Appendix IV. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL 



PARK. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the report of the National Zoological Park for 

 the year ending June 30, 1898. 



In response to your request that the report shall begin with the following state- 

 ments — 



1. The amount, kinds, and classes of property belonging to the Park; 



2. The amount of such property acquired during the twelve months covered by 

 the report ; 



3. The extent and kind of improvements made in the buildings and grounds during 

 the past year and the estimated cost; 



4. The extent and character of the losses of property and the origin and causes — 

 1 have the honor to say that at the end of this period there were in the park thir- 

 teen buildings for animals, which have cost about $50,000; six buildings for admin- 

 istrative purposes, costing about $9,000: fences and outdoor inclosures, costing 

 about $20,000; machinery, tools, and implements, valued at $2,000; horses, valued 

 at $885; office furniture, fixtures, and books, worth about $950; and nurseries of 

 trees and shrubs," estimated at $1,000. The value of the roadways constructed in the 

 park since its occupation by the Government is about $35,000. 



The collection of living animals used for purposes of exhibition comprised 549 

 specimens, embracing 124 species, most of which were the property of the Govern- 

 ment. The estimated value of the animals owned by the Government is $25,000. 



There was acquired during the twelve months covered by this report property 

 amounting to about $11,000, about $6,200 being for buildings and $2,500 for animals, 

 including their transportation. A considerable number of animals were presented, 

 the most valuable of these being a Virginia deer, a capuchin monkey, 2 coyotes, 

 some cockatoos and macaws, the white and the wood ibis. The herd of bison now 

 comprises 10 specimens, and as they seem to thrive in captivity, it is hoped that 

 they may be indefinitely perpetuated. It will, no doubt, often be desirable to cross 

 this herd with others in order to prevent the evil effects of too close breeding. 



Twelve animals have bred in the park, producing an aggregate of 35 births. A 

 few animals were received from the Yellowstone Park, among which were 8 speci- 

 mens of the American white pelican. 



A considerable improvement has been effected in the buildings by removing the 

 group of shops and the property yard from the prominent place which they occupied 

 to the northward of the main building. It was never intended that this should be 

 adopted as the permanent situation of these buildings, and as the development of 

 the park proceeded their intrusion became more and more irksome. Some consider- 

 able difficulty was experienced in properly locating the shops. It is necessary that 

 they should be conveniently accessible, and at the same time where they do not 

 markedly attract public attention. After carefully weighing all practicable loca- 

 tions, it was finally decided that the best place was one originally proposed by Mr. 

 Olmsted, which is on the banks of Rock Creek, a few hundred yards above the 

 Quarry Road bridge, not far from the paddocks for deer and llamas. Their situa- 

 tion is not very suitable for animals, and is not in public view from the main road. 

 A long, low building was here erected to serve as a carpenter aud blacksmith shop. 

 Its cost was about $1,000. 

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