BIRD-LIFE STUDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26623, 20 November 1947, Page 9

BIRD-LIFE STUDY

NOTED ORNITHOLOGIST'S VISIT DR CUSHMAN MURPHY On a visit to New Zealand to make a first-hand study of bird life in this country, particularly in the south, Dr R. Cushman Murphy, who is chairman of the department. of birds in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, arrived in Dunedin yesterday. Dr Murphy, accompanied by the director of the Dominion Museum, Dr R, A. Falla, will leave for the south to-day to join the expedition, organised by the latter, to the Snares. Dr Murphy came to New Zealand with two specific purposes in mind. One was to gain information of bird life in one of the small outlying islands of the Dominion on the verge of the Sub-antarctic for the installation of an exhibit in the Whitney Memorial Hall, the new home of the American Museum’s department of birds. The other was the selection of a South Island scene for the reconstruction of primitive natural life history in this country. He hoped to have the display of a moa in its proper setting. Dr Murphy mentioned that he was making colour films of natural history subjects, and anything distinctive would be included. These films would be shown to more than 2,000,000 children a year at the American Museum and would give his fellow countrymen a clearer and more detailed picture of New Zealand life.

Last night Dr Murphy gave an illustrated lecture to the Otago branch of the Royal Society on the island of South Georgia in the American quadrant of Antarctica. He described the wild life of the area, mentioning the herds of wild horses and reindeer, the abundant bird life, sea elephants and whales. Coloured slides clearly illustrated the. various species of birds, including the petrel, shag, albatross, penguin, and predatory skua and two motion reels depicted fascinating closeups of penguins and other animals and also portrayed a trip on a whaler. The whaling industry, said Dr Murphy, was not well regulated, and he foresaw the end of .the industry unless the nations interested introduced restrictions which would lead to more humane whaling. Dr Murphy will leave to-day to join Dr Falla’s expedition at Bluff. Transport to the Snares will be by the seagoing launch Alert, known in Dunedin as the Sea Scouts’ vessel.