78 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



ing has been converted into open-air yards, covered with sand, 

 and provided with bathing pools. In the latter part of the sum- 

 mer these yards were occupied by their reptilian inhabitants, and 

 proved of great benefit to them. A small amount of additional 

 work will render the Tortoise Room accessible to winter visitors 

 from the main hall, for in winter the end doors must remain per- 

 manently closed. To save the roots of several large and valu- 

 able oaks, the walk along the eastern front of the Tortoise Yards 

 was made of wood. 



Miscellaneous Ground Improvcuicnts. — Under this head a great 

 number of small items of work were performed. The most note- 

 worthy was for the purpose of promoting both economy and 

 speed in certain lines of our work, and had for its direct object 

 the substitution of power and machinery for hand work. 



In the Service Yard, in close proximity to the original plant of 

 shops, a cheap wooden shed was erected to afford working space 

 for machinery of various kinds driven by electric power. The floor 

 space afforded amounts to i,6oo square feet, upon which have been 

 installed about ten different machines, such as are in almost daily 

 use in our work. It is the opinion of Air. Alerkel that the total 

 cost of this installation will be saved in a single year. In addition 

 to iron-working, and wood- and wire-working machinery, all our 

 hay is cut by power in a separate room of this shed. To this 

 shed the carpenter shop has been transferred. 



CONTRACT WORK IN GROUND IMPROVEMENTS. 



Conducted under the direction of the Park Department for the Borough of the 

 Bronx. Martin Schenck, Chief Engineer; W. P. Hennessy, Ass't Engineer. 



Two important contracts of 1904 were completed in 1905. 



The Large Bird House. — This important structure, erected by 

 the George L. Walker Company at a total cost of $118,931.75 

 (without the Glass Court), was completed and accepted in June, 

 and opened to the public on July 4th. It was fully described in 

 Zoological Society Bulletin No. 18. 



The Pheasaut Aviary. — This very attractive installation was 

 completed by Conrad Hewitt at a total cost of $21,021.35 in 

 September, 1905. Without delay it was partially filled with a 

 good collection of pheasants, but it was too late in the year to 

 introduce the pigeons and doves, and the shrubbery and vines 

 that will abundantly adorn the interiors of the runways. This 

 Aviary is 240 feet long, and contains 54 compartments for 

 birds. The two end pavilions are provided with stoves, and their 



