LIFE IN THE WILDS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12735, 16 December 1935, Page 7

LIFE IN THE WILDS

QUEST FOR RARE INSECTS

WOMAN’S ADVENTURES AMONG

CANNIBALS.

LONDON, Nov. 9-

One of the most wonderful women in England is Miss Lucy ' Evelyn Clieesman, F.E.S., F.Z.S., who explores the wild parts of the world to investigate the life of insectsToward the end of this, month Miss Oheesmaii; who lias enjoyed a short holiday home, after a trip to New Guinea, tv,ill return to collect r a, ro specimens of insects for the Entomological Department of the Natural History Museum at South Kensington.

Tin's soft-voiced, firm mouthed woman has tramped through primeval forests and over rain-sodden mountains, and endured hardships and suffered dangers to bring a collection of 42,0Q0 insects to the Natural History Museum at South Kensington.

Most of her work was done- 9000 feet up in the mountains, where it i-aiuod perpetually and she was up to her knees in mud, but she found wonderful moths, measuring 10 incites across- the wings and a- variety of queer insects, as well as- a strange tribe of pigmy cannibals “like men with welldeveloped chests- and tremendous voices.”

Miss Cbecsiiian, who was curator of insects to the Zoological Society of London from 1920 to 192 G, sand iwas also official entomologist -oil the St. George expedition to the Pacific, said: ‘‘What a woman needs most when carrying -out a really tough bit of- collecting in wild regions is self-reliance and a sense of humour.

“Of course it was lonely in the

wilds of New Guinea. One lia,d to bo one’s own doctor tor the usual minor accidents and the inevitable bouts of malaria] fever.

“Somefcimes weeks passed without the chance of exchanging a word) with any human being except tho natives, and I could not hold much conversa-wit-h them because of the difficulties of language. Native carriers, have a habit of deserting if they are bored. Part of their wages was to he paid in tobacco —a very strong tobacco sold in twists.

“When one of the carriers wanted to' go back 1 took a* twist from my knapsack, pinched off a. small fragment, and the rest shouldered their packs without another word.” Miss Cheeseman’s equipment on her search for elusive insects includes butterfly nets, dredging nets, trowels for digging for insects, and razor for getting insects out of trees. She also takes a special trap for flics, 'a collapsiblo trap made of Wood, baited with meat, fruit, jam and honey. Her equipment also includes vacuum flasks to preserve insects’ eggs. “It is worth it, you ask?” said Miss Cheesman. “Yes, very well worth it. What does it matter how much youpay if you can do so cheerfully, knowing that you have your full money’s worth ?”