42 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March, 



of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Accompanying him will be Mr. 

 J. E. Ives, one of Prof Heilprin's assistants at the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences, who will have charge of the marine zoology; Mr. Witmer Stone, 

 who will make the collections of botany and ornithology; Mr. F. C. Baker, 

 of concholog>' and general zoology and Mr. Roberts Le Boutillier, who 

 will be the photographer of the expedition. 



Papers governing the expedition have been received from the State De- 

 partment at Washington addressed to the representatives of this country 

 in Central America and Mexico, and also from the Mexican Minister at 

 Washington, Senor Romero, commending the expedition to the Govern- 

 ment of Yucatan. 



The expedition left New York by steamer February 15th, to stop first 

 at Progresso, Yucatan, whence the research will extend into the interior 

 of that State. Much of interest is expected from the expedition to this 

 region, as very little is known of its entomological riches. 



From Yucatan the expedition will be deflected to Vera Cruz, whence 

 will begin the explor^on of the Mexican lowland and of the volcanic belt 

 which stretches westtvard towards the Pacific. This region, like Yucatan, 

 despite its ready accessibility, is still to a great extent unknown to the en- 

 tomologist. The determination of the limitation of the range of animals 

 and plants and the intermingling of Northern and Southern forms will 

 receive the first attention of the expedition. 



An attempt will be made to gam the summit of the extinct volcano of 

 Orizaba, 17,500 feet high, by some considered to be the loftiest peak in 

 Mexico, and perhaps loftiest summit of the entire North American Con- 

 tinent, of the complete ascent of which no trustworthy details appear to 

 be on record. The peak affords almost unsurpassed advantage for the 

 study of vertical distribution of animal and plant life, since it rises from a 

 base within a short distance of the sea, far beyond the limits of perpetual 

 snow. 



From Orizaba the course will lie towards the City of Mexico, where an 

 examination will be made of the lakes lying on the Mexican plateau. An 

 ascent will be made from this point of the neighboring peak of Popocate- 

 petl, which rises to approximately the same height as Orizaba, but is much 

 more accessible than that mountain. 



From the valley of Mexico the expedition will take a westerly course, 

 having in view the passage of the Sierra Madre Mountains and a descent 

 to the Pacific coast. The still active volcanic foci will be made the feature 

 of this research. 



The volcano of Colima, 12,500 feet, in elevation, whose recent furious 

 eruption gave evidence that the volcano was not, as generally ^supposed, 

 extinct, and which threatened the existence of Zapotlan, will probably be 

 the limit of the expedition, although a further attempt to reach Jorullo, 

 rendered famous by Humboldt's narrative, may be made. 



The exact route of the return journey has not yet been determined 

 up>on. It is expected, however, that it will reach home before midsummer. 



