2 
1^0 got ashore at Crlstohal on March 29th, 10:19 a.m. Dr. 
Zet^ was on the dock to aeet a fellow passenger, Mr, V.H. Dropkin, 
of the University of Chicago, idio was on his way to Barro Colorado 
to spend six weeks ift studying the native tersites. He is one of 
11raerson*s assistants at Chicago. A.t Dr. Zetek's invitation, I ac- 
companied them to the Island, as the VBLSRO had not yet arrived in 
Balboa where I was to join her. I saw my collecting outfit and bag- 
gage aboard the train before I left Cristobal. 
* « 
In Balboa I paid a visit to the Panama Field Club head- 
quarters and there gave a talk to the members on the subject of col- 
lecting and studying crustacea. I also had an interesting time at 
the Gorgas Memorial Institute and at the national !4useum of Panama, 
where I made the personal accjualntance of Dr. Mendez, the Director. 
He is a botanist and is very well acquainted with the staff of our 
Hational Herbarium. He had recently returned from a visit to Bahia 
Honda and Goiba Island, H.P., where he had secured a remarkably fine 
series ox'’ mollusks. His collection seemed to contain representatives 
of at least all the large, as well as the smaller, species of that 
area. I believe that his material Is more ccmiprehensive fclaan anything 
gotten in that vicinity by the Hancock expeditions. I think it would 
be worth the Museum’s while to offer to work up his collection for 
him. Our relations with him in the past have been most cordial, and 
I am sure he would welcome the proposal. 
Our cruise to the north coast of South /Unerica aboard the 
VDL3H0 III, Captain Hancock cossnanding, got under way at B,alboa on 
April 2nd, 9:09 a.m. Cta the morning of the 3rd we arrived in Caledonia 
Bay, Panama, spending this day and the next at this place, dredging 
and. shore collecting, with other parties afield for plants, reptiles, and 
birds, and to make ethnological studies of the San Bias Indians in resl- 
d^ice there, Although I was on the lookout for porpoises, none were 
seen tintil the evening of the Uth, when we were ¥?eli outside tlte Bay, 
headed for the north coast of Colombia. It was growing dark too rabid- 
ly to warrant putting over a boat to hunt them. Had we been provided 
with a harpoon gon we sight have gotten one or more over the side of 
the ship, fhe how of the VILERO is too high iuid she travels too fast 
to use a hand harpoon successfully while under way. 
We remained only a few hours at Puerto Colombia, Colombia, our 
^xt stop, as we were persuaded to proceed up the Magdalena River to go 
. alongside the new docks th< t had been built at Barranquilla. As was our 
practice throughout the cruise, the native markets and fishermen were 
visited in the e<urly morning, in order to turchase such crustaceans 
find fish as might be available. We also secured a mamber of shrimp and 
fish from the river alongside the docks. A most pleasant meeting was 
had with the American Consul and his staff. They have offered to se- 
cure further specimens for us. 
