COLLECTORS OF NEW ZEALAND BIRDS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 January 1939, Page 4

COLLECTORS OF NEW ZEALAND BIRDS

WHITNEY EXPEDITION THE PAST RECALLED In reply to a report supplied by Mr R. A. Falla to the Press, the following statement is submitted by Captain E. V. Sanderson, president of the Forest and Bird Protection Society:— Mr Falla’s statement in regard to matters connected with the Whitney expedition, which visited these shore* under the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History in 1926, scarcely comes up to the usual standard of accuracy aimed at by him. For instance, he states that there w'as no secrecy. The Forest and Bird Protection Society failed to obtain definite replies to its inquiries, and published correspondence at the time in order to av/aken the public »o the manner in which adequate replies were ! avoided. Yet Mr Falla says there w-aa ino secrecy. Mr Falla then goes on to accuse the ; writer of suspicion, but fails to state that the expedition illegally collected on the Kermadecs, and if it over-step-ped the mark at one place, it is only reasonable to assume that the visitors might do so again when there w'as no New Zealand officer with them to check their work, as was the case in the sub-antarctic islands. Mr Falla assures us that the bird* are just as numerous as ever on the islands where the collecting took place. But many of the sub-antarctic islands have not been visited in recent years by any persons qualified to give a reliable opinion, if they have even been visited by man at all. Reports received by the Forest and Bird Protection Society from America as to the exterminating of one species, which was solely confined to not many acres on a small island, are denied by the American Museum people. There is certainly a doubt about another species—a merganser found only in one particular locality. The Whitney expedition, no doubt, caught the Department napping, which is not likely to happen to-day. The extravagant permit was issued, we ( understand, largely on the recommendation of a Museum official, and it will ;be noticed that the expedition has always been championed by people who i are themselves collectors, directly or 1 indirectly. ! Finally let me assure readers that ! the Forest and Bird Protection Society j has no desire to do anything but weli come the present expedition from the | same Amercian Museum of Natural i History, but it cannot be denied that ; attempts to supply foreign museums j with complete collections of our native birds will assuredly end in the extincI tion of many species. The present j expedition will be well advised if It I disarms all suspicions by asking the Dei partment of Internal Affairs to supply i observers to accompany the expedition and its sub-parties. Museum officials ! would, of course, not be acceptable because they are “interested parties.” Two New Zealand Museum Directors have recently paid a visit to the American Museum of Natural History and other museums, and Mr Falla is now about to embark with a similar purI pose in view.