19 
general shrinkage of values. The remaining $7500 is estimated 
to be the actual loss by death. 
The mere number of deaths is always swelled to a dispro- 
portionate extent by the large number of our common native 
quadrupeds, birds, and reptiles which are presented to the Society 
shortly after their capture. Such specimens it is nearly always 
impossible to domesticate, and, as they are for the most part 
valueless, it is in very few cases worth while to make a de- 
termined effort, involving both time and expense, to preserve 
them. They are all, however, entered upon the records of arri- 
vals and deaths, and form a list whose value bears a very small 
proportion to its extent. 
The principal losses by death have been a male eland, which 
died during the summer from tuberculosis of the lungs ; two 
vicunas, which were killed during the night by a couple of 
dingos which had escaped from their cage ; a slightly-deformed 
lioness and an aoudad, both of which succumbed to the weak- 
ness of old age ; a half-grown lion, which died of disease result- 
ing from the constitutional weaknesses common among members 
of the cat family which are bred under domestication, and the 
leopard " Commodore Lawrence," which died of pneumonia. 
These, with the two chimpanzees, which died of gastritis and 
peritonitis, make up a large proportion of the estimated loss for 
the year. 
Little work has been undertaken at the Garden during the 
period covered by my report, beyond what has been necessary 
for the preservation of the buildings and enclosures already 
completed. A slaughter-house has been built at slight expense, 
near the southern end of the Garden, for the purpose of killing 
and dressing the horses which have been largely used in feed- 
ing the carnivorous animals. 
The iron fence at the Girard avenue entrance and along part 
of the Thirty-fifth street line, together with nearly all of the 
outdoor enclosures of iron, have been repainted. All of the 
roofs of the large buildings were in need of repair, and suffered 
considerable damage from the gale of October 23d. They 
have been thoroughly renovated and put in proper condition. 
New wire work was required in most of the cages in the Aviary, 
and has been provided. 
The prairie dogs, having burrowed out from their village 
and distributed themselves over the adjacent part of the Garden, 
it became necessary to make their enclosure more secure. To 
accomplish this it was excavated to a considerable depth, floored 
with stone flags, and refilled. 
