62 XEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



GROUND IMPROVEMENTS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ZOOLOGICAL 



PARK OFFICERS. 



Hermann W. Merkel, Chief Constructor and Forester. 



The work accomplished under this head marked an important 

 advance toward the final completion of the internal improvements 

 of the Zoological Park. Several forces of men, under experienced 

 foremen, were throughout the working season diligently em- 

 ployed in the very numerous tasks of miscellaneous construction 

 which were of such a nature that they could not satisfactorily be 

 performed by contract. 



Completion of the Scrz'icc Road. — The long-contemplated sec- 

 tion of the Service Road between the Rocking-Stone and the 

 Buffalo Entrance was at last undertaken, and carried to satisfac- 

 tory completion. It is by far the best piece of road-making in the 

 Park. In order to carry the route down the steep eastern slope of 

 Rocking-Stone Hill, it was necessary to run through the Buffalo 

 Corrals very near the north end of the Buffalo House. The 

 engineering was ver}- satisfactorily accomplished by Mr. Beer- 

 bower. To prevent washing on the steep hillside, flat concrete 

 gutters, with a raised outside rim, were combined with tar- 

 surfaced Telford macadam, and the finished result may well be 

 taken as a model for park roads in such situations. Naturally, the 

 new connecting link is of great advantage to the business interests 

 of the Park, and in addition to that, it is used by a majority of our 

 visitors, in preference to the stone steps near by. 



The Buffalo Corrals. — The invasion of the original Buffalo 

 Corrals rendered necessary a complete remodeling of the accom- 

 modations for our American bison — now numbering thirty-four 

 head. To meet the new conditions, on a permanent basis, a spa- 

 cious new corral and two small yards for ill-tempered individuals, 

 were constructed immediately south of the old corral, and in front 

 of the long, open shed hurriedly erected in 1905. Around these 

 enclosures, and also around what remained of the old corrals, new 

 fences were erected, on heavy steel posts. The unpaved surface 

 of all these corrals and yards was covered with Telford macadam, 

 thoroughlv drained, and the whole system of yards was put on a 

 first class and permanent basis. At the same time, advantage was 

 taken of the opportunity to erect a chute in which to capture and 

 crate animals that are to be shipped away. 



Yards Around the Small-Deer House. — Owing to the many 

 difficulties presented by the slope of the ground surrounding the 

 Small-Deer House, it was deemed advisable to follow the same 



