CENTRAL PARK. 149 



purchase of the well-known collections of bird skins, made 

 by M. M. Elliot and Lawrence, this department is acquiring 

 a great reputation among Scientists, and no place could be 

 more convenient than its present location in the magnificent 

 grounds of Central Park. The site of this park, which on 

 my first visit to New York, was one of my hunting grounds 

 for collecting Insects, occupies now nearly the centre of the 

 city, so it is easy to have an idea of its extension on that 

 side since 1853. 



It is impossible to give a full description of all its 

 beauties ; but I remember that in my last visit, in 1877, k 

 was one of my daily excursions, and I passed many agree- 

 able and useful hours in the grounds. 



The length of the park is about two-and-a-half miles by 

 half-a-mile width. It contains about 862 acres of lawn, 

 garden, wood drives, footpaths, etc., with a very fine lake 

 and brook. It takes about half-an-hour to row round 

 the lake. 



There are carriages running at frequent intervals round 

 the park. It takes about one-hour-and-a-half to make the 

 entire circuit, and it costs one shilling. 



There are fifteen miles of carriage roads, eight miles of 

 bridle paths for riders, and over twenty-five miles of walk. 



It is extremely picturesque, the engineers having made 

 good use of the rough hills and tangled woodland which 

 originally stood there. 



By walking, all the sights are better seen, the bridges, 

 the belvedere, the cave, the springs, the lake, the hills, all are 

 worth seeing. Dairy, Restaurant and Casino have been built 

 inside the park, and are very well patronized, as also the 

 Carousel, where are swings and all sorts of amusements for 

 children. 



One of the peculiar features of New York, which attract 

 more especially the attention of the European, are the railways 

 running parallel to the streets. They are in New York what 

 the Metropolitan underground railways are to London, except- 

 ing that the latter ones run underground, while those of New 

 York are constructed in the streets at the height of the first 

 floor. They are running frequently and always full, and 

 they must certainly be an annoyance to the dwellers of the 

 houses situated along their route. 



I passed two u Fourths of July," the anniversary of the 

 Independence of the United States, in that country. 



If not seen, it is impossible to have any idea of the 



