June, 1905.] Meeting of the Biological Club. 3 7 7 



MEETING OF THE BIOLOGICAL CLUB. 



Prof. Osborn's Residence, April 10, 1905. 



The Club was called to order by the President, Prof. Hine. 

 The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. 

 The program arranged for the evening was to consist of talks by 

 Professors Kellerman and Hine on their recent trip through 

 Central America. Prof. Kellerman was the first speaker and gave 

 a very interesting account of the trip. The party consisting of 

 E. B. Williamson and wife, C. C. Dean and wife, N. W. Miller, 

 Professors Hine and Kellerman, left New Orleans, Jan. 5. In 

 spite of a bad boat and some sea-sickness the trip down was a 

 pleasant one. Many interesting things were observed ,as flying 

 fish, peculiar birds, and the beautiful deep green of the tropical 

 landscape. The first stop was made at Belize but only for a few 

 hours. The party arrived at Port Barrios, Guatemala, Jan. 10. 



Everything in this country was entirely new and interesting 

 to residents of a temperate climate. New plants, new animals, 

 wonderful palms with which there is nothing in the greenhouses 

 of this country to compare. The fauna and flora of this coast 

 region was interesting enough to spend the whole of their time 

 on but they went back into the country by means of a poor rail- 

 road. After traveling all day and all night they stopped at 

 Gualan about 80 miles from the coast. The trip on the slow 

 railroad had been a wonderful one. The trees were especially 

 interesting but even more so were the wonderful epiphytes — the 

 Bromeliads and Orchids resting on the trees, some with roots 

 hanging almost to the ground. Bamboos, higher even than the 

 trees were abundant. Nearly every plant around Gualan was 

 new to a northern visitor but Shepherd's Purse Purslane and a 

 few of our more common plants were found. Compositae were 

 numerous and of very large size, many being conspicuous shrubs 

 and some large trees. It was very warm and dry at Gualan and all 

 superfluous clothing was dispensed with. Nearly all the grass 

 was dead. The deciduous trees of this climate have the habit of 

 shedding their leaves whenever they please, usually at the dry 

 season and this makes the landscape very peculiar. 



From here the partv went on up the railroad to the foot of 

 the mountains, 120 miles from the coast. From here they had 

 to travel 60 miles on mules to Guatemala City. Prof. Kellerman 

 remained here while the rest of the party went on to the Pacific 

 coast. Guatemala City is very beautiful and contains many 

 interesting things, especially the museum and the Temple of 

 Minerva. The scenery there is as fine and charming as that of 



