58 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



THE ELEPHAXT HOUSE. 



In such an institution as the Zoological Park the completion of 

 the largest and finest building of an entire series is necessarily an 

 important event. The elephants, rhinoceroses and hippopotami 

 are so very large, so powerful and so valuable that their proper 

 housing demands the maximum eiTort in zoological construction. 

 Our new Elephant House is not only our largest and finest animal 

 building, but it also represents our ideas of perfection in such 

 structures. It has not been designed to contain a large number 

 of duplicate pachyderms, but rather to house a collection of the 

 first magnitude, and zoologically as nearly complete as such collec- 

 tions can well be made. 



We believe that this building represents high-water mark in 

 zoological building construction. It is spacious, well lighted, 

 beautiful in its lines, both externally and internally, beautifully 

 ornamented without being overdone, and yet wholly free from 

 useless extravagance. The interior lighting and cage "effects" 

 are highly satisfactory, the light upon the animals beuig quite 

 sufficient, without being too strong and glaring. It is clearly 

 evident that the animals enjoy their cages ; for were it otherwise, 

 the Indian rhinoceros would not. almost daily, gallop round and 

 round, and with ponderous agility often leap into the air. 



In our ever continuous effort to give each of our captive ani- 

 mals an option on several different conditions of light, heat and 

 seclusion, we introduced low down in a side wall of each of the 

 large cages, two large registers for the delivery of currents of 

 warm air. The arrangement has added greatly to the personal 

 comfort of the animals. If the general temperature of the build- 

 ing is a little too low to suit the comfort of an elephant or rhinoc- 

 eros, the animal at once seeks the currents of warm air issuing 

 from the registers. By means of these warm-air registers it is 

 possible to keep the general temperature of the building at a 

 somewhat lower point than would otherwise be safe. 



The construction of the yards and fences surrounding the 

 Ele]:)hant House began immediately after the erection of the build- 

 ing had progressed far enough to permit the ground to be cleared 

 of building materials. The work has been vigorously prosecuted 

 at all points, and on January t, 1909, was so well advanced that 

 its completion is assured well in advance of weather warm enough 

 to make it possibe to use them. This work will W referred to 

 later on in this report. 



Thi: only com])laint that thus far has reached the Director 

 regarding the use of the Eleiiluuit House is of a very novel 



