18 NEW, YORK. ZOOLOGICAL “SOCIEDY 
ring in the spring. Four walks, leading from the Boston Road, 
and from the Plaza just inside of the West Farms Entrance to 
the new Public Comfort Station, were built, and two lines of 
fence were erected. 
Elephant House Yards.—The entire surface of the Elephant 
Yards was graded; and an eight-inch sewer and eight manholes 
were built for properly carrying off surface water and refuse 
from these yards. In connection with these yards some very 
difficult and expensive grading, by means of concrete platforms 
built on piers, was found necessary, in order to preserve the lives 
of several fine trees growing there. Several portions of the 
foundations for iron fences, which come below the depth called 
for in the contract for their erection, or which were particularly 
difficult to treat on account of tree roots, were put down by our 
force. The Telford paving for most of the yards was put in 
place, and only a little of this, and the surfacing, remains to be 
done in 1909. In the interior of the Elephant House some im- 
portant ironwork, for the protection of the hot-water pipes from 
the elephants, and a lot of wire-work for the cage fronts, was 
erected by our force. 
Breeding House.—The portable breeding house for birds, with 
its outside cages, was moved, practically rebuilt, and put upon a 
foundation of concrete. 
The Otter Pools were cleaned out and a new concrete platform 
built in one of them. The old “Soda Pavilion No. 4” was moved 
to the site of the launch-landing in Bronxdale, and there put upon 
a concrete foundation. At that point a small dock was built in 
front of the shelter pavilion. The foregoing completes the list 
of important operations by our Ground Improvement force for 
the year 1908. Besides directing this work, the Chief Forester 
also spent a great deal of time in watching the construction 
work of the several contractors at work in the Park. 
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND PRIVILEGES. 
H. R. Mitchell, Chief Clerk: and Manager; William Mitchell, Assistant. 
During 1908 the clerical work in the Department of Admin- 
istration and Privileges sensibly increased in volume over pre- 
vious years. Early in the year, a change was ordered in the 
methods of purchasing and paying for supplies required in 
ground improvement work, which added considerably to our 
office work. It was not, however, found necessary to make an 
increase in the office force. Instead of supplies of this character 
