New Britain herald., 1928-04-18
EXPLORATIONS IF
 1927 ARE OUTLINED
Smithsonian Publishes Account
 Of Its Activities

Washington, April 1S.-The meth
 cdic hammering Of systematic sci
 ence on the wall of the unknown echoes through the popular account just issued of the explorations and field work undertaken by the Smith, sonian Institution in 1927. Many things about the world we live in, hitherto unknown 10 man, were learned where the wall gave way. New kinds of animals were discov- ered-a new genus of lizard in Haiti. as well as new species of land shell. and a beautiful chest nut-stded robin. other new species or lizards from Siam, new plants from Colombia, Formosa and Su- ihatra, new flies from the western mountains, new fossil footprints from the Grand Canyon. new crabs from South American coasts. Much was learned of the way of life of primitive man on this continent, of his architecture. and the implements of his customs and beliefs. In the physical sciences, the Institutions studies of the sun at its three noun tain stations In California, Chile, and South Africa. produced results of promise.
 Thirty expeditions in all. ranging over the globe, are recorded in this account They typnfy what is known as pure science" research, the seek ing after new facts without regard to their immediate economic appl- cation. Yet they are as essential to utilitarian achievements as it's foun- dation is to a skyscraper. Until the scientist charts the botanic re- sources of the mountain areas of Colombia. for example. the conner clal exDloiters of the region are working in the dark.
 Wild Places of Earth
 These expeditions ,aKe men into the wild places of the earth and into the uncharted regions of the hea- vens. In his account of the explora- tion of the shrimp and crab re- sources of South American waters, Dr. Waldo l.. Schmitt writes of his voyage to the Falkland Islands as "a rather tempestuous passage, during which the galley of the small schooner in which the journey was made was flooded. the potatoes and other vegetables washed overheard, and the motor room hatch stove in." His expedition resulted in the col lection of moro than 15,000 speci- mems, including several species new to science. By the discovery of genus of spider hitherto known only from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. he extended the range Of this creature to the Western | hemisphere. Discoveries of this sort contribute fundamental information 1 on which to determine the affini- |, ties Of life in separated sections Of ! the globe. 1
 Down In Siam
 In Siam, Dr. Hugh M. Smith col- | lccted for the Smithsonian many odd . forms of fish which have had to adapt themselves by curious means | to the annual drying up of their i water homes. These include the . climbing perch Anabas, which can climb steep canal banks by means of it's tail and the large pectoral fins. Tt goes overland from one body of water to another and travels as fast as a man walking slowly" A rcgu- lar form of fishing in Siam is to dig in dried-up marsh to depth of two or three feet. where many fish called "serpent-hcads" are to be found. These are very good to cat.
 Over mountain trajlu in Haiti too steep for pack animals, Dr. AleNan- der Wetmore, assistant secretary of the Smithsonian. employed native women porters to reach mountain areas hitherto not known to have been visited by q zoologist, taking many specimens new to science. During his expedition he used mules. autos. and airplanes for transport
 Disappointing Hunt
 Dr. J. w. Gidlcy describes d dis a appointing hunt over various sec tions of North America for the cx- tinct mammoth or giant elephant During the interglacial periods and later. according to Dr. Gidley. these great beasts roamed from Mexico 1nd Central America no,thward as far as Alaska. Though their fossil remains are numerous. complete skeletons are rarely found, so that the Smithsonian has been in quest of one for years to add 10 its three excellent mastodon skeletons. Prop inc gre needed for this hunt. but the Smithsonian has not sufficient funds for this purpose and