84 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



cately tested respiration apparatus with numerous chambers for 

 varying sizes of reptiles has been installed in the Reptile House 

 of the Park, and daily observations under the technical direction 

 of Mr. Colbert Mason of the Nutrition Laboratory have been in 

 progress since October 28, 1915. Thus far the python, boa and 

 rattlesnake have been especially studied, and a most interesting 

 series of observations on the giant tortoise from the Galapagos 

 Islands completed. 



"It is believed that the material is being collected upon such 

 a scale that, when it is deemed practicable to publish the results, 

 definite conclusions can be drawn. Reports of the work will be 

 published from time to time, as the collection of data justifies, 

 in the publications of the Carnegie Institution of Washington." 



CENSUS OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



January 1, 1916. 



Species Specimens 



Chelonia 36 138 



Crocodilia 6 54 



Lacertilia 11 91 



Ophidia 57 235 



Amphibia 47 273 



Total 157 791 



SUMMARY OF COLLECTIONS. 



A census of the animals in the Zoological Park, taken Janu- 

 ary 1, 1916, is as follows: 



Species Specimens 



Mammals 211 636 



Birds 813 2,773 



Reptiles 110 518 



Amphibians 47 273 



Total 1,181 4,200 



GROUND IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE WORK OF THE 



DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND CONSTRUCTION. 



Hermann AV. Merkel, Chief Construftoi- and Forester; 

 E. H. Costain, Assistant Forester. 



The first work to be started by the ground improvement 

 fund was the replacing of the poultry house at the Nursery, and 

 the erection of a brooder and incubator house, both of which 



