REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1923. 51 



rial of critical groups, besides a large collection of algfe; 2,000 

 specimens of plants from Yellowstone National Park, presented by 

 Mr. P. H. Plawkins of Absarokee, Montana; 1,875 specimens of 

 mosses from the Baltic region of Europe, purchased; 1,135 speci- 

 mens of Guatemalan plants, presented by the Guatemalan Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. This material was collected during the prog- 

 ress of a botanical exploration of Guatemala undertaken a few years 

 ago by that department, which has resulted in a substantial increase 

 in our knowledge of the flora of that republic; 869 specimens of 

 Colombian plants, presented by Rev. Brother Ariste-Joseph, of 

 Bogota; 600 specimens of plants collected in the Dominican Ee- 

 public by Dr. W. L. Abbott. These represent a continuation of his 

 collections of recent years, all of which have resulted in the addi- 

 tion of a large number of new species to the previously known flora 

 of that island; 604 specimens of Venezuelan plants presented by 

 Mr. H. Pittier, of Caracas. These have mostly been identified by Dr. 

 S. F. Blake of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and form an 

 important addition to the large collections previously forwarded by 

 Mr. Pittier from the same country ; 543 specimens of ferns, received 

 as an exchange from the Herbarium of Prince Roland Bonaparte, 

 Paris ; 833 plants collected in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico, and pre- 

 sented by J. G. Ortega of Mazatlan. The collections made in that 

 State in recent years by Mr, Ortega, of which the National Museum 

 possesses a complete series, comprise one of the most comprehensive 

 and valuable collections ever made in Mexico; 500 specimens col- 

 lected in Panama by E. P. Killip ; 475 specimens of Brazilian plants, 

 obtained by the late Prof. E. W. D. Holway during his investiga- 

 tions of the parasitic fungi of that country; 618 specimens, chiefly 

 from the Philippine Islands, forwarded in continuation of previous 

 exchanges by the Bureau of Science of Manila. 



EXPLORATIONS AND EXPEDITIONS. 



It is hoped that the falling off in biological exploration noted in 

 recent reports has reached its lowest ebb during the present year, 

 and that from now on we may expect a turning of the tide. With 

 this possibility in view, it seems imperative that plans and problems 

 for future biological explorations and expeditions should at least 

 be outlined, so that we may be prepared to take the greatest possible 

 advantage of the hoped for improved conditions. I therefore pre- 

 pared and submitted a somewhat elaborate memorandum on re- 

 search in the Department of Biology, in which, under the heading of 

 " Problems " I indicated the lines along which, in my opinion, the 

 activities of the Museum in this field should be guided in the future. 



