nearly akin to freedom than that afforded by any similar institution. 

 Besides the numerous communal cages, which are for the first time em- 

 ployed here, a large flying-cage in the center of the main hall is also 

 an innovation. 



The great out-of-door Flying Cage is to be found in other zoolog- 

 ical institutions, but so far as is known, none others have been equipped 

 with a swimming pool one hundred by thirty feet, and of sufficient depth 

 to afford the great showy water birds ample diving space. For several 

 years some of the shyest birds constructed nests and progressed as far 

 as to deposit eggs. The last two seasons have been more promising; 

 a pair of pelicans actually rearing a young bird hatched in the cage. 

 In the winter these delicate birds are removed to the Aquatic Bird 

 House, which was the first structure erected in the Park. 



Along the western boundary of the Park, are the deer enclosures. 

 Beginning with the tropical deer at the northwest and ranging along 

 through the fallow, red, sambar, white-tailed, and our own native wapiti. 

 In this particular field the Society has realized one of its greatest suc- 

 cesses ; the deer from these paddocks have formed the nuclei of many 

 private and public collections, both in the New and Old World. Their 

 breeding has been most prolific, and the activity in this direction has at 

 times caused much embarrassment. 



The Zebra House and Aviary for eagles and vultures stand close 

 together south of the Bird House and west of the Lion House. As their 

 names imply, one, with its large yards, is for the wild equines, and the 

 other for the varied collection of rapacious birds ; eagles, hawks, and 

 vultures. 



The Zoological Society was formed by Mr. Madison Grant in 1895, 

 and it immediately attracted the support of Prof. Henry Fairfield Os- 

 born. In 1895, a charter was obtained incorporating the Society under 

 the laws of the State of New York, through the efforts of Mr. William 

 White Niles, then a member of the State Legislature, and thereupon 

 the Society was granted the southern portion of Bronx Park, by the 

 City of New York, for the purpose of establishing a zoological park. 



As a token of good faith, the Society agreed to furnish the original 

 equipment of buildings to the value of $250,000, and to forever supply 

 at its expense a collection of living wild animals, birds and reptiles. 



Privileges. — Because of the fact that the Zoological Society has 

 undertaken to furnish all the animals for the Zoological Park, the City 

 of New York has agreed that all the revenue-producing privileges of 

 the Park shall be controlled by the Society. All net profits derived from 

 the restaurants, boats, refreshments, riding animals, the sale of photo- 



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