February 12, 1951 
Major Ralph Martin 
Car ibbe an A ir C omma nd 
Albrook Air Force Base, Canal Zone 
Dear Major Martin: 
You may recall me as the naturalist from the Smithsonian 
Institution, introduced to you by Lt. Col. Potter last April on my 
return from a trip into the mountains back of Chimanlon the Pacific 
coast of Panama. ' 
I wrote Brigadier General Kiel, Commanding General, a 
short time ago outlining the plans that 1 now have in mind for 
further field work on the distribution of birds in Panama on behalf 
of the Smithsonian Institution. This is planned to cover certain areas 
west of the Canal Zone and mainly around the eastern extension of 
the mountains that come down from Chiriqui. In connection with 
this, I asked General Kiel if it would be practicable to have the 
cooperation of the Air Forces through the loan of a command car 
(without driver) that I could use for transportation with the under¬ 
standing that the Smithsonian Institution would be responsible for 
the expens? s of operation, including oil, gasoline and other similar 
charges. At the time my plans were somewhat uncertain due to 
hearings before committees in Congress so that I indicated that I 
would expect to reach the Canal Z.Q&& with, my assistant, Mr. Watson 
M. Perrygo, about February 28. The last few days my scneaule here 
has become clearer and I find now that I will be in the Canal Zone 
on February 23. I will have a few days of business in and around 
the Zone principally concerned with our Laboratory on Barro 
Colorado Island and will then wish to undertake the field work. 
I hope indeed that General Kiel will be agreeable to this 
request since it will assist most measurably in the work that we 
have in mind. What we will need is a vehicle in which we can 
move about and at the same time carry a reasonable amount of 
field equipment. I would have comparatively little choice between 
a command car or a Iwwvy 1 weapons carrier, whichever might be 
most convenient. The principal necessity is to have a car with 
reasonable carrying capacity equipped with four wheel drive. 
My original plan has been to go into a remote area on the 
Atlantic side but I will need this year to remain where I can have 
communication from time to time with the Washington office. 
