BIG GAME FISH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 17, 21 January 1939, Page 15

BIG GAME FISH

STUDY IN -DOMINION

AMERICAN SCIENTISTS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, January 20,

Some of the most prominent men in America in the fields of deep-sea fishing, scientific fish study and field photography are members of a party under the .auspices p£ the American •Museum of Natural History,. New York, which arrived at Auckland by the Mariposa. Sponsored by Mr. Michael Lerner, leader of the expedition, the party will make a study of the Dominion's big game fish, and will also prepare "material for an extensive New Zealand exhibit at the museum.

Mr. Lerner, who is field associate of the museum in the department of fishes, has led several other big game fishing expeditions to various parts of the world. He is accompanied by his wife, who is also, an expert deep-sea angler.

Explaining the purpose of the visit, Mr. Lerner said he had been impressed some years ago by the lack.of agreement even among specialists as to the proper classification of numerous species of swordfish he had caught. For some time now he had- been taking scientists to study big game fish actually on the fishing grounds. As a result the museum had published a series of papers, but it was felt that only a beginning had so far been made. | ■■ ■ - MUSEUM SPECIMENS. Some of the larger specimens caught on the present expedition would be cast, preserved and sent back to the museum. Another major object of the expedition, as previously announced, was to advance plans for two great exhibition halls at the museum which would contain exhibits of Australia and New Zealand worked out in considerable detail. The New Zealand display would include a central, group illustrating the landing of the Maoris, surrounded ( by numerous alcoves, telling the story of the building and moulding of New Zealand by - earth forces, the populating .of the islands I with plants and animal life, legends ol the coming of the Maoris, their way of life and a section illustrating modern New Zealand. Colour and black and white pictures would be shown in connection with the exhibits. The display would provide a compreheni sive survey of the natural history and civilisation of the Dominion.

In charge of the scientific side of the expedition is Dr. Gregory, curator of the recerft and fossil fishes at the museum and Professor of Paleontology at Columbia University. He will be assisted by Mr. G.M. Conrad, assistant curator of comparative anatomy at the ■museum, and Mr. L. Ferraglio, taxidermist.

Referring to remarks by Captain E. V. Sanderson, president of the Forest and Bird Protection Society, regarding a previous expedition from the museum which collected bird specimens in the Dominion, Dr. Gregory said the present expedition had no intention, of taking native birds. As far as he knew there was not a gun in the party. Far from countenancing illegalities in securing specimens the museum was most strongly opposed to anything of the kind and w.as a very great force, for conservation.

EXPERT PHOTOGRAPHER. An important- part in the: exhibition's jactiyit'ies will be played by Mr. 3^ 18, .Shepkiefprd,. a. prominent photographer, who has travelled more than 500,000 Tsiiles in search of photographs. He made four expeditions into the Gobi Desert with Mr. Roy Chapman Andrews, was co-leader "of an expedition which spent six months cruising in a lugger off the New Guinea coast, and recently completed a world yacht cruise, securing background material for three Hollywood films. Mr. Sheckleford accompanied a party which some time ago climbed Shiva's Temple "Lost World" Plateau in the Grand Canyon and photographed climbers scaling precipices leading* to the summit. He took his cameras to within 600 feet of the top to secure pictures. After photographing the big game' fishing activities Mr. Sheckleford* will take moving pictures in^ colour of scenes and life generally in the North Island.

Mr. F. H. Ramsay, another experienced photographer attached to tha expedition, will proceed at once to secure similar films in the S6uth Island, In all about 25,000 feet of film will be used.

Known as "Dean of the Atlantic big game fishing guides," Captain Hatch, another member of the party, has been opening up new grounds from Nova Scotia to Bahamas for 25 years. He claims to have caught the first Broadbill swordfish and the first marlin on the Atlantic.; Coast and was the first man to evolve! a practical method of sailfish angling. One member of the- party, Mr. H. C. Raven, continued to Australia to make arrangements for the expedition's visit there at. the end of its New Zealand stay. . .