330 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1926 
can go from New York to Cristobal on the Panama Railroad Steam- 
ship Line via Haiti or on the United Fruit Co.’s Line via Cuba in 
about eight days; steamers going direct make the trip in less time. 
The United Fruit Co. offers each year a limited number of passes to 
properly accredited persons who wish to conduct research work at 
the biological station and the Canal Zone Government. has made 
most liberal concessions, which are greatly appreciated by all of the 
scientists who have thus far worked at the laboratory. The Govern- 
ment offers a $50 rate on the Panama Railroad steamers and gives 
passes on the Panama Railroad to each investigator sanctioned by 
the National Research Council and to members of his family. This 
latter concession is of the greatest importance, since the railroad is 
the only means of going to and from the laboratory to the terminal 
cities and it also puts the investigator in convenient reach of all 
parts of the Canal Zone territory. There are at present no facilities 
on Barro Colorado Island for the families of the research workers, 
but the Government offers the privilege of renting a house or an 
apartment in Ancon or Balboa, where very comfortable furnished 
quarters can be had at a reasonable price. No persons except those 
in some way connected with the service of the Government may 
reside in the Canal Zone, hence this concession is also a great induce- 
ment to visiting scientists who expect to take their families. 
Barro Colorado Island being in the Canal Zone is comparatively 
free from many of the diseases usually associated with the Tropics. 
No one needs to take special precautions against malaria or typhoid 
fever, and yellow fever and bubonic plague are unknown. During 
the rainy season, the time I was there, flies and mosquitoes were 
negligible. I have never been in the woods anywhere during the 
summer season where I suffered so little from the bites and stings 
of insects. I went equipped with mosquito tents to be used inside 
my blinds while studying birds in the jungle, but these remained 
in my trunk untouched all summer. During the dry season, however, 
I am told mosquitoes and ticks are pests to be reckoned with, and 
unless one exercises care he will become infested with the so-called 
“red bugs” which are an irritating menace. 
In addition to the equipment already mentioned there are popular 
and technical libraries, clubs, various educational organizations, as 
well as numerous other inducements, which serve to make the 
environment of the research worker in Panama most attractive. 
The Canal Zone is subject to the influence of two annual seasons, 
the duration of which is correlated with the prevailing winds. Dur- 
ing the dry season the northeast trade winds blowing daily from 
December to May are accompanied by more or less precipitation on 
the Atlantic side, while on the Pacific slope there is a true dry season. 
During the wet season, beginning usually about the latter part of 
