KErORT OF TIIR SECRETARY 41 



feet in thickness, and contained artifacts of various kinds. Follow- 

 ing this, two Arawak village .sites at Anadel and the mouth of the 

 Rio San Juan on the Samana Peninsula, whose location had been 

 indicated by Doctor Abbott from earlier observations, were excavated 

 carefully with the recovery of many articles of scientific importance. 

 Officials of the Dominican Republic cooperated most courteously in 

 furthering this work, which it is expected will be continued in the 

 coming year. 



The travels of Gabb in the seventies of the last centurj^ brought to 

 Washington a few bones of curious mammals from the caves of San 

 Lorenzo in the Dominican Republic, to which have been added fur- 

 ther specimens obtained within recent years by Dr. W. L. Abbott. 

 In May, 1927, Assistant Secretary Wetmore in travels in this region 

 observed extensive midden deposits in these caves still untouched that 

 gave promise of further material of importance. Mr. G. S. Miller. 

 jr., curator of mammals, deeply interested in the extinct mammals of 

 the island, visited this area at his own expense iii February and 

 March, 1928, accompanied by Mrs. Miller. As the excavations to be 

 made were also of great archeological interest, Mr. H. W. Krieger, 

 as already stated, was detailed to conduct that phase of the work 

 through funds provided by Dr. W. L, Abbott. These joint investi- 

 gations proved of great importance as there were obtained through 

 them extensive series of bones of mammals and certain birds long ex- 

 tinct, from which there will come fuller understanding of their form 

 and structure. The work was continued at the mouth of the Rio San 

 Juan and at Anadel on the Samana Peninsula, resulting in additional 

 osteological specimens of importance. The material obtained is now 

 being studied. 



Through the further interest of Dr. W. L. Abbott, Mr. Arthur J. 

 Poole, of the division of mammals, was occupied from December 8, 

 1927, to March 21, 1928, in a thorough exploration of the well-known 

 caVes near San Michel, Haiti, obtaining large collections of bones of 

 the extinct animals which occur in these deposits. It was particu- 

 larly important that these specimens be collected at this time, since 

 the earth on the cave floors was being removed for use as fertilizer, 

 and in a short time all material of scientific value would have been 

 destroyed. As incidental to this work Mr. Poole secured considerable 

 collections of herpetological material and other zoological specimens. 

 Reconnaissance of other cavej-ns may indicate desirability of further 

 work in these deposits from which many bones of mammals and birds 

 have been obtained. 



Mr. W. L. Brown, of the taxidermist staff of the Museum, was de- 

 tailed to accompany an expedition to the Sudan organized by Mr. 

 William N. Beach to secure large mammals. The original party con- 



