SI Bredin Exp. --Society Ids. 
February 12, 1957 
Mr. Bruce Bredin 
P. 0. Box 87 
Wilmington, Del. 
Dear Bruces 
I have been wanting to write you this letter ever since ray 
return frora Xanadu, and before and since your call frosts Wilmington 
before you left for Florida. I am tremendously indebted to you for 
some very rewarding trips and tines, and above all, for a very 
wonderful time at Xanadu. It is not necessary to tell you that Mr. 
Ir^nle is tops in every way. 
Rarely, if ever, does one find so charming and entertaining a 
host, such a beautiful setting, perfect climate, food and drink, and 
congenial people all in one delightful home except perhaps at Xanadu. 
Along with it all, I did get in some good collecting for the 
Museum. Though it did not bulk large, it did contain some interest- 
ing mall crustaceans— some crabs along shore and from the fiddler- 
crab pond near the castellated water tower , Laguna Ghocd it is 
called. Other crabs and several varieties of small shrimp were 
dredged from the motor boat on two occasions in Cardenas Bay. This 
was accomplished with Mr. Iren^e ' s consent by John Finlay who works 
for Mr. Edwards at the '‘estate” office. Finlay is quite an authority 
on Cuban shells. In his fine collection he has some very exceptional 
specimens taken in traps of his own devising. On the beach running 
eastward from the house, a great variety of sponges, sea fans, ’t&lp 
corals, and shells can be picked up most every day, as you yourself 
are doubtless aware. Tnere must be an untold wealth of animal life 
in the waters just off shore. I also got two rats for Dr. Jo nnson, 
our curator of mammals, which were trapped by Carlos. They were seen 
climbing high up in the vine running up the wall to the balcony of 
Mr. Irbnbe's apartment. 
Mr. Irenle is certainly a grand person, so well Informed, so 
able, and so modest about it all— illiterate, he says. I thank you 
again and a lot for making it possible for me to know Hr. Irenee and 
Xanadu. 
For your Society Islands Expedition we are in the midst of 
getting our collecting outfit together, our passports and such shots 
as the Public Health Service recommends. In listing the personnel, I 
may have mentioned Dr. Clarke to you. He joined the Caribbean Fxpedi 
tion at Dominica, but just the other day he said he could not escape 
an obligation to chaperon home an extensive collection of beetles 
that the Smithsonian is acquiring in Europe. In his place we are 
