BEPOBT OF THE SECEETAKY. 11 



to it has been published, and there are no collections from this region 

 in the United States, although the National Museum has some from 

 the west and south coasts of Borneo. The Institution is fortunate in 

 having this opportunity to study a country practically unknown to 

 zoologists. It is hoped to secure a quantity of interesting material, 

 including the characteristic mammals of the country, such as orangs, 

 deer, wild pigs, squirrels and smaller rodents, and possibly specimens 

 of the rhinoceros and tapir. 



BIOLOGICAL SURVEY IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. 



Through the courtesy of the Canadian Government and of Dr. 

 A. O. Wheeler, president of the Alpine Club of Canada, the Smith- 

 sonian Institution was enabled, in the summer of 1911, to send a 

 small party of naturalists to accompany Dr. Wheeler on his topo- 

 graphical survey of the British Columbia and Alberta boundary 

 line and the Mount Robson region. The party started in June and 

 returned in October, 1911. The expedition was very successful in 

 obtaining a collection covering practically all the birds and mammals 

 inhabiting this previously unworked territory, together with many 

 insects and botanical specimens. The land surveyed included the 

 territory lying about this mountain in the heart of the Canadian 

 Rockies, comprising the most rugged and broken country imaginable. 

 Amid this wonderful scenery Mount Robson rises in titanic outline, 

 the highest peak in Canada, probably between 14,500 and 15,000 feet 

 high, and surrounding it for a distance of 50 miles in all directions 

 lies the field of the survey. In this wild and unclaimed country the 

 party of naturalists remained nearly four months, protected by 

 special permits from the Canadian Government. The collection 

 includes some 900 specimens of birds and mammals, the latter being 

 of all kinds from tiny shrews to caribou and bears. One enormous 

 grizzly bear was obtained by a fortunate shot. Much fine material 

 for exhibition groups was secured, including a series of caribou, 

 mountain goats, mountain sheep, beavers, and many varieties of 

 smaller animals. 



ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCHES IN SIBERIA AND MONGOLIA. 



Toward the close of the fiscal year arrangements were made in con- 

 nection with the authorities of the exposition to be held in San 

 Diego, California, in 1915, to carry on some interesting researches 

 bearing on the origin of the American Indians. It was planned that 

 Dr. Hrdlicka, of the National Museum, should trace, at least in a 

 preliminary way, the remnants of the stock of people from which in 

 all probability the American race branched off. This is a problem 

 which is becoming one of the most important subjects of research in 



