PREFACE. Vii 
needed, always desiring me to inform him should any 
additional expenses occur on closing up the affairs of the 
expedition. It seems to me that the good arising from 
the knowledge of such facts justifies me in speaking here 
of these generous deeds, accomplished so unostentatiously 
that they might otherwise pass unnoticed. 
All obstacles thus removed from my path, I made my 
preparations for departure as rapidly as possible. The 
assistants I selected to accompany me were Mr. James 
Burkhardt as artist, Mr. John G. Anthony as conchologist, 
Mr. Frederick C. Hartt and Mr. Orestes St. John as geolo- 
gists, Mr. John A. Allen as ornithologist, and Mr. George 
Sceva as preparator. Beside these, my party was enlarged 
by several volunteers, to whom I was indebted for assist- 
ance as untiring and efficient as if they had been en- 
gaged for the purpose. These were Mr. Newton Dexter, 
Mr. William James, Mr. Edward Copeland, Mr. Thomas 
Ward, Mr. Walter Hunnewell, and Mr. S. Y. R. Thayer. 
I should not omit to mention my brother-in-law, Mr. 
Thomas G. Gary, as one of my aids ; for, though not nom- 
inally connected with the expedition, he made collections 
for me at Monte Video, Buenos Ayres, and other places. 
I was also joined by my friends Dr. and Mrs. Getting. 
Dr. Cotting, like myself, was in need of a vacation, and 
it was his intention to remain with us for as long a 
time as he could spare from his professional practice. 
But the climate proved unfavorable to his health, and 
after passing a couple of months in Rio, and sharing 
with us all our excursions in that neighborhood, he 
