352 IOWA STUDIES IN NATURAL HISTORY 
The tuataras came the next day as well and hearty as 
when I last saw them at Oakland, California. They certainly 
had been well cared for and there was enough raw beef poked 
in their box to last them for months; also a lot of sticks, lead 
pencils ete., which had been used by inquisitive people for the 
purpose of stirring them up. Letters were received from several 
of the baggage men who had them in charge on different runs 
from California to Iowa City asking if they got through all right 
and telling how they had been taken care of on the way. 
The collections arrived safely after considerable delay at the 
Customs House at Des Moines. I was ealled upon to exhibit 
bills-of-lading, although it had been impossible to obtain them, 
there being no American Consular officer at Fiji and, by arrange- 
ments with the Union Line at Wellington, the collections were 
shipped as baggage and hence no bills-of-lading were forthcom- 
ing either from Fiji or New Zealand. 
When I visited Des Moines to see them through the customs 
I was required to file a heavy bond on account of not being able 
to produce the bills-of-lading. The fact that the collections were 
the property of the State of Iowa seemed to cut no figure at all. 
I was told that if, after an interval of several months, I was un- 
able to obtain the bills-of-lading, and stated why, on oath, the 
bonds would be released. JI protested that these reasons were 
known to me just as well then as they would be after a lapse of 
months and gave them, asking if the explanation was satisfac- 
tory. The official said that it was, but that the bonds would 
have to be furnished just the same and an application for their 
release, with reasons given on oath, at the end of the required 
period would be necessary. Great and mysterious and beyond 
comprehension are the ways of customs officials in the United 
States! 
But all these irritating delays passed at last, and the collec- 
tion, including the priceless gifts from the museum at Welling- 
ton is safely stored in the museum at the State University of 
Iowa, where it will interest the public and be used by students 
for years to come. 
In closing this narrative I wish to express my high apprecia- 
tion of the services of my comrades, Wylie, Thomas, Stoner and 
Glock for their fine work in carrying out the objectives of the 
Expedition, and to Mrs. Stoner who so efficiently helped with 
the commissary department while we were at Makuluva, Fiji. 
