Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 
3 
Report of the Curators 
Special Reports by Members of the 
Scientific Staff 
THE ACADEMY NICARAGUAN EXPEDITION OF 1922 
By Wharton Huber. 
During the latter part of the summer of 1921, Dr. Theodore W. 
Bouchelle, a member of the Academy, suggested that an expedition 
be sent to Nicaragua to study and collect specimens of its fauna, 
generously offering to act as host after the expedition reached 
Prinzapolka. Having lived in Central America for some seventeen 
years, the greater part of this time in Nicaragua, he realized the 
possibilities for collecting under the most favorable conditions at 
Eden, where he was then stationed. Very little scientific collecting 
has been done in eastern Nicaragua in what is known as the Moskito 
Coast region, and apparently none whatever in the vicinity of 
Eden. It was the writer’s good fortune to be intrusted with the 
plans for an expedition and the carrying out of the same for a 
three months stay in the tropical forest. Mr. J. Fletcher Street, 
a member of the Academy,, accompanied the writer and assisted in 
the field work. Since we planned to make collections in as many 
branches of natural history as possible, a considerable amount of 
equipment and baggage was necessary. 
We sailed for Bluefields from New Orleans on March 3, 1922, 
on the S. S. “Hibueras” of the New Orleans-Bluefields Fruit & 
Navigation Co. 
Shortly after leaving the dock a large flock of Ring-billed Gulls 
followed in the wake of the ship, wheeling and circling close to the 
stern, ever watchful for a morsel of food. They continued their 
graceful flight as we steamed down the Mississippi and out into the 
Gulf, slowly diminishing in numbers until the coast of Cuba was in 
