PERIL FOR NEW ZEALAND BIRDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23705, 12 January 1939, Page 3

PERIL FOR NEW ZEALAND BIRDS

,— H» ANOTHER AMERICAN EXPEDITION Interviewed with reference to the coming visit of a. party from the American Museum of Natural History, which is expected to arrive in New Zealand within the next fortnight, Captain E. V. Sanderson, president of the Forest and Bird Protection Society said that the Whitney expedition—which took, a terrible toll of our birds, including some very rare species some 12 years ago—was connected with the same museum, and that a fine annex had been made to their buildings in order to house the then made and other New ZealandV and South Pacific exhibits. The permit granted to this expedition included some 840 specimens of 92 species. • "The Whitney, expedition's: visit in 1926 was initially announced •as being for the purpose of observing and photographing. New Zealand birds," continued Captain .Sanderson, " but it struck me at the time that the observations would probably be over the sight of a collector's shotgun. The present expedition is ostensibly for the purpose of obtaining records of fish life and to assemble illustrative material for the equipment of the new annex. ■ , "Mr Beck, who was in charge or the Whitney expedition, stated that the museum collection was incomplete, despite the heavy toll of our native birds which he was permitted to take without any supervision whatever. . " Under the circumstances, it is to be hoped that those departments which administer matters in connection with wild life will not allow the coming museum expedition any latitude in the collecting of native birds. Undoubtedly there will be a very strong public protest against any further attempt to furnish foreign museums with our native birds in preference to their being allowed to live in their natural habitat for the pleasure of New Zealanders." -