A REPORT ON THE 
FISH AND WILDLIFE SURVEY OF GUATEMALA 
BY 
A MISSION OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 
1946 and 1947 
INTRODUCTION 
The fish and wildlife survey of Guatemala, conducted during the periods March 
through May of both 1946 and 1947, was made by a Mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service, 
United States Department of the Interior, pursuant to the terme of an intergovernmental 
agreement concluded by representatives of the Government of the United States of America 
and the Government of the Republic of Guatemala. The project was organized aes part of the 
program of the Government of the United States of America for cooperation with American 
Republics. 
Personnel of the Missien were Dr. George B. Saunders, biologist, Division of 
Wildlife Research, Ancil D. Holleway, aquatic biologist, Division of Game-fish and 
Hatcheries, and Charles 0. Handley, Jr., biologist, Office of Foreign Activities, all of 
the Fish and Wildlife Service, and Dr. Robert BR. Miller, Assistant Curator, Division of 
Wishes, United States National Museum. Dr. Saunders served as Chief of the Mission. He, 
Mr. Eolloway, and Dr. Miller participated in the survey both years; Mr. Handley assisted 
during 1947, The Mission was organized by and functioned under the administrative 
direction of Dr. H. J. Deagson, Chief, Office of Foreign Activities, Fieh and Wildlife 
Service. 
The Republic of Guatemala, Ministry of Agriculture, assigned three membere of 
its newly organized Department of Game and Fish to assist in the survey each year. In 
1946, under the administrative direction of Dr. Roberto Guirola, Minister of Agriculture, 
and Sr. Gabriel Asturias Moulton, Chief, Division of Livestock, the appointments of 
Sr. Julio Midence, Sr. Fernando Barneond, and Sr. Julio Mendizabal ae field associates, 
were made. In 1947, under Sr. Francisco V. Calderdén, Minister of Agriculture, and 
Sr. Lisandro Castillo, Chief, Division of Livestock, Sr. Julio Midence, Sr. Ricardo 
Camacho Bory, and Sr. Rigoberto Chacén were the Guatemalans on the field staff, Unfor- 
tunately, illness forced Sr. Chacén to leave the survey after two weeks. 
The Mission operated as two field units, one which studied the kinds, distri- 
bution, and general ecology of fishes, as well as the ecology of the wateras in which they 
occurred, and a second which studied the game birds and mammals, their distribution, and 
relative abundance. 
In one unit, Ancil D. Holloway made an appraisal of the lakes and streams, their 
fish populations, and the opportunities for introduction of better species for food and 
game. Dr. Robert BR. Miller studied the kinds, distribution, and relative abundance of 
fishes, emphasizing taxonomy. They were assisted in 1946 by Sr. Midence and Sr. Mendizabal, 
and in 1947 by Sr. Midence. 
In another unit, Dr. George B. Saunders investigated chiefly the game birds of 
the Republic, while Charles 0, Handley, Jr., in 1947, studied the mammale, e 1946, 
Sr. Barneond assisted throughout the period of field work; in 197, Sr. Chacén and 
Sr. Camacho Bory assisted on several trips. 
In general the program consisted of field investigations in typical localities 
and regions, and the questioning of well-informed residents familiar with fish and game 
conditions. Field work was conducted in every Department of the Republic. Travel was 
chiefly by truck, but that in the Petén and along the coaste was accomplished by aerial 
reconnaissance, as time was not available for ground studies. 

i/ Authorized by the following laws of the United States: Act of May 3, 1939 
(5 U. S. Code, Sec. 1186), and Act of August 9, 1939 (22 U. S. Code, Sec. 501). 
