THE BAHAMA ISLANDS XXXI 



Mr. Wright, was left at Nassau where he made a study of original records 

 and returned to Baltimore independently of the Expedition late in September. 

 Dr. Fassig and Mr. Eouth also spent considerable time at Nassau, but were 

 with the Expedition again at Watlings Island and Long Island. The other 

 members of the scientific staff accompanied the vessel throughout the cruise. 



Most of the work was done on shore, so that as soon as the vessel came 

 to anchor at any particular station, the various corps were landed, conducted 

 their work independently, and returned to the ship to eat and sleep. Fre- 

 quently, while work was being conducted on land, Mr. Bean and his corps 

 would either take the naphtha launch and glass-bottom boat on a collecting 

 tour or else the large vessel would be placed at their disposal for dredging. 

 While the Expedition was at Nassau, a laboratory was established in a private 

 house, so that chemical analyses of the various soil types could be made. The 

 botanists also secured another room where they could conduct certain branches 

 of work which the motion of the vessel made impracticable on shipboard. 



It will be readily understood that much of the work done in the field 

 by the Expedition was only preliminary to studies conducted later in laborato- 

 ries. The material which is published in this volume is the result of a large 

 amount of work subsequent to the return of the Expedition to Baltimore. 

 As a rule, the Directors of the various staffs are the authors of the chapters in 

 this book, but Dr. L. 0. Howard, who was not present on the Expedition, has 

 kindly written the .introduction to the chapter on mosquitoes, while Mr. 

 Leonhard Stejneger and Mr. Gerrit S. Miller have cooperated in the work of 

 land zoology and written respectively the chapters on reptiles and mammals. 

 Dr. William H. Dall has studied and discussed the collection of fossils. Mr. 

 L. P. Shidy has reduced the tide-gauge observations and written the chapter 

 on tides; and officials connected with the Division of Terrestrial Magnetism 

 of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey have kindly reduced the magnetic 

 observations taken by Dr. 0. L. Fassig and compiled the tables which are pub- 

 lished in the chapter pertaining to the magnetic survey. 



It would have been impossible for the Director of the Expedition to have 

 accomplished even the smallest results had it not been for the earnest and 

 enthusiastic cooperation of his colleagues, and acknowledgment is here heartily 

 given to these gentlemen for their incessant work while in the Bahamas. The 

 Director also wishes to take this opportunity to express his appreciation to the 

 Trustees of the Society and of the Johns Hopkins University for their generous 

 response to his needs in organizing and equipping the Expedition; to the 



