'jd SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



to watch them make their exit that evening. At 5.45 p. m., Perrygo 

 and I stationed ourselves near one of the entrances. In about ten 

 minutes a half dozen bats came out of the inner chamber, flew to the 

 edge of the entrance, and then returned. This was repeated several 

 times, each time with an added number of bats. Then one or two flew 

 beyond the entrance, circled, and returned. By this time the entrance 

 was a seething mass of bats, although they were not, as yet, flying 

 away. Suddenly we heard a roaring, swishing sound, and immedi- 

 ately, as though by a given signal, they came out of both entrances 

 by the thousands, flying away in all directions at great speed. The 

 natives were very superstitious about this cave, and, shortly after our 

 arrival, told us that sometimes, just at dusk, smoke came pouring out. 

 Undoubtedly the " smoke " they referred to was the dense clouds 

 of bats, which, at a comparatively short distance, resembled smoke. 



On March 29 we left Cerca La Source for Port au Prince, where 

 the rest of our time was utilized in the packing and shipping of our 

 material to the National Museum. On April 3 we sailed aboard the 

 S. S. Ancon for New York. 



The success of the expedition was due largely to the courtesies 

 extended by Dr. G. F. Freeman of the Service Technique, who fur- 

 nished transportation facilities on several occasions ; General Russell, 

 American High Commissioner ; Generals Evans and Ramsay of the 

 Guard de Haiti, who assisted us in many ways ; and the U. S. Marine 

 Corps. 



