586 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LI. No. 1328 



work dealt chiefly with environmental prob- 

 lems and evanescent characters such as color, 

 pattern, tissue form, developmental change 

 and habits of the higher vertebrates. Elab- 

 orate studies were made of the eyes of reptiles 

 and amphibians, also of the tongue, tarsus, 

 and hyoid apparatus of three families of birds, 

 the Formicariidse, Cotingidse, and Tyrannidse, 

 and the syringes of one hundred and twenty- 

 two species of birds. The general notes on 

 life histories of amphibians, reptiles, and 

 birds were greatly increased and will shortly 

 be ready for publication. Aiaong the lower 

 forms, six specimens of Peripatus were 

 studied, one of which gave birth to eight 

 young. 



Without in any way interfering with the 

 scientific work of the station it was found 

 possible to collect and preserve for the Amer- 

 ican Museum a collection of two hundred and 

 seven mammals, skins, skulls and skeletons, 

 with full data, comprising about forty-tlu-ee 

 species. Among these was a series of thirteen 

 red howling monkeys of various ages, part 

 of which has been introduced in one of the 

 groups in the Primates Hall of the American 

 Museum. Every reptile and amphibian, ex- 

 cepting those involved in research problems, 

 was preserved, a collection of two hundred 

 being brought north to the American Museum. 

 To aid current research on the Crocodilia, a 

 series of crocodile skulls was sent north. 

 Similarly a number of large electric eels was 

 collected for Professor Ulric Dahlgren, of 

 Princeton, and embryos of the red howling 

 monkey were sent to Dr. Adolph H. Schultz, 

 of Johns Hopkins University. 



Mr. John Tee-Van, of the 'New York 

 Zoological Park, in addition to the economic 

 administration of the station, made five hun- 

 dred pen and ink drawings of the syringes 

 and tongues of birds, considered to be of 

 great importance in classification. Mr. Alfred 

 Emerson, of Cornell University, chose the 

 Termites as his object of research and com- 

 pleted his biologic studies on fifty-six species. 

 Professor Albert M. Eeese, of the University 

 of West Virginia, began a microscopic study 

 of the swamp and river faima, and an in- 



tensive environmental investigation of a hun- 

 dred yards of sandy beach in front of the lab- 

 oratory. His chief research was on the em- 

 bryology of the crocodile, obtaining embryos 

 of all stages. Mr. Clifford Pope, of the Uni- 

 versity of Virginia, worked on the fish life 

 near the station and obtained valuable data 

 on thirty-five species. Miss Isabel Cooper, of 

 Bryn Mawr, made two hundred and forty-five 

 paintings and drawings, in full color, of fishes, 

 amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates, most 

 of them known heretofore only from colorless 

 alcoholic specimens. Among the most inter- 

 esting paintings are those of the living eye of 

 amphibians and reptiles. 



In the year 1919 the station was open from 

 March first until October. Director Beebe 

 and six associates and assistants are leaving 

 New York May 8, 1920, for the fourth 

 season's work. 



SEASON OF 1920 



The party leaving New York on May 8 for 

 the fourth season includes William Beebe, 

 director; John Tee- Van, scientific assistant 

 and preparator; George Irmess Hartley and 

 Alfred Emerson, research associates; Clifford 

 Pope, research assistant; Isabel Cooper and 

 Anna Taylor, artists. 



In addition to the continuation of the 

 regular research work of the station of pre- 

 vious years, as outlined in the above report, 

 there will be special studies on the habits of 

 the hoactzins and the army ants, with the new 

 Akeley moving picture camera. Attempts 

 will be made to secure living giant armadillos 

 and hoactizins for the Zoological Park of New 

 York. 



Professor Ulric Dahlgren, of Princeton, 

 will visit the Neotropical Station in August 

 to begin his researches on the electric eel Gym- 

 noius. Professor William Morton Wheeler, 

 of the Bussey Institution, with his son Mr. 

 Ralph Wheeler, accompanied by Professor 

 J. C. Bailey, will visit the station in July to 

 study the ant fauna. Dr. Casey Wood, one 

 of the leading authorities on the fundus oculi 

 of the sauropsids and amphibians, expects to 

 visit the station later in the year accompanied 



