22 



pleased to say, have proved to be a success in every way, 

 enabling the animals to obtain air and exercise during the 

 summer months, and allowing the crowds which frequent 

 the Gardens at that season much greater facilities for 

 examining their occupants. 



The sum of £59 2*. 5d. was devoted to the re-erection 

 of the Sheep-sheds on a site near the Antelope-house. 

 Their removal -was rendered necessary by their too close 

 proximity to the new Lion-house, the vacant space thus 

 obtained having been levelled and turfed. 



Besides this, the whole area round the Lion-house has 

 been gravelled, and the compartments for ornamental 

 water-fowl on the north and south sides completed and 

 stocked, so that, with the exception of painting the two 

 middle out-door cages, the Council believe that little further 

 expenditure on this group of buildings beyond that of 

 ordinary maintenance will be necessary. 



A new flight of stone steps for the end of the terrace 

 cost £92. 



A new ornamental outside fence and gates at the North 

 Entrance cost £129 7^- G^. 



The new fencing rendered necessary by the transfer of 

 the Elands from the Middle Gardens into the Antelope- 

 house cost j€195 lO^r. 



The sum of £144 Os. 5(1. was devoted to clearing out 

 the well in the Gardens, and to deepening the bore ; but 

 although a considerable increase in the supply of water 

 has thus been obtained for the present, there can be no 

 question that the amount of water to be got by pumping 

 from wells within the metropolitan area is decreasing year 

 by year. 



The only other important work undertaken by the 

 Council last year was the rebuilding of the second-class 

 refreshment-room according to the plans prepared by Mr. 

 Salvin, when the complete reorganization of this part of 

 the establishment was determined upon in 1868. On the 

 preliminary work and removal of the old building the sum 

 of £26 16*. 6d. was spent in 1877- Since then the new 

 second-class refreshment-room, in a style harmonizing 

 with the two portions previously completed, has been 

 built by Messrs. George Smith & Co., under contract for 

 the sum of £725, and is now ready for use. A new 

 water-main has been laid down in order to give a con- 



