26(5 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 424. 



of August alone. As soon as the rapid- 

 transit system is completed, it is anticipated 

 that the number of visitors will double or 

 treble. 



The maintenance provided by the city 

 for the year was $85,000, but the cost of 

 running the park exceeded this by $3,500, 

 paid by the society. For the year 1903, 

 owing to the increased area occupied by 

 the park and the addition of several new 

 buildings and installations, the city has 

 provided a maintenance of $104,965. This 

 is necessary for the care of a park one third 

 as large as Central Park, and of collections 

 now including 2,000 animals, of all kinds. 

 The income from franchises and gate re- 

 ceipts during the year was $7,000, all of 

 which was devoted to additions to the collec- 

 tions. The membership is at present 1,210 ; 

 and efforts are being made to increase this 

 to 3,000. In July, 1902, the Board of Esti- 

 mate and Apportionment appropriated an 

 additional $250,000 for the improvement 

 and -extension of the park. With these 

 funds the system of paths has been in- 

 creased by a broad walk east of the Bronx 

 River, and another walk through the beau- 

 tiful portion of the forest known as Beaver 

 Valley, in addition to the erection of the 

 buildings enumerated below. The society 

 is now making application for $250,000, to 

 be made available July 1, 1903. 



The mountain sheep hill has been com- 

 pleted in a most admirable manner under 

 the direction of the head forester, carrying 

 out the general designs of Director Horna- 

 day. The bear dens have been extended 

 to the south, and now complete this series 

 of installations, affording space for every 

 species of this family which can be secured. 

 The collection of bears is already the most 

 complete in existence. 



The chief event is the construction of the 

 lion house, at a cost of about $150,000, from 

 designs by Heins & La Farge, with sculp- 



ture by Mr. Eli Harvey, including finely 

 carved sentinel lions, and two pediments, 

 besides a variety of heads in the cornice, of 

 the principal types of the cat family. The 

 feature of this building is the treatment of 

 the interior of the cages with light-green 

 opalite tile, and a frieze of faience tile 

 representing desert and jungle scenes for 

 the lions and tigers, respectively. The di- 

 rector was sent abroad especially to select 

 animals for this building, with funds 

 amounting to $13^000 donated by indi- 

 vidual members of the board of managers. 

 The building will be opened and com- 

 pletely stocked during the month of Feb- 

 ruary. 



The antelope house is also well under 

 way, at a cost of $54,900. This will enable 

 the society to add the African types of 

 quadrupeds to its exhibits in addition to 

 those already shown in the lion house. The 

 bird and ostrich house has been designed 

 for the west side of a new south court, to 

 be named Audubon Court, bounded on the 

 north by the reptile house, on the south by 

 the antelope house, and on the east by the 

 mountain sheep hill. 



In addition to the sum of $25,000 sub- 

 scribed chiefly for the increase of collec- 

 tions, the park has received some valuable 

 gifts, including an antique Italian foun- 

 tain, valued at $25,000, presented by Mr. 

 "William Rockefeller ; also a memorial gate- 

 way to Joseph Lydig, former owner of the 

 forest tract of this park. 



During the coming spring the entire 

 soiithern portion of Baird Court will be 

 put in order, . including the lion and the 

 monkey houses, the large sea-lion pool, and 

 the Rockefeller fountain. Plans are also 

 in preparation for extending the eastern 

 portion of the park, and perfecting the 

 southern terminus by a plaza connected 

 with the new rapid-transit system. 



One of the most important features of 



