24 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



1913, the Director and six collaborators arrived at Thursday 

 Island in the Straits, expecting to use this relatively accessible 

 island as a base of explorations; but it was soon found advan- 

 tageous to locate on ]Maer Island, one of the Murray group, 

 about 120 miles east-northeast, and near to the outer limit of 

 Great Barrier Reef. Here a temporary laboratory was set up in 

 the local courthouse and jail, generously placed at Dr. Mayer's 

 disposal by the British authorities. The region proved to be 

 one rich in coral reefs and in marine fauna for the work con- 

 templated. Observations and experiments securing gratifying 

 results were carried out during the spring months (in the southern 

 hemisphere) of September and October 1913. In addition to 

 the critical data secured by Dr. Mayer wdth respect to the corals 

 about Maer Island, for comparison especially with corresponding 

 data from the corals of Florida waters, observations and materials 

 for important contributions to zoology were collected by each 

 of his collaborators. One report, by Dr. H. L. Clark, is now in 

 process of publication and is remarkable for the new species 

 of echinoderms described and for the admirable drawings of 

 these forms made from life b}^ Mr. E. M. Grosse, of Sydney, 

 Australia, who accompanied the expedition. 



On returning to America from the southern hemisphere, the 

 Director was engaged, during April and May, in two minor expe- 

 ditions with the departmental vessel Anton Dohrn. The first of 

 these was in aid of the researches of Dr. Paul Bartsch, on cerions, 

 and required a cruise along the Florida Keys from Miami to 

 Tortugas and return. The second expedition was in aid espe- 

 cially of Dr. T.W. Vaughan, long associated with the department 

 in studies of corals and related deposits, and required a cruise 

 from Miami, Florida, to the Bahamas and return. On June 9, 

 1914, work was resumed at the Tortugas Laboratory and con- 

 tinued until July 30. In all, fifteen collaborators during the year 

 have availed themselves of the facilities afforded by the depart- 

 ment. Brief accounts of their varied researches may be found 

 in the Director's report in the current Year Book, while detailed 

 accounts may be expected in due time in the departmental con- 

 tributions. 



