26 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



down which it descends. Work was commenced on this road toward 

 the close of the fiscal year. 



At the edge of the stream near the site of the old mill the two roads 

 are to unite in one, which a short distance above will cross the creek on 

 a rustic bridge (marked B on map), thus reaching the main body of the 

 park near the principal animal house. 



Among the most satisfactory of the works undertaken in the park 

 for beautifying and secluding the grounds is the restoration of the area 

 between the seal pond and Rock Creek to something approaching its 

 primitive wildness. This region had been connected with the body of 

 the park by high embankments meant to restrain the stream and pre- 

 vent it from destroying the seal pond. This object has now been 

 effected by removing the embankments and sinking under the ground 

 at each end of the pond a substantial wall of masonry. 



Through the courtesy of the Fish Commission the park was enabled 

 during the year to acquire the plant for an aquarium which was used 

 at the Atlanta Exposition. It is intended to establish this in a suit- 

 able structure, thereby effecting an important addition to the zoological 

 resources of the park. 



As the Yellowstone National Park is the source from which many 

 wild animals are supplied to the park here, and as great difficulty has 

 hitherto been experienced in properly confining and caring for animals 

 within that preserve, it has seemed desirable that an inclosure of con- 

 siderable extent should be fenced off in some suitable portion of that 

 I>ark into which animals could be driven for the purpose of capture and 

 where they could be preserved indefinitely while becoming partially 

 tamed and awaiting transportation to the East. A site for such an 

 inclosure has been selected in the Hay den Valley, and during the sum- 

 mer of 1895 a strong corral inclosing a considerable tract was erected 

 there. It was hoped that most of the few bison still remaining in the 

 Yellowstone Park might be brought into this corral, and here protected 

 from marauders. In this particular, however, my expectations have 

 not been realized. The pursuit of the bison by poachers has continued, 

 and it is understood from the superintendent of the park that there are 

 now but very few remaining. 



ASTROPHYSIOAL OBSERVATORY. 



The operations of the Astrophysical Observatory during the past 

 year, as detailed more at length iu the appendix, have been very success- 

 ful in reducing prejudicial disturbances to the work. It is expected 

 to make within a few months a publication of the results of the long 

 investigation of the infra-red spectrum which has thus far occupied so 

 much of the attention of the observatory. In this publication it is 

 believed that the degree of accuracy in the position of absorption lines, 

 which was mentioned in the report of last year as the aim of the inves- 

 tigation, will be fully realized. 



Notwithstanding the gratifying progress in removing sources of error 



