NO. I 



SMITHSOXIAX EXPLOR-VTIOXS, I9I9 



29 



lackin"-. The remarkable Australian mammal fauna is now repre- 

 senteil in the museum by only about 200 s]iecimens. \'ery few of 

 these have been culk-cted in aceorclance with ])resent-(lay methods, 

 and no species is represented by adequate series of adults and young, 

 of skeletons and material in alcohol. Not only is this true of our 

 collection, but it is e(|ua]ly true as regards other museums in 

 America. So many of the Australian mammals are now rapidly 

 api)roaching extermination that in future there will be few oppor- 

 tunities for securing the material needed for a ])ro])er representation 

 of the fauna. 



Mr. Hoy sjjcnt about two months in Washington assembling his 

 outfit and ])reparing for his tri]). He left for San Francisco early in 



l-'ic. 29. — Two young duck-liills in tlieir nest. 



May and arrived in Sydney about the end of the month. The jieriod 

 from June to Xovember has been passed at various localities in 

 New South Wales. While no specimens have \et lieeii rtceived 

 (December 31, 1919), it is evident that the work has been verv suc- 

 cessful. The following passages from Mr. Hoy's letters and re])orts 

 will give an idea oi the couilitiniis under which it has been car- 

 ried on : 



" Travel i.s rather (liriiciilt just now. I'.adi .sl;itr lias ils own <(u.ir:mtinc 

 restriction.s, on account of the ' llu ' and it is (|uitr (lilTKult to ^ci irom one 

 to the other. Then too a seaman's strike is on, making tra\il liy hoat very 

 uncertain. I'he railroads are run l)y the state novernments and t aili state has 

 a fliffereiit nau^e road and different rates. 



" I have a Kreat chance to net Platypus (duck-liill ). A .Mr. I'.uiicll, whose 

 luthhy is Platypus is goin^ after tiiiin on the litst of ( )rtoliir. As Ju; has 



