SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 87 
The entire Primate House was given a thorough and much 
needed overhauling. Four cages were supplied with floors of 
cork tiling, which thus far seems to be very satisfactory. 
At the Small Deer House several of the stall partitions and 
fronts were found to be entirely too weak for the strong, horned 
animals within. These were replaced, or else greatly strength- 
ened. 
All of the cages in the Small Mammal House were over- 
hauled, painted and repaired, and the sewer of this building, 
which had become clogged up with poplar roots ten feet below 
the surface of the ground, was dug up, cleaned and re-laid. 
Early in the year it was discovered that the hickory bark 
borer, the most pernicious insect pest that attacks the various 
hickories, was found to be present in the Park, and, in fact, 
in all the parks of the borough. A thorough examination was 
at once made of all the hickories, and those that were found to 
be infected were immediately removed and burned up. The 
park authorities were notified of the presence of the pest, but 
it is greatly feared that most of the hickory trees in the Zoological 
Park will succumb to the ravages of the borer unless concerted 
action is taken by the City Park Department, and also private 
owners. This might be brought about by the action of the Com- 
missioner of Agriculture, who has power under the law to take 
effective steps for the prevention of the spread, and the eradica- 
tion of plant diseases. With the exception of the presence of 
this pest, the presence of the white fly on the rhododendrons and 
the occasional ravages of the leopard moth, our trees are in good 
condition. 
The seventeen-year locust, which proved itself a nuisance in 
many sections of New York and New Jersey, was not present in 
the Park. 
The roof of the Elephant House continues to be in an un- 
satisfactory condition, and much damage to the building has 
been caused thereby. The matter has been receiving special 
attention. 
The usual amount of live stock, vegetables and ornamental 
plants were produced at the Nursery. The greenhouses are be- 
coming wholly inadequate to supply the demand for plants for 
indoor decoration and bedding. 
