54 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



LABORATORY, CURATOR OF BIRDS. 



To facilitate the work of Mr. C. William Beebe, Curator 

 of Birds at the Zoological Park, in connection with his scientific 

 research, your committee has authorized the erection of a lab- 

 oratory for his use by the extension of the winter house of the 

 Eagle and Vulture Aviary to the northward. 



Mr. Beebe returned to his duties as Curator of Birds on 

 January 1, 1915. 



WALRUS PROTECTION. 



At the Annual Meeting of the Society in 1914, a committee, 

 with Mr. Hoffman Nickerson as Chairman, was appointed to 

 take steps for the preservation of the Walrus, now threatened 

 with extermination by reason of indiscriminate killing in the 

 Behring Sea and in the adjacent regions of the Arctic Ocean. 

 Mr. Nickerson visited St. Petersburg and established relations 

 with the Russian authorities which promise to lead to co-opera- 

 tive action with Russia on the part of our federal government, 

 if the latter continues to take an intelligent interest in the pres- 

 ervation of Alaskan animals, and not abandon the power to 

 make game laws to the local authorities. 



The efforts will be continued during the coming year, but 

 will probably have to await the outcome of the war before 

 definite results in connection with an international treaty can 

 be effected. 



BRONX PARKWAY COMMISSION. 



The Bronx Parkway Commission has made notable advances 

 in the acquisition of lands through private purchase, and in the 

 cleaning of the Bronx River and the removal of nuisances. 

 Charges emanating from dissatisfied property owners who de- 

 sired to force the Commission into condemnation, were brought, 

 but were dismissed by the Governor on the ground of frivolity. 



Nearly one-half of the land has been acquired by the Com- 

 mission at private sale, and the balance has been appraised, and 

 to a large extent its purchase is under negotiation. In view of 

 the fact that the Parkway is fifteen miles long, and involves 

 1,271 parcels consisting of 1,200 acres, the acquisition of nearly 

 one-half of the land within fifteen months represents an enor- 

 mous volume of work. 



