﻿40 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 78 



remains of animals now extinct. The fact that most of the extinct 

 species occur in the superficial layers of the cave floor, and tliat prac- 

 tically all of them were found in one or the other of the caves closely 

 associated with human remains and artifacts which appeared to 

 have been interred by the same natural agencies which have effected 

 the covering of the animal bones, makes it appear probable that the 

 dying out of this indigenous fauna is an event of no great geological 

 antiquity. 



The ease and success with which this investigation was carried 

 on is chiefly due to the kindness of Brigadier General Ben H. Fuller, 

 who cordially placed the transportation facilities of the Marine Corps 

 at the disposal of the Smithsonian Institution, and of Mr. G. G. Bur- 

 lingame. president of the United West Indies Corporation, who simi- 

 larly extended the hospitality of the Atalaye plantation. In Mr. E. J. 

 Sieger, manager of the plantation, I found an invaluable aid owing to 

 his intimate knowledge of the country and the people, and above all 

 to the intelligent interest with which he assisted me in my work. 



Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. 



MARINE INVERTEBRATE STUDIES AT THE TORTUGAS 



Dr. Waldo L. Schmitt, curator of marine invertebrates, U. S. 

 National Museum, spent the month of June, 1025, at the Carnegie 

 Marine Biological Station, Tortugas, supplementing his last year's 

 investigation of the Crustacea of the region. In collaboration with 

 Dr. Longley, extensive studies of the food of fishes were pursued, Dr. 

 Schmitt giving particular attention to the crustacean element of the 

 problem. He examined about 750 fish stomachs and by this means 

 added several species to his previous list of Crustacea. He writes, 

 " We can already see specific feeding dififerences in closely related 

 species ; of the two snappers, the one feeds on the sand-dwelling 

 Crustacea, and the other on the rock and eel-grass inhabiting forms. 

 And these are fishes that during the day largely school together ; in 

 fact, we take them with the same shot of dynamite." About two 

 thousand specimens of marine invertebrates were obtained through 

 Dr. Schmitt's efiforts, consisting chiefly of Crustacea, Sponges, Coel- 

 enterates, Bryozoa, Echinoderms, and marine Annelids. 



STUDY OF THE CRUSTACEANS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



Dr. Waldo L. Schmitt, curator of marine invertebrates, U. S. 

 National Museum, was awarded the Walter Rathbone Bacon Scholar- 



