Evening star., 1922-08-20
went along. but they were Independent

went along. but they were Independent
Of the scientific party.
The party sailed from New York last
June and landed at africa, Chile. one of
the leading ports on the western coast
of South America. Ten hours later
they found themselves at an altitude of
1850 feet. Part of the journey
through the Andes had to be made by
mules, the remainder by automobile.
When they reached La Paz. the loftiest
capital in the world, students joined
the expedition at the request Of the
Bolivian minister of education. When
the party reached the interior it ar
ranged with the priests at the Spanish
missions to have the natives build
RATS to carry them down the river. 1t
was thrilling at first to shoot the rapids
in the upper Bopi, but soon the novelty
wore off and they were actually dis
appointed when there were no rapids
to shoot.
Their first permanent camp was
established at Huachi. at the juno
ton of two rivers. There they re-
manned for three months, making
side trips. exploring the country and
from time to time enjoying hunting
trips with the Indians as guides. Their
work never conflicted, for each man
sought only those specimens in which
he was particularly interested. DR..
Rusby specialized in medicinal plants.
while Pearson centered his attention
upon reptiles. fishes. frogs and toads.
Dr. White collected tropical plants
and flowers for the Brooklyn botanic
gardens The two young Bolivian
students absorbed what knowledge
they could by watching the Ameri-
cans at their work.
While at this camp DR.. Rusby was
taken seriously i'll and was forced to
to New York. DR.. Mann sue
ceeded him as director of the expedi-
ton. The scientists worked their way
slowly along the Benz river valley.
gathering specimens as they went.
until they reached the Amazon Then
they concluded their Investigations
and sailed for home.
Dr. Mann experienced no difficulty
in finding an abundance of insects in
They hummed and buzzed
every time he turned around. His
greatest difficulty was to select the
ones that were really worth study
ing and collecting.
He might have captured thousands
nay, tens of thousands--of grass
hoppers and mosquitoes without stir
ring away from his camp, il he had
not been particular about the variety
Of his specimens. He was not on
Numbers mean nothing
to the brethren of the net. 1t is de-
amateurish to mention mere
numbers In any field of collecting,
it be stamps, coins or antique
furniture. Aristotle first studied and
classified grasshoppers and mos
quitoes. 1t would have been a waste
of time for DR.. Mann to bother with
insects that have been known for a
thousand years. 1t was up to him to
And something new-something that
no one had ever seen or heard of be-
fore.
insects sounds easy
- enough. Theoretically it is pure
Ly a matter of creeping up behind
weak and defenseless little creatures
and giving them Whit of chloro-
form when they are not looking-and
they calmly fall over into the. COL
ector's waiting net or cyanide bottle.
process as simple as sprinkling salt
On a brides tail. In practice it means
around in mud, poking into
1ecayed vegetation. turning over
stones, prying loose the bark of dead
.rees, getting up before breakfast to
latch certain early insects and stay
ng up all night to catch the late
,nes.
Not all insects fall into the same
rap. The conscientious collector
must study his quarry in order to de-
.ermine which method is the best
suited to the capture Of certain spe-
.ies. He must remember at all tim es
he collectors motto: "All things
,ome to him who waits-provided he
waits in the right spot"
Scientists who indulge>in collecting
ire, as a rule, terribly misunderstood.
they do not. as our .cartoonists would
,ave US believe, fit about the meadow,
.hasing butterflies with a huge net.
Nor does an enraged bull pursue them
IN every instance.
Nothing could be much farther from
The actual truth. 1t Is more fire.
1uently the collectors task to spend
an entire day studying the insects
about certain spot or making care
rul notes on all that he observes
one particular family Of
Insects. To collect thousands of In
sects without keeping an accurate
of where they were found or
what they were doing would be q
.otal loss. an Tar as scientific knowi-
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