NO. lO SMITHSONIAN I-:X I'l.ORATIOXS. 1 923 43 



the treasury of the Bahamas as import and export duties on wet goods, 

 and this is making it possible for these islands to enjoy a financial 

 uplift which is manifesting itself in the building of sjjlendid roads. 

 The island of San Salvador, for example, is rapidly acquiring an auto- 

 mobile road which will shortly completely encircle it. although there 

 is not a single machine there at the present time, transportation being 

 effected almost exclusively by human carriers, or horseback. 



There are two huge lagoons within the island, the larger eastern one 

 of which T have named Lake Ferdinand, and the smaller western one 

 Lake Isabella. These lagoons are supersaline and communicate with 

 the sea by long underground channels. They contain a remarkabh- 

 modified molluscan fauna characteristic of such ]:)laces. 



The visit to San Salvador resulted in the gathering of aj^proxi- 

 mately 25,000 specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles, batrachians. fish, 

 mollusks, insects and plants. 



After two weeks the L^ S. Naval transport Kittery stopped and 

 carried the expedition to Guantanamo Bay. Cuba. From there the 

 party proceeded to Havana by rail, thence by P. & O. boat to Key 

 West. Here Dr. Bartsch was met by Mr. ■Mills, the chief engineer 

 of the Marine Biological Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution, and 

 carried by the launch ValcUa to the Tortugas. where a study was made 

 of the Cerion colonies ]:)reviously placed here. Here, likewise. 

 Dr. Piartsch tried out a new submarine moving-picture camera, with 

 which he secured several hundred feet of excellent films showing 

 marine organisms in their native hal^itat in depths varying from 10 

 to 20 feet. 



On the return trip the various keys containing Cerion colonies 

 were examined, and the specimens studied. On Xewfounrl Harbor 

 Key 150 Cerions from the hybrid colony were gathered for anatomic 

 study in the laboratories at Washington. The dissections of these 

 specimens are showing some wonderful results. 



The J'alcIIa reached Miami September 9, where Dr. P.artsch took 

 train for Washington. 



In addition to the specimens secured, careful notes were taken of the 

 birds observed in the various regions visited. 



BOTANICAL EXPLORAIloX IX THE DOAIIXICAN REPUBLIC 



In continuation of botanical exploration conducted in Hispaniola 

 for several years past. Dr. W. L. Abliott, for many years a generous 

 patron of the Smithsonian InstitiUion, revisited the Dominican Repub- 

 lic in Februarv and March. 1923, giving particular attention to the 



