SECRETARY'S REPORT 135 



bot flies), white-faced capuchins, coati-mundis, peccaries, tamanduas, 

 tayras at close range, tapirs, nequis, and sloths. 



G. W. Cottrell, of the Harvard University Library, and Mrs. 

 Cottrell, spent about 2 weeks on the island to observe the whole 

 complex of plant and animal life in a tropical rain forest. Their 

 main interest was the study of the bird life, and, to a lesser degree, 

 Lepidoptera. They covered fully half of the island's trails and had 

 opportunity to study and observe the abundant mammalian life. 

 Of birds, they identified 115 forms, 2 of which were new to the records 

 of the island. Also they made a representative collection of Lepidop- 

 tera and took many photographs. 



Airs. E. R. Kalmbach, of Denver, Colo., was able to spend 3 days 

 on the island, after a longer stay in Colombia. Her special interests 

 were the flora and the birds, and to a lesser extent the mammals. 



Ken Stott, Jr., general curator of the Zoological Society of San 

 Diego, Calif., accompanied by Mrs. Stott, spent about 10 days on 

 the island gathering first-hand knowledge of birds and mammals in 

 the wild state in order to modify and improve the present exhibit 

 and maintenance of the animals in the San Diego Zoo. He found 

 opportunities for observing American tropical rain-forest wildlife 

 on Barro Colorado Island to be unparalleled from the viewpoint of a 

 zoo naturahst. During his brief stay he observed 102 species of birds 

 and 11 of mammals, among the latter the ocelot and tapir. Special 

 attention was given to feeding habits, particularly the manner of 

 feeding and the types of food preferred, especially by the three species 

 of diurnal primates, the tamandua anteater, the three-toed and 

 two-toed sloths, and a number of birds, most of which are difficult 

 to maintain in captivity for any great length of time. 



Dr. Rolf Blomberg, of Norway, spent 2 weeks on the island collect- 

 ing material for his forthcoming book on the fauna of tropical America. 

 In his report he refers to the richness of the island fauna, to the great 

 helpfulness of the library facilities, and states that in no other part 

 of the world has he been able to carry out such studies with greater 

 ease and under pleasanter circumstances. 



Dr. Frederick W. Loetscher, Jr., of Centre College, Danville, Ky., 

 with Mrs. Loetscher, spent 2 weeks on the island, mainly to study 

 birds. A keen observer, he left with the laboratory a detailed list 

 of the 102 species he definitely identified, with notes on their abun- 

 dance. In addition, he made observations on the primates and 

 edentates. Such reports, accumulated over long periods, give a 

 valuable index to trends in populations, particularly relative abundance. 



Dr. H. B, Goodrich, professor of biology of Wesleyan University, 

 Middle town, Conn., spent 4 days on the island observing and 



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