers to preserve them in proper conditions of 

 health and activity. 



The roads of the park have received the usual attention during the 

 year. The appropriation bill provided for the continuation of the Eock 

 Creek drive along the creek. This work has been done, the amount 

 appropriated being sufficient to construct an excellent road from the 

 new bridge built last year to the bridge near the Quarry road entrance. 

 As funds become available this driveway will be continued toward the 

 upper end of the park. The completion of the portion of this roadway 

 connecting with Wood ley road has been deferred for the present on 

 account of the probable addition of land to the area of the park in that 

 vicinity. A bill has been presented to Congress providing for such 

 addition, and the road can be much more advantageously constructed 

 should this increase of the park reserve be provided. 



It is noped that the probable extension of the jurisdiction of the 

 United States over foreign territory may lead to increased collections 

 for the park. There are many animals and birds in Cuba, Porto Rico, 

 and the Philippines which are not represented here. It seems highly 

 desirable that the fauna of these regions should be more widely known, 

 and it is therefore intended, if funds are provided for the purpose, to 

 make a special exhibit of specimens collected in these countries. In 

 order to do this a new building especially constructed for tropical birds 

 is indispensable. 



The collection has suffered somewhat during the year from the casu- 

 alties that are a necessary consequence of keeping wild animals in 

 confinement. The "cattle and game disease," an epidemic disorder 

 that has proved very fatal in European collections, appeared suddenly 

 and carried off several animals. Its progress was soon arrested by 

 promptly disinfecting the pens, isolating the sick, and removing the 

 unaffected animals to other paddocks. 



Several measures were introduced into Congress during the last ses- 

 sion which had for their object the readjustment of the boundary of 

 the park. Since the establishment of a permanent plan for the road- 

 ways of the District of Columbia it has been made evident that the 



