174 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MU&EUM vol.94 



was especially helpful in regard to my work on the fishes; Mr. and 

 Mrs. William H. Phelps and Mr. and Mrs, William H. Phelps, Jr., 

 who made me so comfortable in their homes in Carcacas; and Dr. 

 Guillormo Zuloaga, W. H. Phelps, Jr., and Roger PI. Sherman for 

 taking me on a siiort collecting trip in the upper part of the Rio 

 Guarico, which I shall long remember.' 



Nearly four months were spent in various parts of Venezuela from 

 February through May, and during this time I was able to collect 

 about 34,700 fish specimens, as well as numerous specimens of crusta- 

 ceans, mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, and insects, which are now in 

 the collections of the United States National Museum. 



ITINERARY 



I left Washington, D. C, on February 1, 1942, for Miami, Fla., and 

 departed from there on February 3 b}^ plane, arriving in Maracaibo 

 that evening, and proceeding the next day to Caracas by air. From 

 February 4 to 11 , I made numerous new acquaintances and obtained 

 necessary travel papers and collecting permits from the Venezuelan 

 Government officials, who were most cooperative at all times. 



Upon arriving again at Maracaibo on February 11, I was a guest 

 of the Lago Petroleum Corporation, whose officials cooperated fully 

 and helped me in every possible way to make collections in the Mara- 

 caibo Basin and in the Andes. My equipment arrived at Maracaibo 

 and was assembled so that collecting actually began on February 

 20, 1942. From then until March 14, I made various trips on the 

 western side of Lago Maracaibo as far south as the Rio Negro (Santa 

 Ana system) and as far as 35 kilometers north of Sinamaica in a cano 

 leading into the Golfo de Venezuela. 



Between March 14 and March 26, I collected along the eastern side 

 of Lago Maracaibo from the Rio Motatan northward to the Rio 

 Cocuiza at El Mene, east of Altagracia, as well as in Lago Maracaibo 

 off Lagunillas. 



1 In adt.iikn, I take this opportunity to express my thanks and sincere aprreciation to the following 

 perscns viho cooperated and helped me in e\ery way possible: Jchn Allen, geologist, La Salina; Chester 

 L. Babin, district superintendent, LsgunUlas; Eaymcnd L. Bodenhair.er, warehouseman. La Salina; Walter 

 W. Butcher, geologist, Maracaibo; Jaires A. Cox, warehouscn;an, Lagunillas; John Durr, geologist. La 

 Salina; Don Juan F. Emanuel, Maracaibo; Dr. Alvin J. Freie, divisicn geologist, Maracaibo; Marcus G. 

 Geiger, gravity m.eter operator, Lagunillas; John Kallim.nics, Maracaibo; Will S. Link, public relations 

 supervisor, Maracaibo; Henry E. Ltnam, general manager, Standard Oil Co. of Venezuela, Caracas; Rafael 

 Navarro, Maracaibo; Bcthea Martin, geologist, La Salina; Serafin Martinez, senior clerk, Maracaibo; 

 Edward E. Peake, district superintendent. La Salina; Chesley B. Pickle, party chief, Lagunillas; Frank 

 J. Pospisil, geoldgist. La Salina; Arthur T. Proudfit, division manager, Lago Petroleum Corporation, 

 Maracaibo; Joseph Ratway, geologist. La Salina; Bernard C. Refshauge, geologist, Maracaibo; George H. 

 Seely, resident engineer, Lagunillas; Mr. Slightholm, Lagunillas; Aden Stiles, Mai-acaibo; Dr. Frederick 

 A. Sutton, senior geologist, Maracaibo; and John Taylor, Maracaibo. 



Mrs. Aime M. Awl, artist. United States National Museum, drew all the figures of the new species and 

 retouched some of those photographed. 



I wish to express my thanks also to my wife, who spent much time helping me with the checking of the 

 manuscript and proof. 



