SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I928 73 



of specimens in type localities to decide the systematic status of 

 previously described forms ; the securing of new material to make 

 the monograph under preparation as complete as possible ; making 

 descriptions in the field of the living animals, including color notes ; 

 and the collecting of anatomic material to help elucidate the relation- 

 ship of the various groups. The collections thus obtained will enable 

 us to give not only an account of the fauna, but also the range of the 

 individual species, and this in turn will make an interesting contribu- 

 tion to the study of zoogeography. 



Another important field of study was the intimate relationship, as 

 well as the differentiation, presented by the mogote faunas. As an 

 example of this may be mentioned the faunas of the Tertiary lime- 

 stone mogotes south of the Organ Mountains which present a splendid 

 basis for studies in heredity, a problem constantly borne in mind. 



It was i)roposed also to trace these faunas to their probable origin 

 in geologic times, and to see if the living material could be used as 

 horizon markers for geologic formations. Collections were made of 

 fresh water mollusks, some of which serve as intermediate hosts for 

 parasitic worms of man and animals of economic importance, and the 

 hydrogen ion conditions under which these exist were determined, in 

 the hope that here, as in Japan at our suggestion, ways may be found 

 for their control or eradication by a change of the hydrogen ion condi- 

 tions in the water which they inhabit. 



We chose the rainy season in spite of its discomforts, for it is at 

 this time that land mollusks which have dug in deeply into nooks 

 and crannies and rocky crevices, or under the rock slides of talus 

 slopes, are tempted by the moist atmosphere to emerge from their 

 estivation and take up life anew. It is at this time that the paredones 

 are swarming with feeding and mating animals, while in the dry season 

 little of molluscan life would be in evidence. Although collecting 

 at this time entailed almost daily drenchings, the joy occasioned by 

 obtaining choice living material in abundance causes one to forget 

 the discomforts of soaked clothing. 



Western Cuba is beautiful. Its dissected limestone mountains with 

 their tropical flora are ever picturesque. Even now as I write, rock 

 rimmed hoyos or ensenadas teeming with molluscan riches rise before 

 me, and I seem to hear the song of the Cuban solitaire filtering down 

 from the higher reaches to convert the whole into an enchanting scene, 

 for be it remembered that the solitaire challenges the eft'orts of the 

 nightingale. 



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