64 IOWA STUDIES IN NATURAL HISTORY 
cake with a brilliant display of candles was brought in by a 
special serving maid in appropriate costume, and I was at last 
enlightened as to the nature of the dinner. 
The ever faithful Stoner, my main standby, made a very neat 
little speech of congratulation, referring to the fact that twenty- 
five years ago I led the Bahama Expedition, and expressing the 
hope that twenty-five years hence I would be director of another 
enterprise of the same sort. Henderson made a very happy 
little talk, all too complimentary, but nevertheless warming the 
cockles of at least one heart, and showing that the speaker was 
a past master in the art of blarneying. The director was at 
first covered by confusion and much moved by the kindness of 
these, his pupils and friends. This sort of thing is the highest 
reward of the teacher and gives him the feeling that his work, 
although at times seemingly fruitless, is after all worth while. 
Nothing more surely puts heart into a man than appreciation 
on the part of his students, although that appreciation be 
couched in terms altogether too flattering to be taken literally. 
My feelings on this occasion were best expressed in the words 
of one of the house-maids, ‘‘My, but them was fine words they 
said to the perfessor!’’ 
After the speeches we had a typical university jollification, 
with college songs and irrepressible college yells; at which the 
servants, unused to such manifestations, seemed about to take 
to the water and swim to the mainland. We learned afterwards 
that the population on the opposite shore was panic-stricken, 
and decided that the Huns had taken possession of Pelican 
Island and were inaugurating their well-known policy of terror- 
izing conquered peoples. 
We heard of this from many sources, and doubtless there was 
intense excitement among the Barbadians, who were unable to 
understand how civilized people could make such a_ hideous 
racket. - The American Consul insisted that our festivities were 
heard at the consulate, fully two miles away. One thing is cer- 
tain, and that is that no other of my numerous birthdays has 
created so serious a commotion. However this may be, it did 
me a lot of good. 
I am glad to record that our stay at Pelican Island was de- 
void of any anxiety on account of sickness, which speaks well 
