17 
special effort has been made for several years to enlarge the 
collection in that department. 
Marked improvement has been made in lighting the 
Elephant House, by removing the ground-glass skylights 
over the cages, giving to both animals and visitors the 
benefits of light and sunshine. A similar change is shortly 
to be made in the Carnivora House, by placing a series of 
skylights in the wings of the building. 
The large number of rats which infest the Garden has 
been a serious, and, in some cases, a fatal difficulty in do- 
mesticating many species of birds, which would otherwise 
breed readily in confinement, thereby adding much to the 
attractiveness as well as to the resources of the Garden. 
Plans have been prepared for permanent out-door enclo- 
sures for pheasants and other birds of similar nature, with 
a view of meeting this difficulty, and a number of them will 
soon replace the unsightly structures which now disfigure 
the grounds. It is hoped that the geese and ducks may be 
protected in like manner. 
In this, the tenth annual report issued by the Society, a 
brief review of what has been accomplished in the menag- 
erie, since the opening of the Garden, will not be out of 
place. Up to this time a total of 4293 living specimens 
have been, exhibited. These were derived from the follow- 
ing sources : — 
Purchased. Presented. Born. Total 
Mammals, 717 504 302 1,523 
Birds, 772 901 15 1,688 
Batrachians, 8 159 . . 167 
Reptiles, 223 620 72 915 
Total, 1,720 2,184 389 4,293 
It has been the constant object of the Society to display 
in its collection such typical forms as would convey to the 
visitor a comprehensive idea of so much of the animal 
kingdom as comes within its scope, — a collection of this na- 
ture having far greater value as an educational means than 
