74 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The spaces between the outdoor cages of the Lion House and 

 Primate House and their respective guard rails, were concreted, 

 and they are now for the first time in such a condition that they 

 can be easily and thoroughly cleaned. Besides this, the concrete 

 imparts a finished appearance to the buildings. 



Advantage was taken of the building of a new railroad in 

 the vicinity of the Park to remodel the water-courses of the 

 Duck Aviary with good, solid fill, reducing the water areas, and 

 causing a constant stream to flow through them. This work has 

 much improved the condition of the water. 



At last the crematory at the Nursery is suitably housed, 

 in a concrete building, making this feature available for winter 

 use. 



A series of model pig-pens was built at the Nursery. These 

 were called for by the Reptile Department, as a measure of 

 economy in providing the favorite food of the large pythons, — 

 freshly killed suckling pigs, under thirty pounds in weight. The 

 cost of purchasing such food was so great that it was impera- 

 tively necessary to produce it by more economical methods. 



MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS 



The ever increasing amount of maintenance and repair 

 work often threatens to overwhelm our limited force. Not only 

 is the first series of buildings and installations beginning to 

 show the results of hard usage, but poor contract work on such 

 buildings as the Lion House and Bird House is constantly show- 

 ing up. At this moment extensive repairs to the outside brick- 

 work of the Lion House are greatly needed. 



In the Aquatic Bird House, the western series of wall-cages 

 was taken down and rebuilt on a base of stained concrete, which 

 will now last for a great number of years. The same will have 

 to be done with the centre cages and those on the east side dur- 

 ing the coming year. The roof of this building, and those of the 

 Lion House and Bird House, are in very poor condition, and in 

 constant need of repairs. The whole interior of the Aquatic 

 Bird House was repainted. 



At the Primate House, all wooden sheathing was removed 

 from the rear of the cages, doing away with harboring places for 

 rats; and several oak panels were removed from the base of the 

 large series of eastern cages, and replaced by glass. 



At the Lion House, all of the roofing was overhauled, and 

 all necessary plastering in the various cages was done. 



