FIELD WORK IN DOMINICA 71 



It is well known tlitit from a fuunal standpoint tiie southeastern United 

 States (exclusive of Florida) is very remarkable. The fauna is not only 

 rich in individuals and species, but also in endemic forms, that is species 

 not to be found anywhere else. Some of these are indigenous while others 

 are evidently fragments of an ancient and formerly widespread fauna. 



The fauna of the South Appalachian System is very characteristic and 

 the general relationship points both biologically and geographically to that 

 of the northeastern Ignited States and Canada. 



From June to October an expedition from the ^Museum was engaged 

 in field studies in the Black Mountains. The expedition was made possible 

 by the generosity of Mr. Samuel V. Hoffman and the object was to collect 

 butterflies and moths especially, and to ol)tain additional scientific data 

 relating to the larger problems of ecology and distribution. Some four 

 thousand specimens were collected, among which were many rare species 

 not heretofore known from this region. 



IN DOMINICA AND OTHER LESSER ANTILLES 



Ihl Ilciirji K. (U-nxtpton 



THE Lesser Antilles comprise a region interesting for biological study 

 inasmuch as it provides the stepping-stones by which North America 

 was in part repopulated from South America at the close of the 

 Ice Age. The invertel)rate faunas of this region were studied by three 

 members of the invertebrate zoology staff in the summer of 1911. 



On reaching St. Thomas khakis and leggings were donned, knapsacks 

 and camera shouldered, and a hurried dash for specimens made into the in- 

 terior, an action repeated at St. Croix, i\.ntigua, Guadeloupe, Martinique 

 and St. Lucia, much to the amusement of the ship's officers and to the won- 

 derment of the inhabitants. More than two weeks, indeed more than three 

 weeks in the case of ]\Ir. R. W. INIiner, assistant curator, were devoted to 

 the study of Dominica, which is a magnificent field for biological explora- 

 tions as well as the most beautiful of all the smaller islands. The work 

 took the explorers from the low levels of the coast up through the lime 

 and cocoa plantations of the narrow valleys into the dense jungle of the 

 higher areas which are surmounted by sharp peaks rising to a height of 

 nearly five thousand feet. 



Most novel scenes confronted them on the visit to the volcanic crater 

 whose present floor is seamed with steaming torrents, dotted with hot 

 springs and in part occupied l)y a large boiling lake. So many different 

 kinds of biological conditions ha\e to be met by the species inhabiting this 

 island that the thousands of inset-ts, myriapods, spiders and other forms 

 collected are exceptionally \aluablc for the study of the great laws of dis- 

 tribution and organic evolution. 



