NO. 30 SMITHSONIAN' EXPLORATIONS, IC)I2 15 



in the forests on the summits of these high ranges. After leaving 

 the Taita Mountains he continued down the Uganda Railroad to the 

 station of Maji-ya-chumvi in the Tarn Desert, a region verv little 

 known owing to its dryness and lack of game animals. Main small 

 mammals were secured, most of which were new to the national col- 

 lection. Another month was spent in the moist coast belt, which 

 has quite a distinct fauna from the Tarn Desert or the highlands. 



At the beginning of [912 collections were made in the Kakumega 

 Forest which lies on the northeast side of the Victoria Xvanza. 

 It represents the easternmost extension of the Congo Forest, which 

 pushes its way across Uganda and along the northern shore of the 

 Victoria Nyanza to the Kakumega district. A great many Congo 

 mammals were secured here, the most remarkable forms being the 

 sloth-like tailless lemur, the Congo forest duiker, the Congo Colobus 

 monkey, and several rare forest monkeys. Mammals and reptiles 

 were found very abundant in the forest, and great numbers of speci- 

 mens were preserved. 



The zoological work done by the expedition added about a dozen 

 genera and many species to the National Museum, and supple- 

 mented the work done by the Smithsonian African Expedition to 

 an important degree. The described new species number about 

 forty. Many new - facts concerning the distribution of animals 

 were secured by the exploration of new fields which was made pos- 

 sible by Mr. Rainey's liberality. In all, some 4,000 specimens of 

 mammals were secured. ( )f these about 400 are large or may he 

 counted as "big game." Birds were collected only in the unex- 

 plored territory, hut the collection consists of some 400 specimens. 

 The reptiles number more than 1,000. and the landshells are about 

 equally numerous. Some 200 specimens of plants were also col- 

 lected as accessor}- material in the study of the distribution of the 

 fauna. The gathering of so large a collection was made possible 

 through the large corps of native assistants which was furnished 

 Mr. Heller by Mr. Rainey. 



1111-; SMITHSONIAN EXPEDITION TO ALGERIA FOR THE STUDY 

 OF THE HEAT OF Till'. SIX 



Mr. C. ( i. Abbot, director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical < >1 ser- 

 vatory, was engaged for five month- in an astronomical expedition 

 to Bassour, Algeria, with the object of confirming or disproving 

 the supposed variability of the sun. The Astrophysical < )bservatory 

 has been for seven wars making observations on Mt. Wilson, in 



