28 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1941 



obtained for the Museum a large amount of zoological and botanical 

 material, including many novelties, from a region of the world 

 hitherto poorly represented in our collections. Although started 

 early in 1940, the expedition did not return until August 7, and is 

 therefore properly referred to here, as the specimens brought back 

 were accessioned during the present year. The story of the expedi- 

 tion has been widely published, and a condensed account with illustra- 

 tions will be found in the volume Explorations and Field Work of 

 the Smithsonian Institution in 1940, pp. 13-20. 



As in past years, Capt. Robert A. Bartlett in his annual expedi- 

 tion to Greenland in the schooner Morrissey brought back valuable 

 additions particularly to the invertebrate collections, made with 

 equipment supplied by the Museum. 



Dr. Hobart M. Smith, under the Walter Rathbone Bacon scholar- 

 ship, finished his field work in Mexico in August 1940, bringing 

 back to the Smithsonian Institution splendid collections that in all 

 comprise more than 20,000 specimens of reptiles and amphibians now 

 deposited in the Museum. During July and August, 1940, he was able 

 to study the collection of the late Dr. Alfredo Duges, which contains 

 many type specimens of Mexican reptiles and amphibians. 



Dr. E. A. Chapin, curator of insects, spent 5 weeks on the island 

 of Jamaica during April and May, 1941. Arriving there on April 

 22, he was met at customs by C. B. Lewis, curator of natural history 

 of the Jamaica Institute, who during the entire period of work 

 assisted in various ways. Special trips arranged by Mr. Lewis in- 

 cluded a day on Goat Island, 1 on Portland Ridge, 2 at Cuna Cuna 

 Pass, and a 4-day stay at Cinchona in the Blue Mountains. Except 

 for 8 days spent in and around Savanna-la-Mar, headquarters was 

 maintained near Kingston and short trips were made out from that 

 point. Because of the poor showing made in certain groups in 1937, 

 it was decided to concentrate on the termite and ant faunas. In 

 addition to various rare beetles, at least 13 species of termites, mostly 

 of the type living in hardwood, were found, and at least 3 of them 

 are additions to the Jamaica list. Other results of the work include 

 the establishment of very pleasant relations with the Jamaica Insti- 

 tute and the Government Entomologist's Office. 



The United States Antarctic Service expedition returned from a 

 year's stay in the Antarctic with very valuable material consisting 

 of mammals, birds, and a considerable collection of lower crypto- 

 gamic plants. The Museum was represented in this work by Herwil 

 M. Bryant. J. E. Perkins and M. J. Lobell were detailed to the 

 expedition by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of 

 the Interior. 



Local field work in nearby Maryland and Virginia by various 

 members of the staff has included investigations of Dr. L. P. Schultz 



