98 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



promptly undertaken, and finished in December, to the satisfac- 

 tion of all parties concerned. While the lake was empty our 

 maintenance force took advantage of the opportunity to remove 

 the sunken logs and stumps that long had interfered with the 

 use of our electric launches. 



Central Public Comfort Station. — The Public Comfort Sta- 

 tion erected just off the Elephant Walk, almost in the geograph- 

 ical center of our enclosed grounds, was completed by the H. F. 

 English Building and Construction Company, at a cost of $10,357, 

 and opened to the public on April 1. This very satisfactory im- 

 provement enabled us to remove the temporary wooden struc- 

 tures that for ten years had intruded upon the grounds surround- 

 ing the Elephant House, which was quickly done. With the 

 erection of this station the Zoological Park is at last fairly 

 equipped with comfort stations of a becoming and thoroughly 

 sanitarj' character. 



DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING 

 George M. Beerbower, Civil Engineer. 



The most important single service performed by our Civil 

 Engineer during 1910 w^as the preparation of a complete series 

 of working plans and specifications for the Eagle and Vulture 

 Aviary and the shelter house to connect with it. An effort was 

 made to produce an amply large, handsome and thoroughly 

 modern structure for exhibition purposes, and at the same time 

 provide for its tropical habitants a good shelter-house wherein 

 they can comfortably be housed in midwinter. These plans 

 were prepared with such constant regard to legitimate economy 

 that both structures will be erected for $18,867, which is $1,133 

 under the estimated cost. 



The Eagle Aviary will occupy practically the whole of the 

 open hill-side space immediately south of the Aquatic Bird House 

 and new Soda Pavilion. It will face the southeast, with a front- 

 age of 210 feet. It will contain five very large flight cages for 

 eagles, condors and other large vultures, and six smaller cages, 

 for smaller species. The height of the largest cage will be thirty 

 feet, and its floor dimensions will be 24x33 feet. Along the rear 

 there will be a suitable storm shelter for each cage, built of con- 

 crete, on a new plan. The shelter house will be built of brick, 

 and will stand in the rear of the aviary itself, by which it will be 

 partly hidden. While the contents of that building will not be 

 regularly on exhibition to the general public, — and in summer 



