50 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1924 



year received from him 62 mammals, 882 birds — with 300 skins 

 shipped some time ago and still on the way — 68 reptiles and am- 

 phibians, 115 fishes, several thousand insects, 800 crustaceans and 

 other invertebrates, etc. Several new species have already been de- 

 scribed from this material and many more will probably appear when 

 it has been thoroughly worked up. 



The National Geographic Society's expedition under F. R. Wulsin, 

 was in the field during the season. The first trip had for its object ex- 

 plorations along the Yellow River. Starting from Peking in the 

 neighborhood of which some collections were gathered while prepara- 

 tions for the trip were being made r he proceeded by way of Inner 

 Mongolia and Kansu, reaching Lake Kokonor, in Tibet, during 

 August, 1923, returning by way of Lanchow. Considerable zoological 

 material obtained in Shanghai which add to our knowledge of the 

 eastern Chinese fauna has already been received. 



Under the auspices of Col. Robert Sterling Clark, Arthur de C. 

 Sowerby continued his collecting for the Museum, but on account of 

 the disturbed conditions in China he was unable to go far afield from 

 his headquarters in Shanghai. Nevertheless, as shown above, valu- 

 able additions to our collection resulted, furnishing as they do serial 

 material for comparison with collections from more remote regions. 



Dr. W. L. Abbott's expedition to Santo Domingo during the 

 months of November and December, 1923, was chiefly confined to the 

 Samana region. About 500 plants, a fine series of reptiles and am- 

 phibians, and a few birds were collected, but best of all the speci- 

 mens of the long lost rodent. A long and strenuous search for this 

 interesting mammal was thus crowned with success. 



Dr. Hugh M. Smith, honorary associate curator in zoology, who is 

 engaged in fisheries investigations for the Government of Siam, 

 collected in many localities of that country. The birds, reptiles, 

 amphibians, and invertebrates, including great numbers of crusta- 

 ceans and mollusks obtained, are now in the National Museum and 

 form a most important addition linking up the collections made 

 formerly by Dr. W. L. Abbott in the Malay Archipelago and Penin- 

 sula with those of the countries farther north. 



The Museum profited greatly by two expeditions undertaken by 

 the Bureau of the Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture. 

 Harry Malleis was sent to the Province of Peten, Guatemala, for the 

 purpose primarily of obtaining living specimens of the ocellated 

 turkey for introduction on an island off the coast of Georgia. The 

 trip in addition resulted in a very considerable miscellaneous col- 

 lection of which the bird skeletons and alcoholic preparations form 

 a conspicuous part. The other expedition was undertaken in con- 

 junction with the Navy Department. Dr. A. Wetmore, of the 



