﻿38 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 78 



peninsula near Point Lamentin. Here general collections were made 

 chiefly of plants, reptiles, and batrachians. 



Four weeks were then given to the real object of the expedition. 

 The caves visited by the Geological Survey party in 1921 are situ- 

 ated in the southward facing slopes of the low mountains which 

 border the northwestern extremity of the central plain of Haiti. The 

 plantation of I'Atalaye, now owned and operated by the United West 



■.wi^->:-^iaan^-y. 



Fig. 40. — Adansonia tree on plain east of 

 San Michel. This African tree, supposed to 

 live to an age of several thousand years, is 

 probably a relic from the days of the slave 

 trade. 



Indies Corporation, proved to be a very convenient base from which 

 to work. The soundings made by the Geological Survey party were 

 enlarged and fully explored. Four untouched caves in the same 

 neighborhood were also examined. The floors of all of these caves 

 contained rich deposits of bones of mammals, birds, reptiles, and 

 batrachians, occurring from practically at the surface downward 

 for about 3 feet. Beyond a depth of 4 or 5 feet bones were not found. 

 The material collected has not yet been critically studied, but a 

 superficial examination shows that it consists very largely of the 



