1915.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 107 



a biological reconnaissance of the okefinokee swamp 



in georgia. 



Prefatory. 



During the summer of 1912 a party of zoologists, all froni Cornell 

 University, visited the Okefinokee Swamp in southeastern Georgia, 

 remaining seven weeks in the early summer (May 28 to July 13). 

 The party consisted of Professors C. R. Crosby and J. Chester 

 Bradley, of the Department of Entomology; Dr. A. H. Wright, of 

 the Department of Zoology; Headmaster W. D. Funkhouser, of the 

 Ithaca High School; Messrs. M. D. Leonard, S. C. Bishop and A. R. 

 Cahn, of the class of 1913, and Paul Battle, of Bainbridge, Ga. 

 Mr. E. I.. Worsham, State Entomologist of Georgia, and Mr. Charles 

 S. Spooner, Assistant State Entomologist, were with the party for 

 a week. A smaller part}' from the same institution spent two 

 weeks in the swamp in December, 1913 (December 18, 1913, to 

 January 1, 1914). This party consisted of Professors James G. 

 Needham and J. Chester Bradley, John T. Needham and Paul 

 Battle. In addition. Dr. Bradley and Mr. Battle spent a week in 

 the swamp in September, 1913, and Dr. Bradley had made very 

 brief trips into the swamp in the fall of 1909 and the spring of 1911. 



The object of all these expeditions was to study and put on record 

 something of the biological conditions in this extensive fresh-water 

 swamp, which still presents in a large measure primitive and inter- 

 esting conditions of environment, before they should become forever 

 changed by the now rapidly penetrating lumbermen. 



Under the above title it is intended to publish reports upon the 

 various groups collected, as studied. In due course a general account 

 of the ecological and environmental features will be published. A 

 report upon the birds, by Dr. Albert H. Wright and F. Harper, 

 has appeared in The Auk, 1913, 4 : 477-505, PI. XIV-XX. This 

 contains brief descriptions of the various "habitats" of the swamp. 



In the reports on the various groups, observations made and 

 specimens collected during the summer of 1912 will be credited to 

 the "Cornell University Expedition," abbreviated "C. U. Exp." 

 This does not imply that the university had any official connection 

 with the work. Each member of the party went on his own initiative 

 and at his own expense. 



