42 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1963 



Canal and along the Pacific coast to islands off western Chiriqui gave 

 opportunity for daily work ashore on Isla Parida and Isla Bolaiios, 

 in continuation of the island survey of last year on the launch Barbara 

 II. 



On his final fieldwork of the season Dr. Wetmore arranged a 

 charter flight on a small plane east to Puerto Obaldia on the San Bias 

 coast near the boundary with Colombia. After a few days' work near 

 the town, he established a camp, in company with manmialogist Dr. 

 Charles O. Handley, Jr., in the high forest back of Armila, the east- 

 ernmost village of the Cuna Indians. Three pairs of the rare ant- 

 bird Xenornis setifrons, known previously from five specimens, were 

 special prizes here. 



As last year, the Gorgas Memorial Laboratory of Panama provided 

 Dr. Wetmore with one of their teclinicians, Rudolfo Hinds, to serve 

 as field assistant. 



Dr. Doris M. Cochran, curator of reptiles and amphibians, in com- 

 pany with entomologist Mrs. Doris H. Blake, honorary research 

 associate, was in South and Central America from the beginning of 

 December through February visiting museums and making collections. 

 The countries visited included Brazil (Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Sao 

 Paulo, Santos, and Curitiba) ; Argentina (Foz de Iguassu, Buenos 

 Aires, La Plata, Vila Bela) ; Peru (Lima, Pachacamac, Rio Blanco, 

 and Rio Rimac) ; Colombia (Cali, Palmyra, Bogota, and Medellin) ; 

 and the Canal Zone (Barro Colorado Island). As a result of the 

 information and specimens obtained. Dr. Cochran expects to complete 

 reports on the frogs of central Brazil and of Colombia, the latter in 

 collaboration with Dr. C. J. Goin of Gainesville, Fla. 



Two associate curators of the division of fishes, Dr. Victor G. 

 Springer and Dr. William R. Taylor, participated in oceanographic 

 expeditions during the year. Dr. Springer was on the oceanographic 

 vessel Geronimo^ operated by the Fish and Wildlife Service, when she 

 left Boston for West Africa on March 5. Unfortunately, 4 days later 

 the vessel malfunctioned and had to be towed into Bermuda for repairs, 

 but again departed for Africa on March 12. During the 3 days in 

 Bermuda Dr. Springer was able to make only night-light collections. 

 After leaving Bermuda the vessel again malfunctioned and had to be 

 towed back to port. Thereupon the cruise was canceled, and Dr. 

 Springer, after further attempts at shore collecting, left for Wash- 

 ington by air. In spite of limited collecting opportunities and un- 

 favorable weather conditions, he returned with about 300 specimens. 



Dr. Taylor joined the Anton Bruun. of the International Indian 

 Ocean Expedition when she left Bombay, India, early in March on 

 her first cruise designed to obtain physical data and biological material 

 from the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. Malfunction of the 



