Appendix IV. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL 



PARK. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the 

 National Zoological Park for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896: 



Considerable attention has been paid during the year to the improvement of the 

 grounds and the construction of roads authorized by Congress. The principal road 

 of the park, which runs from the Quarry road westward to Connecticut avenue 

 extended, has been improved over a part of its course by a good layer of macadam. 

 It would have been well to have completed the macadamizing, but the funds at the 

 disposal of the park did not permit this, and it will be deferred until next year. 

 Work has been continued upon the driveway that proceeds from the Woodley road 

 into the park. It will be remembered that the Woodley road lies so far above the 

 level of the park that the construction of this driveway made necessary a heavy 

 tilling of earth. This is very unsightly, as the slopes are abrupt aud difficult to 

 modify by planting. If it is to remain where it now is, a sufficient amount of earth 

 should be added to make the slopes easy and natural. The amount appropriated 

 was insufficient to complete the fill so as to make an easy grade and neither mac- 

 adam nor gutters have been provided, so that the road washes badly during the 

 winter storms and is impracticable for pleasure driving during wet and freezing- 

 weather. It is, however, passable from the Woodley Bridge as far as Rock Creek. 



It has been decided to restore the old 'Adams Mill road upon practically its former 

 line. The configuration of the ground forbids making this the ordinary width of 

 the roads of the park, the hillside on which it is built being quite steep at certain 

 places, but a satisfactory driveway can be constructed. The survey of this work 

 was completed and a contract for it prepared before the close of the fiscal year. 

 The road will be well macadamized, with a top dressing of pulverized limestone. 

 Retaining walls will be built where necessary, and the whole will be properly gut- 

 tered and protected. 



A number of interesting features have been added to the park, either for the pur- 

 pose of beautifying it or for the convenience and accommodation of the animals. 

 Two small fish ponds have been built near the Quarry road entrance, the banks in 

 the neighborhood of the seal pond have been dressed and planted, and the debris 

 from the intercepting sewer has been removed. 



The accompanying illustrations show what has been done in preserving the native 

 beauty of the Park. The first of these shows a rustic bridge formed of bowlders 

 thrown across a little chasm cut out by a small stream that falls into Rock Creek. 

 I lus has taken the place of an unsightly wooden bridge. Another picture shows 

 where a small artificial pond for waterfowl empties into Rock Creek. The great 

 advantage of such treatment is in the fact that it harmonizes with the surround- 

 ing Bcepery, and the visitor need not realize that any interference with the natural 

 features has occurred, while the surface after treatment presents a striking contrast 

 \\ itli the raw and denuded condition of those localities where engineering work has 

 lieen carried on without regard to final effect. 



The principal animal house has been greatly improved by the construction of com- 

 modious exterior cages into which the animals can pass whenever the weather is 



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