42 KXTOMOI.OGICAI. NK\VS. [March, 



of tlu- Academy of Natural Sciences. Accompanying him \\ill be Mr. 

 J. I-".. Ives, one ol" I'rof. Heilprin's assistants at tin- A< adcmy of Natural 

 S< iences, who will ha\e charge i >f the marine /.< >< >\< >gy; Mr. Witmer St< >n-. 

 who will make the collectii HIS < >f botany and ornitholi igy; Mr. !'.<'. I laker, 

 of COnchology and general /oology and Mr. Roberts l.e Moiitillier, uho 

 will be the photographer of the expedition. 



Papers governing the expedition have b.-eii ivi eived from the St.it'- 1 '- 



partment at Washington addressed to the representatives of this country 



in Central America and Mexico, and also Irom the Mexican Minister at 

 Washington, Seuor Romero, commending the expedition to the <'.o\ein- 

 ment of Yucatan. 



The expedition left Xe\v York by steamer February i.sth. to stop first 

 at Progresso, Yucatan, whence the research will extend into the interior 

 of that State. Much of interest is expected from the expedition to this 

 region, as very little is known of its entomological riches. 



From Yucatan the expedition will be deflected to \"era Crux, wheix e 

 will begin the exploration of the Mexican 1< >u land and of the volcanic belt 

 which stretches westward towards the 1'acilic. This region, like Yucatan, 

 despite its ready accessibility, is still to a great extent unknown to the en- 

 tomologist. The determination of the limitation of the range of animals 

 and plants and the intermingling of Northern and Southern forms will 

 receive the first attention of the expedition. 



An attempt will be made to gain the summit of the extinct volcano of 

 Orizaba, 17,500 feet high, by some considered to be the loftiest peak in 

 Mexico, and perhaps loftiest summit of the entire North American Con- 

 tinent, of the complete ascent of which no trustworthy details appear to 

 be on record. The peak affords almost unsurpassed advantage for the 

 study of vertical distribution of animal and plant life, since it rises from a 

 base within a short distance of the sea, far beyond the limits of perpetual 

 snow. 



From Orizaba the course will lie towards the City of Mexico, uhere an 

 examination will be made of the lakes lying on the Mexican plateau. An 

 ascent will be made from this point of the neighboring peak of Popocate- 

 petl, which rises to approximately the same height as < >ri/aba. but is much 

 more accessible than that mountain. 



From the valley of Mexico the expedition \\ill take a uesterK course, 

 having in view the passage of the Sierra Madre Mountains and a descent 

 to the Pacific coast. The still active \olcanic foci uill be made the feature 

 of this rest-. in h. 



The volcano of Colima, i -?,.S(H> feet, in elevation, \\hose recent furious 

 eruption ga\e e\ id< -in -e that the volcano \\ as not, as generally supposed, 

 extinct, and which threatened the existence of /apotl.m, uill piobabK be 

 the limit of the expedition, although a further attempt to reach lorullo. 

 rendered famous by I 1 umbolt It's narratix e, max be made. 



The exact route ol the return joimie\ has Hot \e| been determined 



upon. It is e\pe( ted, however, that it uill reach home before midsummer. 



