CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



ural Department. He is an authority upon the 

 Antillean flora. 



The President of the Cuban Republic, Sr. 

 Menocal, learning of our proposed expedition, 

 took a lively interest in its success. He suggested 

 that the expedition might be turned to some very 

 practical uses by taking the opportunity to study 

 conditions of food-fish life among the Colorados, to 

 the end of better devising means for their protec- 

 tion and preservation. He asked to have accom- 

 pany us the Havana Inspector of Fish, Sr. Manuel 

 Lesmes. As an expert in all matters pertaining to 

 the Cuban fisheries, we felt that he would be a 

 most useful man on board. The President further 

 directed an appropriation to meet certain expenses 

 connected with the preservation of a series of all 

 material collected for the University of Havana 

 laboratories. To look after this and to assist in 

 every way both in the field and in the daily prepara- 

 tion of the catch aboard, Dr. Torre detailed a 

 university museum assistant, Victor J. Rodriguez, 

 to accompany the party. Sr. Rodriguez proved 

 to be one of our hardest workers and was always 

 of the greatest assistance to the naturalists. 



Dr. Carlos de la Torre, of the University of 



