40 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



lope and Reptile Houses as an informal court, somewhat similar 

 to Baird Court. There is provision for a number of buildings 

 of considerable size, but not drawn on formal lines, either as to 

 location of buildings or as to planting of trees. It was decided 

 to name this part of the Park after the great French-American 

 naturalist, Audubon, so it can hereafter be known as Audubon 

 Court. 



Plans for the large Bird House have required an exceptional 

 amount of study on the part of the Director, and Curator of Birds 

 Beebe, and of several members of the Executive Committee. As 

 a result, the ground plan and elevation, details of which are now 

 nearly complete, are published in this report. These plans are 

 in the hands of the Park Department, and bids are being adver- 

 tised for. This imposing building, which provides for a great 

 variety of bird life, especially during the winter months, will be 

 located, as originally designed, on the northwest corner of Baird 

 Court, and will afford cage room for a very large number of spec- 

 imens. Provision is made for two interior and several outside 

 flying cages. This necessitates the completion of the southern 

 half of Baird Court up to the Central Sea Lion Pool ; and we 

 must look forward in the near future to the building of the con- 

 course or main carriage road between Baird Court and Pelham 

 Avenue, as soon as the necessary funds are provided by the City, 

 The Park Department of the Borough of the Bronx is planning to 

 construct a new single-arch stone bridge over the river at the 

 northern boundary of the Park, which will greatly add to the 

 beauty of Lake Agassiz. 



The City is indebted to Mr. William Rockefeller for the gift of 

 a magnificent antique Italian fountain from Como, Italy. After 

 long consideration and the best advice, it was decided to place this 

 fountain directly opposite the Sea Lion Pool and nearly north 

 of the Primate House, in order to give the lines of the fountain 

 the background of the trees on the east side of the court. The 

 grading and planting of this section of the court will complete 

 the setting for this beautiful monument. 



In another part of the Park is being erected a gatewax' in 

 memory of the late Philip Mesier Lydig, presented to the Park 

 by his daughter, Mrs. Frank K. Sturgis. After considerable de- 

 lay, the gateway has been located at the top of the steps overlook- 

 ing Beaver Valley. The City acquired this land directly from the 

 Lydig estate in 1888, and it was owing to this fortunate circum- 

 stance that the forests were in such a superb state of preservation. 

 The gateway is Renaissance in design, covered by an iron grill, 



