TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT 389 
a very heavy sliding door of steel was installed in order that the 
male African elephant could be shifted from one stall to another, 
and to avoid the necessity of the keepers entering a cage with 
such a powerful and mischievous animal. 
The destructiveness, strength, and cunning of the animal, 
necessitated careful planning. A great mass of steel had to be 
used in this door, approximately 4,000 pounds, and yet it can be 
opened and closed upon its steel roller-bearing wheels by ene 
man. So far it has withstood all of the assaults of the elephant. 
IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR FUND. 
Small Mammal House.—The most important item of work 
performed at the expense of this fund was the rebuilding of the 
large interior cages along the east side of the Small Mammal 
House. This entire series of cages, eighteen in number, were 
built anew with concrete and composition floors, steel partitions, 
steel and glass roofs and electrically welded wire fronts. The old 
metal gutters were removed, and new ones of steel and concrete 
were substituted. This completes the rebuilding of the interior 
cages of this house, which has been going on for two years, and 
now the finished work presents a greatly improved appearance. 
Great care was taken in the design to make every detail of 
the steel work as simple as possible, and to leave no corners or 
crevices to accumulate rust and dirt. I firmly believe that better 
cages than these cannot be built. The cost of this item to the 
Improvement and Repair Fund was $1,500; a portion of the 
work was done by our Maintenance Force. 
New Hippo Tank.—At the Elephant House, a new and 
larger tank, six feet by fourteen and one-half feet, was built for 
the pygmy hippopotami, because the animals had become en- 
tirely too large for the old tank. The new tank has a depth for 
36 inches of water, it is connected with the sewer, and is sup- 
plied with internal heating facilities. The railing and heating 
coils were moved back in order to accommodate the installation, 
and a new gate was cut in the steel work of the hippopotamus 
stall. 
Large Shelter Pavilion.—In the Shelter Pavilion the wooden 
floors and beams were removed, and a concrete floor upon ash 
fill was substituted. Advantage was taken of that opportunity 
