NO. 12 SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I917 25 



another large mass of extremely fossiliferous phosphatic limestone 

 was collected to illustrate the types of organisms composing phosphate 

 rock. 



In addition to the large exhibition material mentioned above, the 

 g'eologic work in the Appalachian and Ohio valleys resulted in the 

 securing of many hundreds of rock, mineral, and fossil specimens 

 which were needed to complete certain of the Museum collections. 



During' the summers of 1916 and 1917, Mr. Frank Springer con- 

 tinued his researches upon the fossil echinoderms of the Ohio A'alley 

 with a view to obtaining further material and information for the 

 completion of a monograph upon the Silurian crinoids of that area 

 which he has now in preparation. His assistant. Dr. Herrick E. 

 Wilson, collected in the vicinity of St. Paul and of Madison, in 

 Indiana, proving for the first time the presence in the latter locality 

 of the crinoidal faunas of both the Waldron and the Laurel forma- 

 tions. One object of the present field investigation is to obtain 

 further light on the relations of the Silurian faunas of the Chicago 

 and southern Indiana areas with those of western Tennessee. ^Ir. 

 Springer acquired by purchase all the echinoderms in the large collec- 

 tion of Mr. John F. Hammell, of Madison, Indiana, which included 

 that made by A. C. Benedict from the Indiana Silurian, containing 

 the tvpes of a consideral)le number of species. This material has been 

 added to his collection of fossil echinoderms now deposited in the 

 National Museum. 



NORTH CAROLINA .SOLAR RADLATION OBSERX'ATORY UNDER 

 THE HODGKINS FUND 



War conditions deferred an expedition whicli was proposed to be 

 sent to Chile to observe the variability of the sun in co-operation with 

 the .Mount Wilson station of the Astr()])liysical ( )1)scr\-ati irv. Prepa- 

 ration.s for the Chilean expedition had gone so far that tlic ap])aratus 

 and su])plies needful for several years were boxed for ocean shi])- 

 ment, and the observers, Messrs. :\. !•". .Moore and 1.. II. Alilmt, were 

 engaged U) leave for South .Aiuerica in .Ma\-, \')\J. It seemed, how- 

 ever, best to employ the outfit in the United .states until a more 

 favorable time should come to carr\- on obser\ations in ( hile. 



Desiring to locate as far from .Mount Wilson as practicable, so as 

 to avoid simultaneous weather disturbruices at the two stations. 

 Director C. C .Abbot n\ the Astro])hysical < )bscrvalor\-. after con- 

 sideration of Weather I'.ureau records, ti.xed ujjon I lump .Mountain 

 in Avery County, North (."arolina, as a high station, (.as) of access, 



