What does not appear in these accounts is the time given over 
to the sorting and preservation of the various material collected at 
each stop, a phase of the work that took up a no inconsiderable part of 
my time. 
Some words in commendation of the part the Navy personnel 
played in the scientific success are given in both of my progress reports 
to the President. If in place, the Secretary of the Navy should be 
thanked for the generous and whole-hearted cooperation extended me on 
all occasions, To the Navy a great deal of credit for the value of the 
collections gotten together during the three weeks cruise is due. 
To the President, of course, we are indebted for everything. 
His live interest in all that went on and in the collections made was 
a great stimulus to both the Navy personnel and myself to do our utmost 
to further all the aims of the expedition. 
The very excellent refrigeration facilities aboard the Houston 
have opened up an entirely new field and opportunities of obtaining such 
desired specimens in the best of condition for the most approved methods 
of preservation right in the Museum*s own laboratories. 
Of the collections so far as we have had time to unpack and 
examine them: 
Dr. Scimltgi says that the fish collection is one of the best 
received at the Museum for some time, and that it was in beautiful shape 
for permanent preservation. 
Dr. Poshag is making an examination of the portion of the 
original Clipper ton rode we obtained. It is of igneous origin and is 
apparently like some on the mainland of Mexico. A chemical analysis 
and a report upon the rock will be prepared by him. 
The palm from Cocos Island has proved of great interest to Dr. 
Oook. Not only does it represent a new species, but a new genus as well. 
The Crustacea promise to yield a number of things of interest. 
The wealth of aaphipods in Magdalena Bay has surprised even Mr. Shoemaker, 
who has spent a lifetime studying these forms. He knows of no record 
of comparable abundance anywhere. They were almost as numerous where 
they were dredged as grains of sand on the beach near by. 
As rapidly as the sorting progresses we shall place the mater- 
ial in the hands of specialists for study. 
