AIR miL 
2k iP ebraary 
Dr. Maurice Lecosrte 
Director, DiEAC 
Yangaabi, Belgian Congo 
Dear Dr. Lecomtes 
Ik>ger Coustiy hex’e in Washington has told me of you, his good friend, 
and of his visit to yox^ ex^mtiMexA station at Yangaabi* I, too, would 
Like to visit it, along with a party of three vjitii wham I Mi all be touring 
the Congo this comirg April ajid I issention tiie number of people in our 
party first because we w:>ald like to spend about tw ni^dits (one full day) 
at your station if possible. 
In accordance witii present plans we would leave Stmileyville for Yatigsabi 
on April 23 hoping to spend that night aibl the next one in the station’s guest 
house, so tiiat we wo'xld have at least one full day at the station. 
¥e shall be travelling \inder the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution 
and under the sponsorship of Mr. and Jirs. Bruce Bredin of WilBiington, 
ware wlio will accoRipariy the expedition, arid keep a written record of it5^ We 
are all primarily intex'ested in the Congo invertebrate fauna, mites as they 
affect plants and animals, shrimps and crabs mid other terrestrial and aquatic 
invertebrates, shells, and fish as taken by the natives at the various river 
fisheries. The first wmed, the mites, will b© the especial interest of Dr. 
Edward flater of the D. S. Departraent of Agriculture, the slirisips and crabs 
to mej while a Dr. Sexton and his son will keep a pto to graphic record of our 
travels and collecting and the other interesting things that we Miall see 
of animal and native folk life. 
Do you thinic that the station will have place for us, paying the u sual,.,^ 
fees of coarse? We shall be travelling in 2 cars, 2 chajllers, a gijade, and 
|air-irb'f‘°'^T’"^r’hQpe tills is not too much to ask of you, but from all that 
Dr. Coustry has told us of the Con^ and the places we Miould visit Yangasibi 
stands hi^ on the list. 
Official permissiDn for our travels and collecting in the Congo will be 
requested of the Belgian Coverntaent by the Smithsonian Institution. If every- 
thing goes as we hope, we may be able to see you this coaijig April 23. Never- 
theless, I shall be* writing you again before to lor^ as our itirterary is more 
definitely settled. Dr. Coustiy wishes to be remstoered to you. 
With kindest regards 
|0<^«nov e>tocciund>» TUcy now ^ ao So 
TIAus ]iIUe Wfll o«/KSisr o* 
rKotoct«*\o\ ; -2. oJicr^ cU^s/Pf^s 
'^ryi 4LeoUY&*K ihorHKA.'Dc**' 11/ 
Sincerely, 
S'o 
(peo^i 
Waldo D. Schmitt 
Head Curator 
Dept, of Zoology 
