98 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



Gi^ard Wires. — Wire guards were replaced, calling for the 

 setting of 212 new steel posts, the making and setting of 1936 

 concrete protecting bases, as well as the stringing of 60,000 

 feet of new wire. This work could not be completed because of 

 the difficulty of obtaining labor. There was expended for this 

 purpose the sum of $828.80. 



Belgian Animal Shipment. — For the shipment of animals 

 to the Zoological Garden at Antwerp, 110 cages were built; most 

 of them entirely new, though wherever possible, cages on hand 

 were rebuilt to suit the purpose. The cost of all this item was 

 $604.50; and it was paid by the New York Zoological Society. 

 The handling of this shipment, such as crating and loading on 

 the steamer, was assumed by this Department, with the help 

 of several animal men. 



SUMMARY. 



Repairs Urgently Needed. 



With the return of peace and more settled conditions, the 

 Zoological Park must take in hand more seriously than ever 

 before, the problem of restoring the buildings and other instal- 

 lations as also our grounds, to their former state of excellence. 

 For over three years only the most urgent repairs have been 

 done, and the organization for doing a large share of this work, 

 which formerly existed in good condition, has now disappeared, 

 and must be restored on a permanent basis. Items of repair or 

 restoration have been put off from year to year, and are now 

 threatening the utility and appearance of the Park in every 

 direction and location. 



The Maintenance Force, which during the year was reduced 

 to an absolute minimum, again, has not been increased to that 

 of even 1918, nor can this be helped out by the temporary em- 

 ployment of a few additional men out of the Improvement and 

 Repair Fund. This is because all such men are new, and most 

 of them are unskilled in the many phases of the work required 

 of them. 



Some of the items that are of urgent importance and must 

 be taken care of in 1920, are as follows : 



Walk Repairs. — A close survey discloses the fact that at 

 least 400,000 square feet of walks and roads, some of which 



