TROPICAL RESEARCH STATION 



Kartabo, British Guiana 



REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1919. 



STAFF 



William Beebe, Director; John Tee-Van, Assistant and Preparateur; Inness 



Hartley, Albert M. Reese, Research Associates; Alfred Emerson, 



Clifford Pope, Research Assistants; Isabel Cooper, Artist 



RENEWAL of activity at the Tropical Research Station this 

 year resulted in a thoroughly satisfactory amount of work 

 done, a recementing of cordial relations with the British Guiana 

 government, and a staff which in enthusiasm and mutual helpful- 

 ness was worthy augury for the years to come. 



Enviromnent. — Kartabo, at the exact point of junction of the 

 Mazaruni and Cuyuni Rivers proved to be ideal in every way as 

 a permanent site for the Station. Within ten minutes walk are 

 sandy and rocky beaches, mangroves, grassland, swamp and 

 high jungle, each with a wealth of life peculiar to itself. Free 

 exposure to all the trade winds, the absence of flies and mosqui- 

 tos, invariable cool nights, an excellent sandy beach for bathing, 

 a large comfortable bungalow besides servants' quarters, and 

 jungle beginning at the very edge of the compound — these left 

 little to be desired. Our health was excellent throughout the en- 

 tire period of seven months. 



We reopened the bungalow, enclosed the entire front with 

 glass to guard the laboratory against wind and rain, purchased 

 a good sized boat and fitted it with an Evinrude engine, and 

 within a month had put the Station upon a smoothly running 

 basis. Two Indian hunters provided food throughout our entire 

 stay. Interesting subjects for observation and study were so 

 abundant and so close, that we seldom went half a mile away 

 from the bungalow. An elaborate map of the whole neighbor- 

 hood was made by Emerson and Tee- Van on a scale of sixty feet 

 to the inch. This permits of very exact locality records. 



