52 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1918. 



the expedition, the object of which is to collect for several months in 

 the Andes of Ecuador, special attention to be given to economic as 

 well as systematic material, including Cactaceae, a group upon 

 which Dr. Rose has been engaged with Dr. N. L. Britton in mono- 

 graphic study for several years. 



Dr. W. L. Abbott, who was still in the island of Haiti when last 

 year's report closed, came back shortly after, but returned again to 

 that island collecting chiefly in the vicinity of Jeremie and Moline 

 and on the outlying islands of Caycinito and Gonave, where he se- 

 cured important material, including some new and rare forms of 

 birds and reptiles. His expedition was cut short by an attack of ill- 

 ness which nearly cost him his life, although he has since returned, 

 and is now restored to health. Mr. H. C. Raven, operating under the 

 direction of Dr. Abbott, continued his work in Celebes, moving 

 toward the middle of the island where he visited one or more of the 

 high peaks and obtained several interesting species and genera not 

 found at lower levels. Some of the species appear to be new to 

 science and several genera are new to the Museum collection. Mr. 

 Raven has probably ceased field work on account of the war and is 

 presumably on his way to the United States, but no definite news as 

 to his whereabouts has been received for some time. The Collins- 

 Garner Congo Expedition in the interest of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution spent the year near Fenian Vaz, French Congo, and active 

 collecting was presumably still going on at the end of the fiscal 

 year. Owing to the difficulties of communication under the present 

 circumstances it is impossible to give any detailed account of it. 

 However, in spite of many drawbacks, Mr. C. R. W. Aschemeier 

 appears to have had good success in gathering important and valu- 

 able collections, three shipments having been received during the 

 year. One of the main objects of the expedition is to secure anthro- 

 poid apes for the Museum and according to recent letters is being 

 accomplished, one gorilla and several chimpanzees having been ob- 

 tained. The explorations of Mr. Arthur deC. Sowerby in China 

 were carried on mostly in the northern part, near Tientsin and in 

 the region within a hundred miles to the northeast of Peking. The 

 collections received have been of great interest. He has lately re- 

 turned to England for war duty. 



DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY. 



The additions to this department were received in 153 accessions, 

 with a total of 29,266 specimens, of which 9,680 were loans or de- 

 posits, classified and distributed as follows: Division of systematic 

 and applied geology, 4,640 specimens; division of mineralogy and 

 petrology, 6,730 specimens; division of paleontology, section of 



