Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-25

wolves, and foxes have also oeen
prolific. The chief disappointment Oh
the year in this department IS tne
comparatively bad health OF the ruHi-
Mating animals of the large ranges
which is attributable to the damphess
of the season. Both the bunaio anu
the elk have been suffering from dls-
orders. which have been checked Only
by removing these animals 10 .he
rails and feeding them upon nay.
The reptile collection mas eh'o
rand growth. the number OF species
having increased from " 10 !'i' VIZ
the number of specimens mas r',en
from 500 to LBS. This coiiectioh a'so
will be greatly enlarged by the speci-
mems the society is now purch'iShh'
. broad. A very welcome gft duriiis
the wear in this department is that OF
:, fine specimen of the rare crocooiIs
Of Florida.
Tho depart.nent of birds has especial
,v nrofited by the experience OF pre-
>ious wears. the assistant curator nav
mo name a very close study of the dis
aases Of birds. ard having devised a
rumhe-. of original remedies, resulting
In a greatly diminished percentage OF
deaths. One hundred and thirty-two
birds. comprising eleven species. nave
Matched out in the park. many OF them
under very natural conditions. The
flock of Canada geese and of mallard
ducks has been materially increased III
this way: and the nesting habits OF
these wild birds have come within the
view of thousands of visitors.
The last appropriation by the Board
of Estimate and ApportiOnment for the
Improvement of the park has already
added very greatly to its attractive
ness.
With this fund the new antelope
house has been contracted for. to be
placed directly south of the reptile
house and west Of the buffaio range.
This building has been carefully de-
signed and includes number OF I'M
provements upon the best European
models for houses of this kind. The
bear dens are also being enlarged 10
the south. for the reception OF new
species of bears. The design is a con-
tiruatiOn of the natural Gin erect.
which was so successfully carried out
in the present dens. The society now
has the finest collection of bears in the
world. 1t is also believed that the
housing is the best, as the bears have
been entirely free from disorders of
any sort. the two deaths which have
occurred in the past four years being
due solely to accident. The mountain
sheep hill is also being continued and
extended northward in most artistic
manner.
he. n
walk. to he known as the Beaver VAL
lev Walk. now leads nOrthWard past
the polar bear dens and the beaver
pond 20 the monkey house. Extensive
improvements in The walks and
grounds are being made east of the
Bronx River. a charming walk having
been designed along the entire eastern
shore of the river. connecting to the
north with the roadway coming down
from the Botanical Garden. Among
the minor out most attractive new
features is a new fence of fine wire en-
closing the lawn and brook north nf
the bird house. in which number Of
iiamingo and other birds have been
freely released.
Plans have been prepared for the re-
foresting IF the park. especially on the
east side OF the river, which has suffer-
Ell greatly from depreciation, and where
all the smaller trees and some of the
larger trees have been actually de-
stroyed. The aim in the planting is
chiefly to replace the wonderful variety
of the woods of this latitude which are
now found growing in the park and to
very greatly increase the number of
COniferS and eSpocially along the ives: :
ern sides of the park to shut out the
rapidly growing line of buildings along
the Southern boulevard. The chief
exception to this rule will be the in
PRODUCTION back of the ranges for
moose. caribou. and wapiti of 4 num-
Der of northern varieties of trees. es-
pecialiy the spruces. and northern
birches. which will give an appropriate
setting for these northern types of
:. alma ls.-New York Post