92 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



per flashing-, and doing some reslating. The chimney of this 

 hiiilding was in a dangerous condition and therefore the entire 

 upper portion had to be taken down and rebuilt. 



To a somewhat lesser extent this was also done to the chim- 

 ney of the Aquatic Bird House. 



IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR ACCOUNT. 



The following items of improvements and repairs were made 

 from this account during the year : 



Ostrich House. 

 At the Ostrich House we had been troubled for years with 

 lack of proper drainage, and with underground springs pouring 

 in through the walls throughout the entire year. By means of 

 drainage pipes properly located this water was intercepted before 

 it reached the cellar, and connected under the cellar floor with 

 the house drain-pipes. 



Bird House Cages Rat-Proofing. 

 On account of the great damage done by rats in the glass 

 court of the Large Bird House, a determined and apparently 

 successful effort was made to rid the entire court of all possible 

 hiding places of these pests. In this efi'ort the inner ceiling 

 lights and all of the wooden lining of the building were removed. 

 All possible runways and hiding places were enclosed by steel 

 or filled with cement. The framework of all of the steel cages 

 was renewed and a great deal of sheet metal and wire netting 

 was replaced. The court and its cages are now not only ratproof, 

 but present a vastly better appearance than ever before, in addi- 

 tion to which the maintenance cost of the court is greatly les- 

 sened. 



Upper Bear Dens. 

 The concrete floors of the upper Bear Dens which had sagged 

 considerably, and on account of the many cracks and holes had 

 become unsanitary, were removed and replaced with new and 

 better ones. At the same time, the sleeping dens received new 

 wooden floors and limings. 



Boston Road Comfort Station. 

 At this station the lack of water pressure had been a great 

 source of annoyance, and at times the shortage of water pro- 



