Porto Bello 
ance to 
Entr 
ENE. imag) about 2 miles dish 
From United States Hydrographic Chart. 
Islotes de Duarte 
BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 
Fig. 1. The Caribbean Coast of Panama. 
races, or mesa-like summits, are seen; the topog- 
raphy is sharp and jagged, and the coast line ab- 
rupt. It was apparent that the study of plains 
and level surfaces, which are of such aid to the 
physical geologist, were to be of secondary import 
in this land. With the exception of the cocoanut 
palms along the shore line, the thick matted vege- 
tation reminded one of the green hills of New 
England. 
Our steamer closely follows the shore, giving us a 
good view of Puerto Bello Bay (see Fig. 1) and the 
village of Punta Gordo. The coast line is straight 
until the indentations of Las Minas and Nava Bay 
are reached. 
The thousands of steep slopes and drainage val- 
leys of the adjacent land, together with the enor- 
mous rainfall (over 150 inches a year), all attest 
that great erosion is in progress, and that the 
streams are carrying tons of sediment to the ocean. 
Yet in passing this coast the absence of deltas or 
other visible evidence of the accumulation of great 
sediments from the adjacent land at once strikes 
the beholder. 
Soon we enter the quadrangular Nava Bay, which 
is an inlet into the coast line, squarely pointed at 
the sea by Toro and Manzanilla Points, the latter 
being the northeast corner of the small island upon 
which Colon is situated. 
Upon my arrival at the Isthmus I was cordially 
received and afforded unusual facilities by the offi- 
cer& of the Panama Railway Company for studying 
the geology of the section along their line and that 
of the canal. Had it not been for the untiring 
accommodation of these gentlemen, the work I 
accomplished would have required many months of 
hard labor. 
To Colonel A. L. Rives, Superintendent of the 
Panama Railroad, I am especially indebted for 
assistance, as well as to all the many employees, 
especially Mr. G. A. Cunningham, Roadmaster and 
Civil Engineer of the line, My thanks are also due 
