operational aspects of the facility itself. The opening of the guide provides a richly detailed introduction to the New York Zoological Park, emphasizing its purpose and significance as a public educational institution aimed at animal preservation and the promotion of zoology. Hornaday outlines the park's development, the ongoing need for animal acquisitions, and the various support received from community members and entities. The text includes administrative details and statistics about the park, such as animal collections and facilities, along with a detailed table of contents that hints at the comprehensive examination of the park’s diverse wildlife which follows. (This is an automatically generated summary.)