162 Journal New York Entomological Society, t^oi. xxiv, 



was formed in the Museum to devote exploration, in conjunction as far as 

 possible with the affiliated societies, to the study of geographical distribution 

 and routes of dispersal between North and South America. The effect of 

 isolation as exemplified in the mountainous West Indian islands isolated by 

 oceanic waters and in the mountains of Arizona, also isolated but by desert 

 regions, and both equally in the path between the two continents, necessarily 

 became a part of the problem. The steps thus far taken have included col- 

 lections in our local region, in the mountains of North Carolina, in Florida, 

 in the West Indies and in the northern part of South America. The local 

 region was covered by the wagon journey, in which many of our members 

 took a more or less active part, and the work on the local collection, still in 

 progress, became a part of the general plan. The mountains of North Caro- 

 lina were repeatedly visited by Beutenmuller and a large amount of material 

 was accumulated. On account of the peculiar interest it possesses, Florida 

 has been studied closely, in 191 1 by Dr. Lutz with Davis and Leng. in 19 12 by 

 Davis and Grossbeck, in 191 3 by Davis and Sleight, in 19 14 by Mutchler and 

 Watson ; a different part of the State being visited on each occasion. The 

 West Indies have' been even more frequently visited, the first journey being 

 a reconnaissance of the Lesser Antilles and northern South America by Prof. 

 Crampton and Dr. Lutz, followed by the Jamaica trip of Grossbeck and Dow 

 in 1912, the Cuban trip of Dr. Lutz and Mr. Leng in 1913, Porto Rican trips 

 of Dr. Lutz, Barber, Mutchler and Watson in 1914 and 1915, and of Watson 

 to San Domingo in 1915. Cooperation with the New York Academy of 

 Sciences and the Porto Rican Government and the financial aid of friends 

 of the Museum has materially enlarged the possibilities of West Indian ex- 

 ploration. 



The number of specimens accumulated by these journeys is far in e.xcess 

 of 100,000 and the publication of the results has necessarily been slow, from 

 the great number requiring identification. However, the Florida material has 

 already served as a basis for the Diptera of Florida by Johnson, the Hemip- 

 tera of Florida by Barber and of the Coleoptera and the Carabidae of Florida 

 by Leng, as well as the description of new species of Orthoptera by Davis. A 

 paper on the Lepidoptera left unfinished by Grossbeck's untimely death, will 

 be finished by Watson. The West Indian material has served in the same 

 way for the basis of the List of Greater Antillean Spiders by Dr. Lutz, follow- 

 ing identifications by Banks, and for the Prel. List of Coleoptera by Leng and 

 Mutchler. 



Dr. Lutz added that a continuation of these explorations by Watson 

 in Jamaica and by himself in Arizona was planned for 191 6, and a continua- 

 tion of the publication of the results was in prospect. 



Mr. Davis, taking the floor, spoke particularly of the variety of environ- 

 ments found in Florida, using a quotation from Dr. Small's " Florida Trees " 

 of 19 1 3 as his text and illustrating his remarks by numerous excellent photo- 

 graphs of Floridian scenes. He said that Dr. Small's statements that Florida 

 possessed a larger tree flora than any other equal area in the United States, 



