SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT. 39 



necessary to plan the Bird House on a larger scale than as 

 originally designed, because experience has shown that large 

 as the buildings are, they are insufficient to accommodate the 

 crowds which visit the Park on pubHc hoHdays and Sundays. 



For the coming year the Society has applied for the appropria- 

 tion of an additional Ground Improvement Fund of $500,000. 

 With this amount, Baird Court, its buildings and approaches on 

 the norths and the Bird House can be completed. One of the chief 

 purposes of this fund will be the completion of the roads and paths 

 in the Park, so as to accommodate the enormous crowds, which 

 will reach the Park over the line of the new Rapid Transit system. 

 The portion of the Park lying east of the Bronx River must be 

 fenced in to protect it from the depredations of timber thieves ; and 

 the unequaled opportunities for enjoyment of multitudes along 

 Bronx Lake must be considered by the erection of a boat-house, 

 and by the development of this portion of the Park, which has 

 heretofore been neglected owing to the lack of funds. From 

 this fund also the Antelope House may be constructed, unless 

 the Society is enabled, through the generosity of some of its 

 members, to erect this building from its own funds. The cost 

 of the building will be about $60,000, and the need of such a 

 structure to shelter during our cold winters the large tropical 

 animals, is imperative. At present the Society is obliged to 

 deprive the buffalo herd of the use of their winter house, in order 

 to install therein a variety of tropical deer and antelope, for 

 which no other heated space is obtainable. 



The need for these improvements is immediate, owing to the 

 fact that within two years the terminus of the Rapid Transit 

 system at West Farms will be completed. This will bring to 

 our very gates, for a single fare of five cents, the immense 

 population of New York. The attendance during the last year 

 was 527,145, and the largest attendance for any one day was on 

 Sunday, August 24th, when 20,206 people visited the Park; but 

 these numbers will be dwarfed by the crowds which may be ex- 

 pected in the future. The Committee confidently expects that 

 the present administration will realize the importance of hasten- 

 ing the work in order to prepare for this great influx of visitors. 



In this connection it may be said that the Elevated Railroad 

 has been extended during the past year to Fordham, and now 

 carries visitors to within half a mile of the Northwest Entrance. 



