CABLE ADDRESS - MUSEUM. CHICAGO 
Field Museum of Natural History 
ROOSEVELT ROAD AND LAKE MICHIGAN 
Chicago 
January 29, 1940 
Dear Dr. Ames: 
The other day I received from Mr. Oorrell 
a letter in which he expressed a desire to go to Guate¬ 
mala this year to collect orchids and other plants, and 
I understand he has written you regarding the matter. 
I believe that I wrote you some time ago regarding 
the possibilities of the wet Pacific forest of western 
Guatemala as a source of orchids. There is abundant 
dense forest there, and. moisture throughout the year. 
The: orchids are a little higher off the ground than in 
Costa Rica, and there can’t be so many species, but I 
am sure there are a good many of them, in order to col¬ 
lect orchids, as you know better than I, it requires a 
great deal of patience and special attention such as is 
not practical when making general collections. Last year 
I collected all I found close at hand in condition for de¬ 
termination, and the results were rather sad. However, if 
I had had time to hunt them, I am sure I could have found 
several times as many. 
This year I expect to go to Guatemala some time in 
October and remain for about six months, working at several 
separated localities, some of them good for orchids, others 
not (probably). If funds could be supplied for Mr. Cor- 
rell, I should be glad to have him with me when in good 
orchid regions, and could place him at other times in 
localities favorable for his work. For instance, Dr. 
Steyermark has been collecting at one place in Dept. 
Quezaltenango, about 4,000 ft,, where there is every 
facility for work and about the richest vegetation I have 
ever found in Central America. A collector could remain 
there a month or more to advantage, and I think it would, 
cost nothing. There are good, collecting places also on 
the United Fruit Company properties, on both coasts, where 
expenses would be little or nothing. I doubt that I shall 
work there myself, but I may. If there is tim§, and I 
expect there will be, I want to go again to Coban, much as 
I detest the place, in some respects. 
I have a thousand dollars for expenses, which probably 
will be enough or nearly so. I plan to make free use of 
automobiles in regions where there are roads—that is 
everywhere except in Alta Verapaz. With a car you can 
reach innumerable good regions in every part of Guate¬ 
mala. While they cost five to ten dollars (average about 
seven) per day, they are well worth it in results. There 
are few places, from which you can go out on foot and make 
worth while collections. 
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE, PUBLICATIONS AND PACKAGES 
TO FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, CHICAGO, U. S. A. 
