BROOKLYN PARK COMMSSIONEES. 19 



Commissioners believe that the benefits of these parks in 

 healthful recreation and amusement are of the most substantial 

 character, inuring not alone to those who partake directly of 

 those pleasures, but to the community at large. They stimu- 

 late a spirit of pride in citizenship and a loyalty to peace, good 

 order, and all that pertains to municipal prosperity. 



There are also financial disadvantages which the public are 

 reaping with more or less directness that are entirely traceable 

 directly to these great public improvements. 



The Commissioners are of the opinion that the system of 

 parks, the parkways and the improvements at Coney Island 

 under their supervision amply provides for the public recreation 

 in outdoor pleasures in all that can be reasonably be expected 

 from such improvements. With a careful and intelligent de- 

 velopment of our resources in these particulars there is no 

 reasonable ground for urging their extension. 



The inventory of realty and other property in the care of the 

 Brooklyn Park Commissioners remains substantially the same 

 as last year, with the exception of a portion of the East Side 

 lands, which has passed into the hands of private owners by 

 purchase at the sale in November last. 



The condition of the stock, and of the wagons, and all other 

 appliances of work have necessarily deteriorated in value, but 

 continue to be serviceable. 



There have been presented to the Park during the year : 

 1 Alderney bull, by H. C. Barnard, Esq., Nostrand avenue ; 



I sheep, by H. Hentz, Esq., St. Mark's avenue ; 1 deer, by Mrs. 

 Capt. Morton, 485 Willoughbv avenue ; 1 Palmetto tree, by Mr. 

 S. Y. White, 210 Columbia Heights. 



Of the stock on hand, there are : 14 horses, 94 sheep, 16 deer, 



II peafowl, 4 swan, 80 geese and ducks. 



Eight sheep and five deer died, and a large number of fowl, 

 including ten peafowl, and a number of geese died from poison or 

 other unknown cause. 



