Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-30
EXPLORERS LIVE
ON MONKEY MEAT
Expedition to South America
Returns After Thrilling
Experiences.
MANY RARE BIRDS ARE
BROUGHT IN COLLECTION
Films of Wild Life, Flora and Fauna
Taken From Engine in the Andes.
Vampires Kill Mule.


NEW YORK, April ga dozen small
live animals for the Bronx Zoo. .
thousand specimens of birds for the
American Museum of Natural History
and many animal specimens for the
Field Museum. at Chicago. were some
of the trophies brought here by the
Collins-Day South American expedi
ton, which arrived this week on tho
steamship Denis OF the Booth line from
Bahai, Brazil The expedition alao
brought an account OF the attacks Of
vampire bats" on the mules of their
pack train in the Jungle. which re-
suited in the death Of one OF the mules.
The expedition, which was managed
and financed by Lee Garrett Day OF
West 18th street, sportsman ana trav-
eler, and Alfred NJ. Collins Of Phila-
delphia. polo enthusiast and big
game hunter. left here on December
IS. 1914.
Many New Bird Specimens.
Day and Collins were accompanied by
George K. Cherrie, who was with Col
Roosevelt's expedition in Brazil. He
was the naturalist of this later ex-
ploration party and remained In Brazi
to gather additional specimens of bird
life. The others in the party were Rob
ert H. Becker of the Field Museum and
w F. Walker of Yale University.
I'VE believe we have at least score
of new specimens in birds among our
collection" said Mr.. Day. We do mol
know just what we have until we have
an opportunity to classify them and
have Mr. Cherrie pass his judgment
upon them. Before leaving he assured
us that at least a dozen specimens he
had examined were new and apparent
ly unknown here.
Party Travels 1900 Miles
The expedition covered 1000 miles
through Peru, Bolivia and Brazil Day.
Collins and Walker obtained 10000 feet
of moving picture films OF Wild lie,
flora and fauna, and showing more than
$50 miles of the sections traversed.
large part of the pictures were taken
from the pilot of a locomotive while
crossing the Andes mountains.
The expedition reached Peru by way
of the PanamA canal. and Collins and
Day secured their first game at Pampa
de Arrieros, where they shot seven
suanaccos, and which they say are the
first specimens of these animals to be
brought here.
I'VE shot the guanaccos at attitudes
ranging from 1880 to 1900 feet. said
Collins They were the most elusive
and feeting animals that I have ever
hunted for. We tried many times to
get moving pictures of them In their
natural state, but 1t was impossible TO
catch them on the film. We were not
able to get a shot at one for five sue
cessive days"
Pictures Taken on Engine Pilot.
The members of the expedition were
indebted to the Peruvian government
for assistance in getting their Jungle
trip started. In describing the first
part of their moving-picture expert
ences across the Andes on the locomo
time, Day said he and Collins and Wal
ker were fastened to the pilot OF the
engine with rope sings. while the
standards of the movie camera were
attached. one on each side of tn. boiler
and the third stem Of the tripod chained
to the rods of the pilot
The train travelled at an average OF
twenty-five miles an hour, mostly down
grade. In swinging curves the men had
to drop their work and swing with the
motion of the locomotive or hold on to
keep from being thrown out the pro-
tecting ropes. They were on the pilot
for five hours.
After that the expedition moved by
train of twenty-four pack mules
through Bolivia to the headwaters of
the Chapore, expecting to make the
last part of this trip in six days, but.
owing to uncertain trails, washouts and
rapids. they did not reach place
where a canoe could be. obtained until
they had travelled twenty-four days.
mil
For zoo yards had to follow
narrow trail at the edge of a cliff, over
which one of our mules fell many hun
dreds of feet to the roaring river be
low" said Day. We sought to make
detour from this dangerous place. but
the guides told us we could not do it.
as there were practically impossible
barriers in other directions and to GO
back would mean weeks of hardship
and delay.
Guides Cut Path Around Cliff.
TT appears that the trail on this
shelf of the cliff washes out with everH
rain and each traveller must hew new
path to get by. 1t was so in our case.
The guides cut a path and we finally
got through We lost another animal
by drowning and a third from the at
tacks of the vampire bats. These bats
attack the muieS al nlSnt anu cause
death, not so much from loss Of blood.
but from Infection"
There were 400 small animals in the
collection for the Field museum. Among
the small animals for the Bronx Zoo
were white-whiskered monkey with
beard like an old man. This little
animal was quite tame when captured.
There are also several marmosets, two
live cooti resembling a raccoon. an
agouti about the size of a rabbit and
resembling a large rat and long
haired black and white monkey.
War Effect in the Jungles.
Il had my first experience in eating
monkey meat this trip" said Day.
and 1 must admit that 1 was surprised
at the good taste. We had to resort to
1t for food"
Although cut off from news of the
European war. Day and his compan-
ions came across evidence of its effect
even in the jungles.
Il was surprised and interested III
the German system throughout South
America for helping the cause of the
fatherland.' he continued. Regular
subscriptions were taken in month";
contributions from all the Germans in
Bolivia. for instance. which we came 10
know of our own experience, and i was
told that the same system was in et
feet everywhere German lived in the
Ap,e