INSECT RESEARCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22731, 18 May 1937, Page 16

INSECT RESEARCH

COLLECTOR'S RECORD VALUABLE MUSEUM TYPES To have the world's record as a genuine collector in the most countries is the honour gained by Mr. W. H. Hemingway, honorary entomologist to the Auckland War Memorial Museum, according to the official publication of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Speaking at last night's annual meeting of the Auckland Institute and Museum Mr. Hemingway said lie had now visited 43 countries in entomological research and he hoped shortly to travel to several more lands to bring back more new specimens. Mr. Hemingway, who recently presented his entire collection of more than 9000 specimens to the museum, referred to some remarkable specimens which lie had found in inspecting the museum store boxes on his appointment as curator. There were two valuable research collections containing types which the British Museum would he proud to secure, said Mr. Hemingway. They included a giant weta, which hore the tag of the famous naturalist, Col en so, and the date 1838. Seven specimens of beetles were tagged with tiie name "Spencer," and were found by the Spencer and Gillon anthropological expedition to Central Australia in 1896. "From the point of view of historical association they are worth many times their weight in gold," commented Mr. Hemingway.