KI'TOkT OX 'rill". CIIARACTl-R AND AVAILAIUIJTV 



oi" sor'i'n p.Roxx park. 



To the l-'.xicuiiic Comniitln' of the 



Nkw Vokk Zoological vSocikty. 



Gentlemen: — By the direction of your Chairman, I have 

 spent four weeks in studying the sites available for a zoological 

 park in the park areas of the Annexed District of New York 

 city, north of looth vStreet ; and I now have tlie honor to sub- 

 mit the following report of facts, and my own conclusions based 

 thereon : 



As a basis of study, I formulated at the outset the follow- 

 ing list of points to be considered in the investigation of each 

 available site, and which I have endeavored to arrange in the 

 order of their importance to a zoological garden. 



1 . Accessibility. 



2. Shade. 



o. Surface contour. 



4. Natural water supply. 



T). Seclusion. 



0. Natural building sites. 



7. Evenness of temperature. 



8. Po.ssibilities for sewerage. 



9. Absence of swamp influences. 

 10. Contiguity to freight railway. 



(Here follows a report upon Crotona, Pelham Bay and Van 

 Cortlandt parks). 



Two and one-half miles nearer to New York than is Van 

 Cortlandt Park, and five miles nearer than the onlj' desirable 

 portion of Pelham Bay Park, is situated a tract of 2(1 1 acres of 

 forest, meadow-land and water, which, for convenience, we 

 will call South I'ronx Park. In a word, it ma}' be described 



