82 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1911. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



The hospital and laboratory, which has been mentioned in the re- 

 ports for the last two years, is still unfinished, but a considerable 

 amount of work was done on the interior cages so that the building 

 now lacks only the necessary outside yards and the laboratory equip- 

 ment. The hospital cages are designed for the care and special com- 

 fort of indisposed or quarantined animals, and accommodations are 

 provided for two mammals of lion-size, three of leopard-size, three 

 large ruminants, and a number of smaller animals. In addition, 

 there is a large, well lighted, central room for laboratory use. The 

 completion of this building will greatly facilitate the work of the 

 pathologists from the Department of Agriculture who visit the 

 park. 



The largest water fowl lake, in the southeastern part of the park, 

 was enlarged and reconstructed to provide safe and retired breeding 

 and resting places for the birds. It' had formerly been inclosed by 

 a fence of ordinary poultry wire without special protection from pre- 

 dacious animals, and there had been frequent loss from the depreda- 

 tions of rat's and the smaller native carnivores. In order to increase 

 sufficiently the land area it was necessary to construct a stone wall 

 along Rock Creek at the rear of the inclosure. By lowering the 

 grade of the hill bordering the lake, sufficient earth was procured to 

 fill up to the level of the wall on the inner side. A rat-proof fence 

 was woven in the machine shop and further provided with guards 

 against cats and raccoons. The level of the water was raised about 

 12 inches, greatly increasing the size of the lake, and the new fence 

 was constructed on a concrete coping considerably outside the former 

 boundary. Numerous shrubs, small trees, canes, and grasses were 

 planted to supplement the fine growth of larger trees already on the 

 area. Visitors walk along one side of the lake only and as the thick 

 vegetation virtually hides the fence on the opposite side at all points 

 the effect is that of a wilderness breeding lake for ducks and geese. 

 As completed, the inclosure provides almost natural conditions for 

 the waterfowl of numerous species and forms a very attractive ex- 

 hibit. It has been given over entirely to North American species, 

 and it is hoped that a large representation of the ducks, geese, and 

 other aquatic birds commonly associated with them native to our 

 continent may be kept here. On June 30, no less than 136 North 

 American waterfowl, of 24. species, were to be seen on the lake. The 

 natural surroundings and the fact' that only American species are 

 shown here makes this waterfowl lake of special interest to school 

 classes, sportsmen, and bird lovers, and it has become one of the 

 popular features of the park. A cement walk was extended from 

 the bridge near the Harvard Street entrance along the south side of 



