WILD LIFE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18899, 27 June 1923, Page 8

WILD LIFE.

AUSTRALIA’S DYING TYPES. BRITISH MUSEUM SEARCH. ‘From Ocr Own Correspondent.! SYDNEY, June 21. Captain Wilkins, the well-known Australian airman and explorer, who was as much, at home in the Antarctica with Shackleton as he is in crossing the trackless bush, haa now embarked upon his exploration of wild Australia with a party of specialised scientists in search of birds, animals, and other objects peculiar to Australia for the British Museum collection. The terms on which the commonwealth will allow the specimens to be collected and exported include a provision that a duplicate collection shall be handed over to the Government here, so that the .reproach that Australia herself does not possess a collection of her own native fauna, many types of which are on the verge of extinction, is at last likely to be removed. Captain Wilkins and his party have made a start in the south-west of Queensland, on the Moonie River, and they will work up the inland side of the coastal range right into the York Peninsula, end then they will traverse the Barrier Reef. The leader, who combines the faculty of journalism with, that of science, is keeping the press well informed of his movements by various means, and messages which have come through from the wilds of Queensland show that the expedition was planned none too soon. One of the forms desired for the British Museum, he says, was the wombat fa marsupial about 3ft in length, which burrows and feeds on roots), from the south-western. plains of Queensland, this being a different species from. the wombat found in other parts of Australia. It was known to be rare, but it had been found in the districts between St. George and Talwood. On arrival there scores of holes were seen and examined without a sign of life being seen, and it waa long before the party came upon a hole by the side of which there were footprints of a fair-sized wombat. The tracks may have been several weeks old or more, and they seemed to be all of the same animal. The hitherto unsuccessful search for that last survivor of his tribe is described by Captain Wilkins with a nice touch of humanity which shows how big a heart a huntsman can have. In the hope of meeting his quarry he strolled from the camp to a nearby waterhole, and there waited with his gun. Presently,” he says, "a rustling at my side attracted my attention, and six beautifully furred kangaroos came hopping slowly to the water. Sitting perfectly still, I waited until they came. within 20 yards of where I sat. Keen to begin my work of collecting specimens I raised my gun, but as I did so the biggest of the kangaroos turned, and a little ‘joey’ peeped out from his mother’s pouch in curiosity. I needed such a one for my collection, but anxious as I was to begin my work 1 lowered my gun. I could not shoot these trustful things, and for twenty minutes I watched them drink and chase each other round the waterhole. , Two woodducks came and settled on the water, and some plovers screeched and ran round the banks; but while the kangaroos still played my- gun was silent. The rattle of our car returning disturbed their gambols, and I returned towards the camp. I had missed a splendid chance of starting the collection, but even in the cause of science one cannot always override one's feelings." Another good story relates to the discovery in the red-earth near the river of certain curious tunnels. “We were not too pleased," Captain Wilkins says, “when investigation disclosed huge red scorpions with claws aa big as those of crayfish. We made hurried search for similar holes beneath the tent floor, but happily we had chosen a spot where none of these poisonous things were living.”