76 Xi:\V YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



exhil)it. and CDiistitutc a xahiablc addition to the educational 

 erjui])nient of the Zoological I 'ark. 



Cleaning the Bronx River. — The extensive grading" and filling 

 operations necessary in the Zoological Park grounds east of the 

 Bronx River and south of Pelhani Parkway, afforded an oppor- 

 tunity to remove from Lake Agassiz a great quantity of earth for 

 use as filling material. This opportunity was improved to the 

 fullest extent possible, and about three feet was taken off the 

 surface of the mud flat in Lake Agassiz throughout about half of 

 its entire area. It is our intention to remove still more of the 

 alluvial deposit of Lake .Agassiz during the present year, for use 

 as filling" material in the north end of Baird Court. If the 

 deepening of the whole shallow area of Lake Agassiz can 

 thus be accomplished, it will l)e a great advantage to that body 

 of water. 



Among the smaller tasks of our Ground-Improvement force, 

 under Air. Merkel, the following are worthy of brief mention : 



A log-cabin shelter-house, of rustic spruce, was erected in the 

 Moufion Range of Mountain Sheep Hill ; and from five areas on 

 Mountain Sheep Hill, sod was removed, and steam ashes put in 

 its place. 



An extension for the Chief Clerk's ofiice was added to the 

 Service, Building. 



A shelter-house for the steam roller was built in the service 

 yard. 



A section of the old Pheasant Aviary, 40 feet long, was moved 

 to the service yard, and fitted up as a room for the use of the 

 P'ark w^orkmen during the noon hour. 



Another 40-foot section of the same building was also moved 

 into the service yard, and fitted up as a work-shop for our force 

 of wire-workers. 



A temporary but ver\- comfortable shelter-shed, 80 feet long, 

 was built south from the Buffalo House, as additional shelter for 

 the Whitney bulTalo herd. This was of great value during the 

 severe v»-inter which followed. 



An iron tower, an elevated water tank and a gasoline engine 

 were ])rovided for the Xursery to \)hwv its water supplv on a 

 proper basis, and sa\-e eostU ]inni]iing 1)\ hand. 



The BuiYalo and Elk Ixanges were ])loughed twice during the 

 year, in kill the poisonous grasses. 



.\ really great amount of labor was expended in the prepara- 

 tion of the grotmd and fences for a series of 8 largt' \ar<U con- 

 necting with the indoor cagts of tlu- ( )strich 1 louse. The fi'ucing 



