TROPICAL RESEARCH STATION 



Bartica District, British Guiana. 



REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1918. 



Willi.iiii liccl)c. Director; Imu-ss Hartley, Researeli Associate 

 Jolin Tee-Vaii, Artist and I'rei)aratcur. 



ALFRED EMERSON, a graduate student in zoology of Cor- 

 nell University, has recently been added to the staff as 

 Research Assistant. 



While no field work was possible under war conditions, Beebe 

 and Tee-Van spent all the time availal)le in a careful review 

 of past collections and of zoological literature for records of 

 the higher vertebrates of British Guiana, resulting in a prelimi- 

 nary check-list that will be published in Zoologica early in 1919. 

 This will be a valuable basis for work in the jungle during the 

 coming year. 



In the preparation of these lists it was realized as never 

 before, how complete is our ignorance of most of the amphibians, 

 reptiles and mammals of this Colony. The references are scanty 

 and for the most ] rt consist merely of a description of spirit 

 specimens or dried .skins of adults, often of only one sex. The 

 courtship and breeding habits, the young, food, methods of of- 

 fence and defence, voice, color and seasonal changes, enemies, 

 instincts — all these remain to be discovered. From this point of 

 view the field opening before us is a most fascinating one, filled 

 with unexpected discoveries, and the scope of the study of life- 

 histories seems peculiarly api)ropriato to the workers of a Re- 

 search Station founded Ijy a Zoological Society. The ultimate 

 results in no way conflict with the field of activity of a museum, 

 but each should complement and be enhanced by the achievements 

 of the other. 



The richness of (he faiuia of the ColoiiN' of r.iitish (Jniana 

 is reflected by a summary of these lists of the higher vertebrates, 

 although they are of the most picliminary character and many 



