SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 39 



the sides of the entrances, two pediments to be placed within the 

 entrances, and a large number of heads of various felines for the 

 decoration of the cornice and of the sides of the building. The 

 details of the sculptured panels are also his work. The Society is 

 indebted to the contractors, Thomas Cockerill & Son, for the en- 

 terprising and satisfactory manner in which they have completed 

 the construction of this building. Many unique features embodied 

 in this building are pointed out in the Director's report, especially 

 the use of steel wire instead of bars for cage fronts, the provision 

 of opalite tiling for the interior linings of the cages, and the studio 

 for artists. 



The large collection of felines needed for this building was pre- 

 sented by various members of the Board of Managers and other 

 friends of the Society, a special subscription being made for this 

 purpose ; and in order to secure the finest types, the Director, ac- 

 companied by Mr. W. W. Niles, took a special trip abroad to 

 examine anew the Zoological gardens of Europe, and to give the 

 necessary orders to various dealers. 



The Antelope House is well on the way to completion and 

 should be finished during the spring of 1903. The contract was 

 awarded to Thomas Dyer, for $54,900. The building will be used 

 in winter for the housing of tropical deer, which are now crowded 

 during the winter into the lower portion of the Buffalo House and 

 elsewhere. We have been seriously embarrassed at the outset by 

 our inability to house tropical animals during winter, and the pur- 

 chase of many specimens has been deferred for this reason. The 

 rapid destruction of many of the species of African antelopes also 

 renders the completion of this building very timely, as every year 

 of delay will increase the cost of these animals. Our next duty 

 will be to procure a representative series of antelopes and other 

 tropical ruminants for this building. It is planned in such a 

 manner as to accommodate also elephants, hippopotami, zebras, 

 and other African types, pending the future construction of the 

 Elephant House and of a special installation for horses, asses, and 

 zebras. 



The plans for the Ostrich House were advertised in March, 

 1902. The lowest bid was $37,000, which far exceeded the amount 

 the Society had planned to appropriate for this purpose. So the 

 plans were withdrawn, and are now being re-studied ; and it is 

 hoped that a contract for this building will be advertised in the 

 course of a month or so. 



The erection of this building and of the house for small mam- 

 mals necessitated the development of the area between the Ante- 



