24 Ni:\V YORK /DOI.OCKAI. SOClIvTY. 



llic inosl carL-ful iii(iuir\ in Washinj^ion and elsewhere, the 

 Kxeculive Coininittcc eiiKaj^cd, at a siilary of So/lOO a year, 

 the services of Mr. William T. Hornaday as Director of the 

 pro}X)sed Zoolojj;ical Park. The Director at once began an 

 exhaustive study of the various sites which have been consid- 

 ered by the Society for the location of the i)ark, and this Com- 

 mittee, from his advice and from that of various experts,* and 

 from its own repeated investigations, unanimously decided that 

 the location offered by vSouth Bronx Park was not only excep- 

 tionally well fitted for the purposes of such park, but was 

 practically the only available location. 



An application for 2(>1 acres in vSoulh Hronx Park was 

 thereupon prepared, and on May 21st, 1S9(), was presented to 

 the Commissioners of the vSinking Fund, in accordance with 

 the terms of the .Society's charter. 



The application was referred by the Mayor, as Chairman 

 of the Commissioners of the .Sinking Fund, to a special com- 

 mittee, consisting of Messrs. McCook ( Chairman), Olcott, and 

 F'itch, with instructions to consider the Societ^-'s application 

 and report back to the Connnission. 



From the facts developed at our first conference with this 

 sub-conunittee, it became apparent that a memorandum setting 

 forth the proposals and plans of the Society, and formulating 

 a basis for the relations to be established between the city and 

 the Society, was necessary. Accordingly the Committee sent 

 the Director abroad during the summer, to study various for- 

 eign zoological gardens. An exhaustive study of such gardens 

 was made, and a large amount of vahial)le information, photo- 

 graphs, plans, etc., was brought back. 



The Fvxecutive Conunittee has appeared before the vSinking 

 F'und Ccjnnnittee twice, and before the Park Board three times, 

 in furtherance of its a])plication, and we take pleasure in re- 

 l)orting that, while the final determination of the application 

 is as yet undecided, there is exery reason to expect a favorable 



*Crotona, Pelhani Bay and Van Cortlandt Parks were examined and 

 reported upon by a committee consisting of Mr. Arthur E. Brown, of 

 riiiladclphia. Mr. I), (t. I\lliot, of Chicago, and Dr. Frank Baker, of 

 Washington. 



