Vercammen-Grand jean , P. H, 
November 18, 1954 
Dr. p . H. Vercanmesr -Grand jean 
Biologist® - Laboratoire 
Medical Provincial chi V .ivu 
Eukavu 
Congo Belg® 
Dear Dr. Veroaamen > 
Recently I have been asked to join a group going to the Belgian Congo in 
order to sake collections and obtain photographs for the Smithsonian Institu- 
tion of Washington* The details of the trip have not. yet bean settled and I 
should, therefore, like to get some information abou what I might ha able to 
do during the month of May that would he helpful to me in gaining a further 
understanding of the distribution and ecology of mites in the tropios. I would, 
of course, greatly appreciate the opportunity of seeing your materials and col- 
lections as well as the other work in your laboratory. In addition I want to 
make some collections of the plant-feeding rates, especially those that are on 
plants of economic importance. 
The other members of the party will be interested in other things and will 
want to obtain photographs of big game and collections of freshwater arthro- 
pods and fiah. They are thinking in terms of hiring a guide to assist them in 
this work, and iSrio Thornton has been recommended to them as a good man for this 
purpose. I should appreciate any information that you might have on him or other 
guides in the Belgian Congo. I should also like to know which scientific labora- 
tories I ;.hcuid plan to visit in trying to aooon.pl ish as much as possible during 
my short stay. 
Any suggestions or information that you can give me you feel might be help- 
ful in planning such a trip would be greatly appreciated. From our previous 
correspondence I know that you are interested in obtaining more information on 
the mites. If there is anything of a specific nature that you need, I should 
be ploacoi to try to get it and bring it to you. 
Sincerely yours. 
0. W, Wharton 
Department Hoad 
GWWihhm 
\/ co i Dr. Waldo Schmitt 
Head Curator of Zoology 
tJ. S. National Museum 
Washington 26, D. C. 
