SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 87 



The entire Primate House was given a thorough and much 

 needed overhauHng. Four cages were supphed with floors of 

 cork tiling, which thus far seems to be very satisfactory. 



At the Small Deer House several of the stall partitions and 

 fronts were found to be entirely too weak for the strong, horned 

 animals within. These were replaced, or else greatly strength- 

 ened. 



All of the cages in the Small Mammal House were over- 

 hauled, painted and repaired, and the sewer of this building, 

 which had become clogged up with poplar roots ten feet below 

 the surface of the ground, was dug up, cleaned and re-laid. 



Early in the year it was discovered that the hickory bark 

 borer, the most pernicious insect pest that attacks the various 

 hickories, was found to be present in the Park, and, in fact, 

 in all the parks of the borough. A thorough examination was 

 at once made of all the hickories, and those that were found to 

 be infected were immediately removed and burned up. The 

 park authorities were notified of the presence of the pest, but 

 it is greatly feared that most of the hickory trees in the Zoological 

 Park will succumb to the ravages of the borer unless concerted 

 action is taken by the City Park Department, and also private 

 owners. This might be brought about by the action of the Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture, who has power under the law to take 

 effective steps for the prevention of the spread, and the eradica- 

 tion of plant diseases. With the exception of the presence of 

 this pest, the presence of the white fly on the rhododendrons and 

 the occasional ravages of the leopard moth, our trees are in good 

 condition. 



The seventeen-year locust, which proved itself a nuisance in 

 many sections of New York and New Jersey, was not present in 

 the Park. 



The roof of the Elephant House continues to be in an un- 

 satisfactory condition, and much damage to the building has 

 been caused thereby. The matter has been receiving special 

 attention. 



The usual amount of live stock, vegetables and ornamental 

 plants were produced at the Nursery. The greenhouses are be- 

 coming wholly inadequate to supply the demand for plants for 

 indoor decoration and bedding. 



