38 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
ANIMAL PAINTING AND SCULPTURE. 
It is of the utmost importance to American painting and sculp- 
ture that every facility should be offered by the Society to those 
desiring to work from life. Extensive inquiry has developed the 
fact that there are many young artists and sculptors who only re- 
quire encouragement, proper facilities for their work, and oppor- 
tunities for exhibition in order to establish a school of animal 
painting and sculpture which shall be worthy of this city and 
country. Provisions for studios have been made in the plans of 
several of our buildings, especially in the Lion House, where it 
will be possible to transfer cages containing any of the exhibition 
types. In matters pertaining to the provisions to be made for 
artists, the Society has frequently consulted Mr. Ernest Seton 
Thompson, the well-known delineator of American birds and 
mammals, from whom an interesting communication on ‘‘A School 
for Animal Painting and Sculpture,’’ appears in connection with 
this report. 
The Society has decided to systematically foster both the paint- 
ing and sculpture of animals. Last June the Executive Committee 
decided to make arrangements for an exhibition of animal paint- 
ings, to be held in December, 1897, but subsequently the date 
was deferred to February or March, 1898. Unfortunately many 
months were lost in an effort to secure the advice and co-operation 
of the Fine Arts Federation, and it is now doubtful whether it is 
possible to prepare a successful exhibition before next November. 
In this connection we may note that a beautiful design for the 
Society’s seal has been modelled by Mr. Charles R. Knight, 
and willappear upon future documents. A certificate of member- 
ship, engraved by Tiffany & Co., will be issued to members who 
desire it, during the present month. The certificate bears a figure 
of our most characteristic American mammal, the Prong-horned 
Antelope, drawn by another of our animal artists, Mr. Carl 
Rungius. The Society is indebted to Mr. Rudolph Kersting for a 
large number of photographs showing the present condition of 
Bronx Park, several of which are reproduced in this volume. 
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES. 
Our total receipts for the year 1897 were $47,191.01, divided 
into $33,211.58 for the Park Improvement Fund, and $13,979.45 
