26 Field Museum of Naturai. History — Reports, Vol. III. 



quite complete specimens of turtles. The o[)ening of some new 

 quarries at Romeo, Illinois, having disclosed fossiliferous strata not 

 hitherto available, coUectinj^ was carried on by Mr. Slocom at the 

 locality at intervals. In addition, he visited some already known 

 but not lately worked localities of the same formation, such as those 

 at Lemont, Hawthorne, Elmhurst, and Thornton, Illinois. In August 

 about two weeks were also spent by Mr. Slocom collecting among the 

 Middle Devonian areas in the vicinity of Little Traverse Bay, Michigan. 

 Field work in Cruatemala was continued for the Department of Zoology 

 by C. M. Barber until May of this year. The Assistant Curator of 

 Zoology was engaged for four months in the winter of 1906 in making 

 a collection of fishes and reptiles in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and also in 

 the Southern extremity of Mexico. The commission to the Bermudas 

 of Dr. Tarleton H. Bean was fruitful in results, an extensive collection 

 of fishes numbering over 1800 specimens representing 166 species 

 having been secured. Dr. Dearborn of the Division of Ornithology 

 spent several months in Guatemala, with the result that over 1000 

 specimens of bird skins were taken. Collecting trips were made to 

 Fox Lake, Joliet, Henry, and Havana, Illinois, and also Olive Branch, 

 at the southern extremity of the state. In continuation of plans for 

 the assembling of exhibition groups and study specimens, representing 

 the birds of Illinois, an expedition under H. W. Menke of the Section 

 of Taxidermy has been at work during the past year at Harlo warden, 

 the estate of President Higinbotham. The locality, near Joliet, 

 Illinois, proved rich in bird fauna and afforded special facilities for 

 prosecuting the work, which consisted in taking the casts of leaves, 

 making color notes for the accessories, the preparation of bird skins 

 and eggs, photographing for backgrounds, and the collection of 

 scientific data. For the groups, the members of the party collected 

 nests and their natural supports, adult birds, eggs, and young, as it 

 seemed best for illustrating nesting habits ; casts of leaves, color notes, 

 photographic studies for backgrounds, as aids for installation. For 

 the study series, adult birds including seasonal and other variations, 

 young birds of different ages, illustrating development of plumage, 

 skeletons, nests, eggs and food studies were obtained. The tangible 

 results of the season's efforts consisted of the gathering of 283 birds; 

 213 eggs, 48 nests; 617 casts of leaves and 195 negatives of habitat. 

 It is estimated that there is complete material in this result for thirty- 

 seven groups. The members of the East African expedition arrived 

 at Mombassa, October 8, 1905, and sailed from the same port, return- 



