306 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. LV, No. 1421 



the adjacent mainland of Sonora and Baja 

 California, and to make collections of research 

 and museum materials in the various depart- 

 ments of zoology, botany and geolog-y. 



While several scientific expeditions have 

 in the past visited the peninsula of Lower 

 California, little attention has been given to 

 the islands in the Gulf, of which the Coast 

 Survey charts name about 30; in addition 

 to these there are several rocks or small islets 

 unnamed or not shown. Only five of these 

 islands have more or less permanent inhabit- 

 ants. Tiburon, the largest, is the home, for a 

 portion of each year of the Seri or Koonkat 

 Indians who visit it for hunting and fishing. 

 San Marcos, Ceralbo, Carmen and San Jose 

 are the locations of various industrial plants 

 of some little importance; practically all islands 

 of any considerable size are visited now and 

 then by prospectors of various sorts. Some of 

 the islands have become known because of the 

 presence of salt beds, others because of guano 

 deposits of considerable value; and these last 

 with still others are the breeding grounds of 

 vast nmnbers of sea birds. Visits of scien- 

 tific men to these islands have been few and 

 brief. Enough was known, however, to justify 

 the belief that a careful exploration would 

 yield collections and knowledge that woiild 

 prove of great popular interest as well as 

 scientific value. 



The scientific staff of the expedition con- 

 sisted of the following: Joseph R. Slevin, her- 

 petologist, in charge; Edward P. Van Duzee, 

 entomologist; Dr. Fred Baker, conehologist, 

 paleontologist and physician; Ivan M. John- 

 ston, botanist; Virgil W. Owen, ornithologist 

 and mammalogist; and Joseph C. Chamber- 

 lin, general assistant. In addition to the 

 Academy representatives, the expedition was 

 fortunate in having two collaborators from the 

 Mexican government, Seiior Eranciseo Con- 

 treras, director and conehologist, and Seiior 

 Carlos Lopez, chief taxidermist of the Museo 

 Nacional de Mexico. 



The Academy chartered the gasoline schoon- 

 er Silver Gate, 64 feet 6 inches over-all, 15 

 feet beam, 9 feet draft when loaded, 22 tons 

 net, cruising radius 2,000 miles, and capable 



of making 8 knots per hour. The vessel was 

 in command of Captain John Ross whose inti- 

 mate acquaintance with the Gulf and its islands 

 was of very great help to the expedition. 



The issuance of the permits for exportation 

 from the United States of the firearms and 

 the alcohol necessary for the collecting and 

 preservation of specimens was most exasper- 

 atingly delayed at Washington, and it was 

 not until Honorable Julius Kahn and the Sec- 

 retary of State were appealed to that action 

 was gotten. Mr. Kahn secured the waiving of 

 certain formalities and the necessary permits 

 were issued. The Mexican government very 

 promptly granted authority to the Academy 

 to bring into Mexico the necessary equipment 

 and to carry on the desired investigations in 

 Mexican territory. 



The various members of the party joined the 

 Silver Gate at Guaymas, from which place the 

 expedition set sail April 16. 



The total number of days spent in the field 

 was 87, and the number of miles cruised was 

 1811. Thirty-seven different islands were 

 visited, some of them more than once. In ad- 

 dition to these, 14 stations were made on the 

 coast of Lower California, and five on the coast 

 of Sonora. Altogether, 96 collecting stations 

 were occupied. 



The Gulf of California is celebrated for its 

 sudden and violent gales, but the itinerary of 

 the Silver Gate was arranged with this in mind ; 

 with the results that no severe gales were en- 

 countered, no time was lost on account of ad- 

 verse weather conditions, and the work was 

 can'ied out essentially as originally planned. 



The scientific results of the expedition are 

 very satisfactory. Unusually large collections 

 were made in most of the groups. 



In entomology, more than 13,000 specimens 

 were secured, a remarkable result when the 

 arid, volcanic character of the country is con- 

 sidered and the further fact that the collecting 

 was done at the close of the dry season when 

 insects are fewer than at any other time. 

 The collection of spiders, pseudoscorpions and 

 myriopods secured by Mr. Chamberlin is 

 particularly complete and valuable. 



Perhaps the most remarkable collection of 



