28 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 



VOL. -J 2 



Mt. JVilson obscrz'ations. — As usual, the station at ]\It. Wilson was 

 occupied from I\Iay until October by Mr. L. B. Aldrich, who carried 

 on there the usual measurements of the " solar constant of radiation." 

 and some others intended to determine the intensity of the nocturnal 

 radiation and the intensity of skylight. 



AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION 

 The zoological work by ^Ir. H. C. Raven in Borneo and Celebes, 

 which has been made possible through the generosity of Dr. William 

 L. Abbott, came to an end in 19 18. as explained in the last Explora- 



FiG. 28. — A pair of adult duck- 

 bills, the male (at left) showing 

 the spurs on hind feet. 



tion Report (p. 35). At the close of the war ]\Ir. Raven did not wish 

 to return immediately to the field. Doctor Abbott therefore arranged 

 to send Mr. Charles M. Hoy to Australia for the purpose of collect- 

 ing vertebrates, especially those which are in danger of extermina- 

 tion. From the point of view of the national collection of mammals 

 there is probably no field-work of similar scope that could a]:»proach 

 this in importance. The fact has long been recognized, but the 

 means for putting such a project into execution have hitherto been 



