REPORT OF

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

By MADISON GRANT, Chairman

THE

HE Executive Committee respectfully submit the following report to the Board of Managers for the year 1923:

The Committee regret to announce the death on April 5, 1923, of Watson B. Dickerman. Mr. Dickerman was an Associate Founder, a member of the Board of Managers, Class of 1925, and a member of the Executive Committee.

Your Committee also regret to announce the death of George J. Gould at Mentone, France, on May 16, 1923. Mr. Gould was a Founder in Perpetuity and a member of the Board of Managers, Class of 1924.

Arthur A. Fowler was elected to the Board of Managers, Class of 1925, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Watson B. Dickerman. Harrison Williams was elected to the Board of Managers, Class of 1924, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of George J. Gould and to the Executive Committee to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Watson B. Dickerman.

ENDOWMENT

Rockefeller Gift: A most important event in the history of the Society was the donation by Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., of $500,000 to the Endowment Fund of the Society on June 28, 1923. We are engaged in an effort to secure an Endowment Fund of $2,000,000 and this is the first contribution towards it. Mr. Rockefeller has also very generously offered to contribute another $500,000 to the $2,000,000 Endowment Fund as soon as the Society shall have raised an additional $1,000,000. The Executive Committee has entered on an active campaign to secure this $1,000,000 in order to enable the Society to avail itself of Mr. Rockefeller's offer of the second half million.

Harkness Gift: On July 26, 1923, Mr. Edward S. Harkness pledged the sum of $100,000 towards the Endowment Fund of $2,000,000, this amount to be payable if the entire amount be subscribed within one year.

The need of additional Endowment, long obvious, has now become pressing and every effort will be made by the Executive Committee to raise the full $2,000,000. The members of the Society are earnestly requested by the Executive Committee to aid in securing in the immediate future contributions to this Fund.

Bequest of Mrs. Frederick Ferris Thompson: The Committee has been notified that under the terms of Mrs. Frederick Ferris Thompson's Will the Society will receive the sum of $50,000, unconditionally, and a one-third share of one-half of her residuary estate, subject to the life interest of Mr. Clark Williams.

Bequest of Watson B. Dickerman: On November 8, 1923, $20,000 was received from the Estate of Watson B. Dickerman. With these bequests and Mr. Harkness' gift there remains $830,000 to be raised.

MEMBERSHIP

During the year, 15 new Life Members and 119 new Annual Members were secured. The total enrolled membership of the Society, as of December 31, 1923, was as follows:

This shows a net gain of 35 members over 1922, after

deducting deaths and resignations.

ATTENDANCE

The attendance both at the Park and Aquarium during the year 1923 shows a decrease from last year. The large decrease at the Aquarium is due to the alterations being made and the closing of the main entrance. The number of the visitors at the two institutions for 1923, as compared with 1922, was as follows:

A census of the animals in the Zoological Park, taken

January 1, 1924, was as follows:

The important acquisitions during the year were:

Mammals: 1 Indian rhinoceros, 1 Bactrian camel, 1 male Bengal tiger, 1 Euro kangaroo, 2 Gelada baboons, 1 Hamadryas baboon, 1 vicuna, 1 alpaca, 1 anoa.

Birds: 2 White-headed sea eagles, 6 American egrets, 2 eastern white pelicans, 6 bleeding heart pigeons, 2 sandhill cranes, 1 Javan adjutant, 1 European flamingo, 1 toco toucan, 2 Victoria crowned pigeons.

Reptiles: 1 Indian python, 2 black cobras, 1 Florida crocodile, 1 Mexican beaded lizard, 3 diamond pythons, 1 carpet python, 2 leopard tortoises, 1 anaconda.

The health of the animals continues excellent and the only important losses during 1923 were as follows:

Mammals: 1 lion, 1 black leopard, 1 camel, 1 Anticosti black bear, 1 silver-tip grizzly bear, 1 lioness.

Birds: 1 hawk eagle, 1 wedge-tailed eagle, 1 black-necked swan, 2 American flamingoes, 1 condor, 1 trumpeter swan, 1 scarlet ibis, 1 Emperor goose.

Reptiles: 1 electric eel, 1 lung fish, 1 black cobra, 2 crocodiles, 1 rock python.

The well-boat Seahorse was of great service to the Aquarium during the summer in keeping up the collections and in supplying food. The boat made twelve trips and collected as follows:

51 Species of Fishes.

12 Species of Invertebrates.

2 Species of Reptiles.

2,872 Specimens

1,188 Specimens

ALTERATIONS AT THE AQUARIUM

7 Specimens

The alterations at the Aquarium are progressing rapidly. On June 8, 1923, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment voted the sum of $76,500 for an additional story and other repairs to the Aquarium. Contracts for the new construction work and plumbing were awarded on August 9, 1923, to the Thomas A. Reilly Company for $62,000 and to John Smith for $700, respectively, and work was begun on August 28, 1923. In bidding on the work the contractor had assumed that he could use the beams supporting the ceiling of the second story