98 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
and a Special Court day for violations of park ordinances, has 
worked out exceedingly well. The number of arrests and con- 
victions by our own force of special officers was about one hun- 
dred twenty-five. 
Among the items of work that must be done in the near 
future, one of the most important is the overhauling of the Lion 
House comfort station. The fixtures here are in a deplorable 
condition, and should be replaced with improved and more sani- 
tary ones. A great number of complaints have been received 
about this station. 'The railing between the Boston Road and 
the Buffalo Range must be replaced with a new one of much 
stronger design. New planting is necessary at the rear of the 
Service Yard, where the new Storage Shed and Garage now 
stand, as well as between the Hospital and the Elephant House 
Walk. The planting in the Italian Garden and portions of the 
Concourse should be very thoroughly overhauled. 
The storage house for bay trees and similar plants must 
be enlarged by at least fifty per cent., as these plants have suf- 
fered from overcrowding during the last few years. 
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION. 
H. R. Mitchell, Chief Clerk and Manager of Privileges; Wm. Mitchell, Cashier. 
Since the opening of the Zoological Park to the public in 
1899, there never has been a period in its history of such con- 
stant and extreme advance of prices of practically all food and 
other supplies required in the maintenance of the Park, equal 
to that of 1916. If we add to this situation the fact that the 
appropriation for the year was reduced by about $3,000 from 
the allowance for 1915, any one can readily appreciate the diffi- 
culty of getting through the year without a deficit. 
The Curator of Birds, Mr. Beebe, was detailed in research 
work at the Zoological Society’s Tropical Research Station for 
the year, and Mr. Merkel, our Chief Constructor, was tempo- 
rarily put on part time work for the last half of the year, which 
effected a considerable saving in the salary account. 
Our appropriation from the City, fortunately, was given 
to us again in a lump sum, which enabled us to utilize any sav- 
ing that we were able to make in the salary account, for the 
