RECORDS OF MEETIXGS 457 



Collections of geological, paleontological, botanical, zoological and 

 archaeological specimens, aggregating many thousands, have already been 

 brought together, and, after being studied, are being divided among the 

 cooperating institutions, and sets of duplicates are being returned to 

 Porto Rico to form a natural history museum there. 



It is the opinion of the committee that the further prosecution of this 

 investigation and the publication of its results, which are planned to 

 occupy a series of volumes of the Academy's Annals, will make Porto 

 Rico the key to geological and biological knowledge of the West Indies. 



The committee submits, by subject, the following account of the prog- 

 ress of the work during the past year : 



1. Geology 

 By Professor Charles P. Berkey. actixg for Professor Kemp 



Early in the year a report of the first reconnaissance geological expedi- 

 tion was published. This has been distributed by the Xew York Acad- 

 emy and a certain number of copies have been sent to Porto Rico for 

 general distribution. The report was written by Dr. Berkey, and under- 

 took to give a general statement of the geological structure and make-up 

 of the island. The report is available for additional distribution. 



During the season of 1915 three special parties were sent to Porto Rico 

 to carry on geological investigations. One of these was organized to con- 

 tinue general reconnaissance work and to determine certain definite 

 stratigraphic questions connected with the Tertiary deposits. The other 

 two were given special areas to map and study in detail. In addition to 

 these undertakings, a special investigation was made of the supposed oil 

 shales of the island, in compliance with special request. The division oi 

 the work is indicated as follows : 



Dr. Chester A. Reeds, accompanied by Mr. Prentice B. Hill, spent the 

 months of June and July in Porto Rico, studying the sedimentary beds 

 on the western portion of the island, both on the north and on the south 

 sides. The special object in view was to determine the exact age of the 

 succession of beds represented in the "youngei*'' series and collect such 

 material as might be necessary for the subdivision of this series, if such 

 an undertaking seemed to be possible; and, in addition, to collect ma- 

 terial for its special paleontological interest. A collection of about 3,000 

 pounds, consisting of over 10,000 specimens, was made, and a consider- 

 able number of forms of special interest have already been noted. On 

 account of the large amount of material and the difficulty of organizing 



