Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-10
SMITHSONIAN EXPLORERS GET
MANY SCIENTIFIC SPECIMENS
Report Records Numerous
Adventurous Expeditions
in Far Lands.
Arthur J. PooIe's Exploration
of Caves in Haiti Among
Most Striking.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

From weird, bat-filled Haitian caves
to bandit-infeSted Chinese mountain
provinces Smithsonian Institution ex-
plorers during the past year have gone
to the far corners Of the earth in search
Of scientific specimens.
The annual exploration report, just
issued, records many adventurous ex-
petitions IN search Of animals, plants,
mollucks, minerals and fossils. Among
the most striking was the Haitian eX-
ploration Of Arthur j. Poole of the
division Of mammals, who sought in
the great caves of the island, held in
superstitious dread by the natives, the
bones of extinct animals and birds.
These underground chambers are lit
orally alive with bats, Mr.. Poole relates.
Describing one of them, he says:
I'VE flashed on our electric lanterns.
Immediately there was noise reSem-
bling hurricane, and bats flashed past
our heads by the hundreds. AS far as
the rays of the lantern would carry
great masses Of bats could be seen
clinging to every available inch of cell
ing and walls, some of these masses
being as large as bushel baskets, while
thousands were in fight"
Thousands Of Bats in Cave.
Concerning another cave he reports:
I'VE had noticed at dusk that thousands
Of bats suddenly appear among the
trees and continued to come for quite a
time. So at 5:45 pm. we stationed
frances. In about 10 minutes a half
dozen bats came out of the inner
chamber, few to the edge of the en-
trance and then returned. This was
repeated several times, each time with
larger number Of bats. Then one or
two few beyond the entrance, circled
and returned. BY this time the en-
trance was seething mass of bats,
although they were not yet flying away.
Suddenly we heard a roaring, swishing
sound, and Immediately, as though by
given signal they came out of both
entrances by the thousands, flying away
in all directions at great speed. The
natives were very superstitiouS about
this cave, and told us that sometimes
smoke came pouring out just at dusk.
Undoubtedly they referred to the dense
clouds of bats, which at a short dis
lance resembled smoke
The Smithsonian explorer had weird
experiences with men as well as bats.
Each day." he reports, I'VE would see
small professions of men and women
marching over the hills, usually with a
leader carrying q red and white flag,
a drummer, and a native shaking an
instrument that resembled a large rat
tie. Sometimes there would be a man
blowing a long bamboo flute that
emitted a rather weird tone. We heard
many rumors about these daily parades
and we're Of the opinion they were
staged for no good purpose.
Honofed by Parade.
ION the night before we broke camp
a parade was started just about dusk.
We could hear the drums and other
instruments, together with the almost
incessant yelling Of the natives. At
first 1t was far away. although we could
tell from the increased volume of noises
that they were constantly moving and
gaining more numbers. We had only
a short time to wait before they were