The general plan of the surrey comprises a systematic study of the physiography, stratigraphy and structural geology, geologic history, geologic correlation, mineral resources

(including coal, oil, and other fields), petrography and paleontology of the Canal Zone, and of as much of the adjacent areas of the Isthmian region as is feasible

Walcott, Charles D.

Aquatic Commons

1 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 
4 BOARD OF REGENTS OF 
I T H E  SMITHSONIAN 
r INSTITUTION 
SHOWING THE 
OPERATIONS, EXPENDITURES, AND 
CONDITION OF THE INSTITUTION 
FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30 
WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1914 
REPORT O F  THE SECRETARY. 9 
I GEOLOGICAL SURVEY O F  PANAIIB.  
A plan has been formulated and some progress has been made in  
certain lines of field work for a geological survey of Panama, under 
the joint auspices of the Isthmian Canal Commission, the United 
States Geological Survey, and the Smithsonian Institution, and an 
allotment has been made from the Institution's funds toward the ex- 
penses of such investigation. The general plan of the surrey com- 
prises a systematic study of the physiography, stratigraphy and 
structural geology, geologic history, geologic correlation, mineral re- 
sources (including coal, oil, and other fields), petrography and pale- 
ontology of the Canal Zone, and of as much of the adjacent areas of 
the Isthmian region as is feasible. I n  this survey an opportunity is 
afforded for working out in detail the succession of the geologic for- 
mations and the study of the structure, petrography, and paleontology 
of a Central American area such as has never before existed, and 
probably never will be realized again. I t  is possible to make and 
properly characterize a standard geologic section of this part of the 
world, one with which the more obscure exposures of adjacent areas 
may be compared. There is already nearly completed a section of 
each side of the CuIebrn Cut in a, horizontal scale of 1 : 5,000, vertical 
scale 1 : 2,500; and a general section has been made from the Atlantic 
to the Pacific, with collections from every fossiliferous exposure seen. 
A basis has been practically determined for the intercorrelation of 
the formations across the Isthmus and for correlation with the Gulf 
States, also with certain formations in some of the West Indian 
Islands. 
Upon the completion of this survey the Institution will publish a 
general account of the work accomplished, and later it is planned to 
print a detailed report of the geological data of the Isthmus and 
adjoining regions. 
BIOLOGICAL EXPEDITIONS I N  AFRICA. 
Rainey Af?<can expedition.-The Paul J. Rainey expedition in 
British East Africa came to a successful close in February, 1912. 
The collections, numbering 5,750 large and srllall mammals, 400 birds, 
2,000 reptiles, and 500 miscellaneous specimens, included a large 
number of new genera and species since described in the publications 
of the Institution and the National Museum. During this expedition 
Mr. Edmund Heller, of the National bluseurn, who had previo~~sly 
served as naturalist on the expedition under Col. Roosevelt, was the 
guest of Mr. Rainey, who provided him all the native assistants that 
he could use, and accorded him perfect freedom as regards choice of 
collecting ground. Mr. Heller was thus able to visit the exact regions 
from which material was most needed to supplement that procured 
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 105 
Volume 57. 
No. 9. New Pork Potsdam-Hoyt Fauna. By Charles D. Walcott. Published 
September 14, 1912. 54 p., 13 pls. (Publ. 2136.) 
No. 10. Group terms for lower and upper Cambrian series of formations. Ry 
Charles D. Walcott. Septeniber 16, 1912. 3 p. (Publ. 2137.) 
Volume 58. 
No. 2. Bibliography of the geology and mineralo,~ of tin. By Fraillr L. and 
Eva Hess. July 29, 1912. v, 408 p. (Publ. 1987.) 
Titlepages and contents. December 31, 1912. v p. (Publ. 2160.) 
Volume 59. 
No. 11. Expeditions organized and participated in by the Smithsoilian Institu- 
tion in 1910 and 1911. July 17, 1912. 51 p., 1 pl., 56 figs. (Publ. 
2087.) 
No. 16. New Rodents from British East Africa. By Edmund Heller. July 5, 
1912. 20 p. (Publ. 2094.) 
No. 17. New Diptera from Panama. By J. R. Malloch. July 18, 1912. S p. 
(Publ. 2133.) 
No. 18. New species of landshells from Pananla Canal Zone. By JTTilliam H. 
nall. July 27, 1912. 3 p., 2 pls. (Publ. 2134.) 
No. 20. The recognition of Pleistocene faunas. By Oliver I?. Hay. August 17, 
1912. 16 p., 10 figs. (Publ. 2139.) 
Volume 60. 
No. 1. Three new species of Pipunculidze (Diptern) from Panama. Ry J. R. 
Blalloch. September 6, 1912. 4 p., 3 figs. (Publ. 2141.) 
No. 2. New mammals from eastern Panama. By E. A. Goldman. September 
20, 1912. 18 p. (Publ. 2142.) 
No. 3. Descriptions of new genera, species, and subspecies of birds from Pan- 
ama, Colombia, and Ecuador. By E. W. Nelson. September 27, 1912. 
25 p. (Publ. 2143.) 
No. 4. Rubelzul cotton : A new species of Gossypiu~u from Guatemala. By Fred- 
erick L. Lewton. October 21, 1912. 2 p., 2 pls. (Publ. 2144.) 
No. 5. ICokia: A new genus of Hawaiian trees. By Frederick L. Lemton. 
October 22, 1912. 4 p., 5 pls. (Publ. 2145.) 
No. 6. The cotton of the Hopi Indians: A new species of Gossypium. Ry Pred- 
erick L. Lewton. October 23, 1912. 10 p., 5 pls. (Publ. 2146.) 
No. 7. Descriptions of one hundred and four new species and subspecies of birds 
from the Barussan Islands and Sumatra. By Harry C. Oberhalser. 
October 26, 1912. 22 p. (Publ. 2147.) 
No. 8. New genera and races of African ungulates. By Edmuud Heller. No- 
vember 2, 1912. 16 p. (Publ. 2148.) 
No. 9. A recent meteorite fall near Holbrooli, Navajo County, Arizona. By 
George P. Merrill. November 21, 1912. 4 p. (Publ. 2149.) 
No.10. The crinoids of the Natural History Musuem a t  Hamburg. By Austin 
Hobart Clark. November 7, 1912. 33 p. (Publ. 2150.) 
No. 11. A fossil toothed cetacean from California, representing a new genus and 
species. By Frederick W. True. Norember 1, 1912. 7 p., 2 pls. 
(Publ. 2151.) 
No. 12. New races of insectivores, bats, and lemurs from British East Africa. 
Ry Edmund Heller. November 4, 1912. 13 p. (Publ. 2152.) 
PROCEEDTNGS OF REGENTS. 
SRIITHSONIAN EXPEDITIONS. 
A brief r6sum6 of the results obtained follows: 
Biological survey of the Panama Canal Zone.-This survey was 
completed and the work accomplished was very valuable to  science. 
I t  included collections and observations of vertebrate animals, land 
and fresh-water mollusks, and f lo~er ing plants (including grasses) 
and ferns. Collections had been made of fishes, reptiles, and amphib- 
ians, birds and mammals, and special studies and collections had 
been made of the microscopic plant and animal life of the fresh 
waters of the zone. Pamphlets had been issued from time to time 
describing new forms of animals and plants, and as soon as the mass 
of material could be worked up a more general account of the results 
of the survey would be accomplished. 
Rainey African expedition.-The Paul J. Railley expedition re- 
ferred to a t  the last meeting came to a successful close during the 
winter of 1911-12. Mr. Edmund EIeller, a Smithsonian naturalist 
and a member of the Smithsonian African expedition, accompanied 
1 Mr. Rainey and reported collections as follows: 
i Mammals (large) 750 Jlammals (small) 5,000 Birds-------------------------------.-------------------- 400 Reptiles 2,000 Miscellaneous 500 -- S, G50 i During the entire expedition Mr. Heller was Mr. Bainey's guest. Mr. Rainey @ve him all the native assistants that he could use and accorded him perfect freedom as regards choice of collecting ground. 
Mr. Heller was thus able to visit the exact regions from which ma- 
terial was most needed to supplement that procured by the Smith- 
sonian African expedition. After studying the mammals in the 
British Museum 3Ir. Reller reported that the United States Kational 
Museum, now had the finest series of East African mammals in the 
I world. 
i Eighty lions mere secured on the expedition, which more than tripled the highest previous record for Africa. 
The Childs-Friclc African expedition.-This expedition left New 
York in October, 1911, and arrived at Djibouti, on the Red Sea, in 
French Somaliland, November 22. As previously stated, i t  mas ac- 
companied by Col. Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, retired, 
who mas a member of the Smithsonian African expedition. 
The Frick party traversed the territory lying north of that visited 
by Gol. Roosevelt and Mr. Rainey, covering at the same time certain 
, 
.parts of Abyssinia, northern British East Africa, and the country 
I 
44863"-SM 1913----9 


A geological survey of Panama (1913)

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A geological survey of Panama (1913)

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