The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-08-26
OLD MINES IN
MEXICO STUDIED
Smithsonian Institution Tells
of Other Scientific
Expeditions.

Neutrality-suspicious. silver and
lead mines which have been in almost
constant operation since the Spanish
conquest Of the Sixteenth century pro-
vided study and collecting ground for
DR.. r. w. Foshag, under the auspices
of the Smithsonian institution and the
Harvard Neurological museum. Rich
as Mexico is in, ores, little is known
of its geology or mlneralogy. In his
investigation, Doctor Foshag visited
the Maraville mine where crystals of
pure gypsum 6 feet In length rise
from the floors Of two caves. In the
Sierra Mojada district, which owes Its
discovery to a band of smugglers at
tempting to elude pursuit. he found
the old Spanish methods Of mining
still in force. Much of the ore Is
brought to the surface on the backs
Of poems, often up ladders made Of
notched logs, popularity called "chick-
en- ladders" It is said that a strong
peon will carry loads In excess Of go
pounds. In the state Of Durango.
Doctor Foshag visited the Ojuela
mine, which has more than $50 miles
Of tunnels driven to extract the lead
ere.
Other Expeditions.
This is one of the 35 expeditions
described in the institutions explora-
ton pamphlet. There were trips TO
Sumatra, to China, to AlgeE,a. to Ba-
luchistan and South Africa. Their
purposes included the capture Of wild
game, the unearthing of buried VIII
lagos which hourished In prehistoric
America, the collection Of fossil foot
prints and fossil elephants and shells,
the gathering Of ferns In the West
Indian mountains. The introduction
to the pamphlet reveals that during
the past year more expeditions In
which the Smithsonian was represent
ed have gone out than ever before,
and this in spite Of the fact that the
institution has practically no unre
stricted funds for field work" A sum-
mary of the expeditions described
says:
1.-The years expeditions were headed
by a 30,000-mile journey to Algeria,
Baluchistan and Southwest Africa, IN
dertaken by DR.. G. G. Abbott, acting
secretary of the Smithsonian, under
the auspices Of the National Geo.
graphic society and the Smithsonian
to select a site for a solar observa-
tory in the eastern hemisphere. He
picked Mount Brukkaros among the
Hottentots Of Southwest Africa and
the observatory is already functioning
there. The purpose Of the field work
Of the Smiths0nian's astrcphysical
observatory, according to Doctor Alb
bolt, has been aimed for the last eight
years to solve the question of whether
the sun varies, and, If so, what eff
fects on our weather do the changes
Of solar heat produce?
Smithsonian -crysIer Expedition.
Another section Of Africa-Tan-
ganyika territory-provided the scene
for the Smithsonian Chrysler live
game collecting expedition under DR..
William NJ. Mann. The expedition
brought home about 100 live animals
for the National Geological park I'M
der Smithsonian direction. including
a pair of CRATES, five impalla, q
greater kudu, an Gland, a blue duiker,
red duiker, three white-bearded gnu,
four warthogs and quantities of birds.
small mammals and reptiles. The
success of the expedition was made
possible by the hearty cooperation of
the game department Of T~anganyika,
and an all-inclusive license from the
governor. This proved invaluable be-
cause Of the numerous native game
keepers who were constantly dropping
in on the camp, asking to see the
license, taking its number and the
name OF the party and inquiring from
the native hunters what the purpose
Of the expedition was. The license
also enabled Doctor Mann to hire 90
porters of the Wambcro and Wam-
hugo tribes, who are so swift they
can run down animals.
Several attempts to capture u
rhino failed due to the absence of
young. Adult rhinos charged the party
~ N04(0s WANnO0% AMNAGLAuE serious
damage. Doctor Mann refutes the
theory that the tick birds warn their
hosts Of an approaching enemy. These
birds cluster thickly on the rhinoc-
ero to eat the ticks which are SO
abundant on his body. At the approach
Of any suspicious object, the tick birds
make a loud twittering, thereby indi-
eating to men the whereabouts OF the
rhinoceros.
"The wing impression of a large in
sect like a ~dragonly which lived an
unknown number Of million years ago
was n Of the prizes brought back by
Charles Gilmore with bis collection of
fossil footprints from the Grand can.
yon. Mr.. Gilmore has gathered foot.
prints from three distinct geological
horizons, one above the other In the
canyon. Each set represents. OF
course. different animals, distant In