76 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SO Cina Y: 
exhibit, and constitute a valuable addition to the educational 
equipment of the Zoological Park. 
Cleaning the Bronx River—The extensive grading and filling 
operations necessary in the Zoological Park grounds east of the 
Bronx River and south of Pelham Parkway, afforded an oppor- 
tunity to remove from Lake Agassiz a great quantity of earth for 
use as filling material. This opportunity was improved to the 
fullest extent possible, and about three feet was taken off the 
surface of the mud flat in Lake Agassiz throughout about half of 
its entire area. It is our intention to remove still more of the 
alluvial deposit of Lake Agassiz during the present year, for use 
as filling material in the north end of Baird Court. If the 
deepening of the whole shallow area of Lake Agassiz can 
thus be accomplished, it will be a great advantage to that body 
of water. 
Among the smaller tasks of our Ground-Improvement force, 
under Mr. Merkel, the following are worthy of brief mention: 
A log-cabin shelter-house, of rustic spruce, was erected in the 
Mouflon Range of Mountain Sheep Hill; and from five areas on 
Mountain Sheep Hill, sod was removed, and steam ashes put in 
its place. 
An extension for the Chief Clerk’s office was added to the 
Service Building. 
A shelter-house for the steam roller was built in the service 
vard. 
A section of the old Pheasant Aviary, 40 feet long, was moved 
to the service yard, and fitted up as a room for the use of the 
Park workmen during the noon hour. 
Another 40-foot section of the same building was also moved 
into the service yard, and fitted up as a work-shop for our force 
of wire-workers. 
A temporary but very comfortable shelter-shed, 80 feet long, 
was built south from the Buffalo House, as additional shelter for 
the Whitney buffalo herd. This was of great value during the 
severe winter which followed. 
An iron tower, an elevated water tank and a gasoline engine 
were provided for the Nursery to place its water supply on a 
proper basis, and save costly pumping by hand. 
The Buffalo and Elk Ranges were ploughed twice during the 
year, to kill the poisonous grasses. 
A really great amount of labor was expended in the prepara- 
tion of the eround and fences for a series of 8 large yards con- 
necting with the indoor cages of the Ostrich House. The fencing 
