January 19, 1949. 
Mr. Karl P. Curtis, 
Box 524, 
Gamboa, Canal Zone. 
Dear Karl: 
Yours of January 16 comes safely to hand this morning. 1 am pleased 
to know that you are improving, but sorry too that the doctor will not permit 
you to accompany the Stirlings. 
When I wrote you last I thought that I was all set to get away from here 
the first week in February. We had our annual Regents Meeting last Friday 
when certain matters came up relative to the Institution and its operation that 
require another meeting on March 1. Naturally I have to stay here for that 
meeting, and in fact have to arrange it. 
To my disappointment, therefore, I have had to change my schedule to 
leave here at the end of the first week in March instead of February as I had 
anticipated. I am sorry for this as I wanted to get down before the country got 
too dry. I will need to spend a few days with Dr. Zetek on Barro Colorado Island 
on business and then Mr. Perrygo and I will go at once to La Jagua, thanks to 
your kind arrangements for us. I believe I wrote you that General Hale has told 
me that he will have a jeep available for us. We will expect to work the lowland 
area ija the marshes and also cover as much country back toward the mountains as 
possfte. As you say this is a wonderful region and one rich in bird life. This 
phase is known now only through the rather hurried studies made by Major 
Goldman more than twenty-five years ago when he visited Cerro Azul for a week 
or ten days. There is opportunity, therefore, to do a grand job in this region, 
particularly as we will have transportation. The camp will make an ideal place 
from which to carry on our studies, in addition to the native birds we can get some 
fine records of migrattt shore birds along the mud flats along the Rio Chico. In 
the brief time that I had there with you last April I saw several species that are 
supposed to be rare in Panama. 
I can assure you that I am looking forward with very great anticipation 
to La Jagua. I will keep you fully informed of my plans. 
Sincerely yours. 
A. Wetmore, 
Secretary. 
