Report of the Director for IQ22 19 



the islands lying westward. From the Society Islands in particular more 

 precise information is needed of the physical characters of the people, of 

 the sequence of the overlapping immigrations and the cultural differences 

 in the native populations of various islands of the group. 



To meet this need provision has been made for undertaking an ethno- 

 logical survey by a party consisting of E. S. Craighill Handy, Ethnologist ; 

 Willowdean C. Handy, Associate in Polynesian Folkways : and Miss Jane 

 Winne, Volunteer Assistant, who will devote her time to recording native 

 music. Local field assistants will be added to the party. For compara- 

 tive studies Mr. Handy will visit the islands of Upolu. Vavau, Haapai, 

 Nukuolofa, and the Maori settlements in New Zealand. 



Fanning Isl.\nd Expedition 



Studies now in progress on the distribution and relationship of cer- 

 tain organisms have made it desirable to investigate the fauna and flora 

 of Fanning Island which lies in Latitude 3°-S4' North. The island lies 

 outside of the routes of commercial steamship lines, but is visited at inter- 

 vals by copra schooners and by the supply ship of the Pacific Cable Board. 



With the approval of Mr. J. Milward, Pacific Manager of the Pacific 

 Cable Board, an invitation was received from Captain M. Menmuir to 

 make use of his ship, the "Tangaroa." for transporting men and equip- 

 ment to Fanning Island. The invitation was gratefully accepted and 

 Stanley C. Ball and Charles H. Edmondson were chosen to represent the 

 Museum. 



While on the island, Mr. Ball and Mr. Edmondson enjoyed the hos- 

 pitality of the Fanning Island Station of the Cable Board and of the 

 copra company. Fanning Island Limited. At the station. Superintendent 

 T. R. Blackley, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Johnson, Mr. Walker, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Sherlock, Mr. Kemp, Dr. Kinney, Mr. Chapman, Mr. Wood and 

 others rendered generous assistance. Superintendent A. R. Foster of the 

 copra company and his assistant, Mr. Ward, provided boats and men and 

 equipment. Mr. William Greig served as host and with Mr. Hugh Greig 

 furnished a native boat crew including the intelligent guide, Kotuku. 

 Their intimate knowledge of the island and of Polynesian languages and 

 customs was the source of valuable information regarding the names and 

 distribution of plants and animals. 



The collections obtained at Fanning Island include marine and ter- 

 restrail crustaceans, mollusks, echinoderms, insects, and other invertebrates 

 and also skins of land and sea birds and a representative series of plants. 

 Many of the zoological specimens constitute new records for that part of 

 the Pacific. 



