GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE SCIENTIFIC WORK OF 

 THE VELERO III IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC 



Historical Introduction 

 Brief Account of Previous Expeditions 



Previous to the year 1931 the possibilities afforded by the Eastern 

 Tropical Pacific for successful marine biological investigation were little 

 appreciated, or, if they were appreciated, opportunities to explore these 

 possibilities were few and far between. 



For centuries the waters of this region have been navigated, but for 

 long little notice was taken of anything of biological interest concerning 

 the organisms inhabiting this vast marine expanse, across which were 

 carried the riches of the Orient, often much detoured en route. 



The buccaneers became well acquainted with the configuration of 

 the coast, since it was necessary to be familiar with the geographic fea- 

 tures in order that safe anchorage might be available in which to lurk 

 when looking for rich galleons to plunder, or to sort and divide the booty 

 when the plundering was successfully carried out. When buccaneering 

 passed into history, it was natural that the geographical information ob- 

 tained, and to some extent disseminated, should be turned to good account 

 as a basis for exploration of some of the commercially valuable natural 

 resources. Even during buccaneering days some observations looking to 

 such exploitation must have been made on such conspicuous species as the 

 fishes, whales, turtles, and tortoises; but, when the days of piracy were 

 over, these resources became quite important in and around the Galapa- 

 gos Islands, later in the Gulf of California, and to a lesser extent along 

 other parts of the coast. 



Commonly, the ships engaged in the industrial ventures arising out 

 of this exploitation remained at sea for a long period of time. Many, if 

 not most, of these fishermen doubtless had little interest in anything apart 

 from their vocation, but some of them had sufficient curiosity to observe 

 some of the plants and animals that came within their field of vision, 

 particularly when they were ashore. In time some of these observations 

 were reported, biologists became interested enough to provide for the 

 collection of the more easily obtained specimens, and, on occasion, ar- 

 rangements were made for naturalists to accompany some of the expedi- 

 tions. In general, the collecting was confined to the shore or to the land 

 not far from shore ; but, in time, this collecting provided much informa- 



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