24 Report of the President 



press our appreciation of the generosity of the Panama Rail 

 Road Co. in granting reduced rates to Museum agents, in 

 connection with the South American and Central American 

 explorations, and for carrying our field supplies free of charge. 

 The Erie Railroad Co., the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 

 Railroad Co. and the Great Northern Railway Co. generously 

 granted our request for free transportation of the fossil collec- 

 tions from Alberta, but unfortunately through some misunder- 

 standing the collections finally reached the Museum over other 

 lines, and we were therefore unable to take advantage of this 

 kind offer. The transportation of collections from the field 

 in recent years has involved considerable financial outlay by 

 the Museum, and this generosity on the part of the railroad 

 companies has been of material assistance in extending the 

 explorations of the Museum. 



EXPLORATION IN 1914 



It was not practicable to make the usual large allotments 

 for. exploration in the general budget, and this important 

 branch of the Museum's activity would have been at a standstill 

 had it not been for the original Jesup Fund and the personal 

 generosity of several of the Trustees. As it was, there were 

 not fewer than 29 field parties or agents actively engaged in 

 the interests of the Museum. Three of the great continents are 

 represented in the field of operations through the year. In 

 North America there were twenty-three expeditions including 

 one in the Arctic; in South America there were three expe- 

 ditions, and in Africa, three. 



Of these, the South American expeditions are first in 

 interest and importance, owing to the completion of the 

 Panama Canal and the rapid extension of all our relations with 

 our neighbors to the south. It is a remarkable fact that the 

 natural history of South America in many respects is less known 

 than that of any other continent, and until recent years North 

 American naturalists have left this field of exploration largely 

 to the British and the Germans. Now most of the large 

 museums of America are actively engaged in South American 



