THE ANTIPODES ISLANDS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26263, 7 November 1950, Page 3

THE ANTIPODES ISLANDS

VISIT BY SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION

DR. FALLA LEADING PARTY

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, November 6. Bird life on the Antipodes Islands, about 400 miles south-east of New Zealand, is far above expectations, with several uncommon species of petrel as .veil as albatrosses and penguins, all the birds being numbered in many ! thousands. This was found by a scientific party headed by Dr. R. A. Falla, Director of the Dominion Museum, which landed on the islands on Saturday afternoon and is to-day exploring lhe territory, which has not been investigated for more than 20 years. | The party, which sailed to thp islands ; in the Dunedin motor launch Alert. . owned and commanded by Mr«A. J. ' Black, reported by radio-telephone . that it had made a safe anchorage 1 after a voyage lastirig from Thursday I night. The party is now encamped, and investigations are well under way. 1 While the scientific party is exploring the islands and trawling the seabed for shells and marine life, suri veyors are also working with them checking the position of the islands. The party expects to be there for about ilO days and will probably call at Bounty Island on the return voyage to Dunedin. The party consists of Dr. Falla, Mr E. G. Turbett, a zoologist of the Auckland Museum, Mr R. K. Dell, conchologist of the Dominion Museum. Mr H. J. Ollerenshaw, field officer of the wild life branch of the Department of I Internal Affairs, and Messrs R. Miller and R. K. Litt, surveyors of the Lands and Survey Department. i The Antipodes Islands are on the 180th Meridian, and no opportunity has presented itself for a scientific party to call there since 1927, when the Government steamer Tutanekai paid a visit. Admiral Byrd made a visit of an hour or two in 1946. The islands were surveyed from the sea in 1938 by* the Royal Research ship Discovery 11. but no landing was made. The visit by Dr Falla and his party • is regarded as particularly important [to scientists, as very little is known I of thq Antipodes, which were once the | richest sealing area in the Southern I Hemisphere.