f 
this important field he had for many years the able assistance of 
Mr. DeLancy W, Gill who is still, in 19S7, the leading illustrator 
of the Smithsonian and its departments. A related work was the 
preparation of the exhibits of the Institution for the numerous 
expositions, American and foreign. 
In April 1884 the monotony of home-staying was broken 
by a trip to Mexico on which Holmes was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. 
Chain, professional photographers who had the use of a special 
car provided with a studio and comfortable living accommodations. 
Mr. W. H. Jackson, photographer, joined the party at El Paso, 
Texas. It w r as a delightful excursion of two months with visits 
to Mexico City, Puebla, Zacetecas, Chihuahua, Oaxaco, Cholula and 
other places of note giving the opportunity of studying peoples, 
museums, ancient ruins and a number of the great volcanic mountains. 
Early in August 1886 he had the good fortune to be asked 
to <3oin & field party of scientists planning a three months study 
- 1 OA^L. 
A of the Indian tribes and ancient ruins in He?/ Mexico and Arizona. 
In the party were Professor S. P. Langley, Secretary of the Smith- 
sonian Institution, Major J. 'll. Powell, Director of the Geological 
Survey, James Stevenson, Assistant to Dr. Hayden, and Mrs. Steven- 
son, and others interested in the Puehlo region. A permanent 
camp was established in the San Diego valley, a tributary of the 
mo Grande, fifty miles Vlest of Santa Pe, with the Jemez mountains 
* 
rising on the west. 
Holmes' own energies were devoted mainly to an examina- 
