June 3, 1898.] 



HCIENGK 



761 



landscape and architectural features ; and 

 an able committee of experts consented to 

 serve, as follows: Mr. Thomas Hastings, of 

 Carrere & Hastings (architects of the new 

 public library); on engineering, Mr. W. 

 Barclay Parsons (of the Rapid Transit 

 Commission); and upon the general land- 

 scape development, the late Park Commis- 

 sioner, William A. Stiles. Professor Chas. 

 S. Sargent, of Harvard University, also ac- 

 cepted a place on this Advisory Commit- 

 tee, but was subsequently prevented from 

 serving. Messrs. Heins & La Farge were 

 appointed architects, and began to develop 

 the details of the plans, in constant con- 

 sultation with the Director. Upon the 

 general plans of the buildings for animals, 

 Mr. Arthur E. Brown, Superintendent of 

 the Zoological Garden at Philadelphia ; Mr. 

 Carl Hagenbeck, of Hamburg ; Dr. J. A. 

 Allen, of the American Museum of Natural 

 History, among others were consulted, and 

 kindly gave their valuable time and advice. 

 After several months of labor a final plan 

 of the Zoological Park was completed, and 

 on November 15th was formally approved 

 by the Park Commissioners. The follow- 

 ing memorandum accompanied the plan : 



The fundamental principles which the 

 Zoological Society has observed in dis- 

 charging its duty toward the City of New 

 York and the general public in the plan- 

 ning and the development of the Zoological 

 Park, may be briefly formulated as follows : 



1. The Zoological Park must be estab- 

 lished on lines by which it can be made a 

 complete success zoologically, and also satis- 

 factory and beneficial to the public. 



2. The very valuable tract of park land, 

 consisting of 261 acres, assigned to the 

 Society's use as a site, must not be injured 

 in any way, either permanently or tem- 

 porarily, but must at all times be regarded 

 as a trust. 



3. Even of the area devoted to animal 

 collections, the choice landscapes are to be 



preserved unharmed, by locating all the 

 large closed buildings so that they will be 

 unobtrusive, especially from the boundary 

 boulevards. 



4. In selecting suitable locations for the 

 numerous collections of creatures that will 

 be required to live in the open air all the 

 year round, it is of paramount importance 

 that such animals should have all the ad- 

 vantages that are available in the nature of 

 shade, shelter from westerly winds, dry 

 situations, etc., in order that they may sur- 

 vive as long as possible. 



5. So far as it be possible, it is extremely 

 desirable that all animals living in the open 

 air should be so installed that their sur- 

 roundings will suggest, even if not closely 

 resemble, their natural haunts. 



6. The fences for large animals in open 

 ranges shall be of the lightest description 

 consistent with the proper confinement of 

 the animals, and all posts used shall be as 

 unobtrusive as possible. 



7. As far as possible, the general aspect 

 of wildness which now characterizes South 

 Bronx Park must be maintained. In other 

 words, it is desirable that the Park should 

 be maintained as a well-kept and accessible 

 natural wilderness rather than as a conven- 

 tional city park. 



8. It is totally inexpedient and undesi- 

 rable to have the area of the animals bi- 

 sected in either direction by a carriage road- 

 way, other than that projected to lead to 

 the principal restuarant. 



9. A single-track road for horseless car- 

 riages, so laid out as to reach the principal 

 buildings and collections, but without in- 

 terfering with pedestrians, is not objection- 

 able, and will probably become necessary. 



10. In order to protect and control the 

 Zoological Park, the area for the animals, 

 west of the Boston road, must be entirely 

 surrounded by a light wire fence, save oa 

 the north side, where the water forms a 

 natural barrier. 



