TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT. 31 



has proved sufficient to maintain that institution during the year. 

 The same amount has been provided for 1908. 



Aqnariiuu luiprovcuient Fund. — A small balance of $900.67 

 remained in this fund on January i, 1908, and will be scarcely 

 sufficient to complete the improvements now going on. 



Detailed statements of the above accounts are set forth in the 

 Treasurer's report. 



Upon the closing of the Knickerbocker Trust Company, in 

 which the Society had its funds, a new account was opened with 

 the Farmers Loan and Trust Company on the same basis as with 

 the Knickerbocker Trust Company. The accounts with the 

 Knickerbocker Trust Company were closed up in a satisfactory 

 manner by the payment by the Society of a net overdraft due the 

 Trust Company, so that none of the funds of the Society are now 

 tied up in any way. 



IMPORTANT GIFTS TO THE P.\RK. 



The most important gifts during the year have been : A pair 

 of Elephant Tusks, presented by Mr. Charles T. Barney ; two 

 Kodiak bears, presented by Mr. E. H. Harriman ; a Yucatan 

 deer, presented by Mr. William A. Lawrence ; a donation of 

 $3,000, presented by Mr. Frederick G. Bourne ; $457, presented 

 by Mr. Samuel Thorne, and $450, presented by Mr. Jacob Schifif. 



NEW BUILDINGS AND INSTALLATIONS. 



The construction of the Elephant House began early in the 

 spring of 1907. and was prosecuted throughout the year with 

 great vigor. Thus far the work of the contractor. F. T. Nesbit 

 & Company, has been of the most satisfactory character, and the 

 building bids fair to become one of the best and most mechani- 

 cally perfect structures in the Zoological Park. At the close of 

 1907 the structure was about one-third complete. 



Work on the yards surrounding the Elephant House has been 

 held up because of the financial crisis, but it is believed that the 

 postponement is only temporary. The plans for the ironwork 

 of the yards have long been ready to transmit to the Park De- 

 partment, and as soon as conditions permit, a contract for this 

 work will be let. 



The Public Comfort Building on the Boston Road is about 

 four-fifths complete. At the latest this building should be ready 

 for use by the spring of the present year. 



