Evening star., 1928-04-02
EXPEDITION SEEKS
BIRD LIFE ORIGINS
Ernest G. Holt Now in Capt.
tai, to Penetrate vene-
zueIan Forests.

An "aerial exploration liiat tlAS AN
connection with aviation. but with bire
life, is about to be launched in South
America by the National Geographic
Society Carnegie Museum Venezuelan
expedition,
Ernest q. Holt, WHO will head the eX-
peciition, is in Washington conterrine
with DR.. Gilbert GroSvenor, president
Of the National Geographic Society
preliminary to the study Of the flrSt
"good-will flyers" of PAN America
such as the warblerS and shore birds
that Summer in the United States anc
Winter in Venezuela.
These birds. the original American
explorers have their Winter homes IN
areas of Venezuela which HoltS party
will explore.
win Use Pack Mules.
Holt will leave the United States
from New Orleans. where he Will sail
for La Guayra. In northern Venezuela
he will bowl along in motor cars over
the fine roads which the government
has built in the inhabited areas of the
republic. But when he pushes into the
largely unexplored areas south OF the
broad Orinoco he will take TO canoes to
penetrate the thickly forested country,
where one expedition lost lives and
travellers have been turned back by
hardships of tropical travel. In the
mountainous regions pack mules viii DC
the means Of transport.
Bird study Is the major objective, but
observations of the land. its animal anc
other life forms, and its amazing va
rietv of tropical trees will also be made
Birds flying blithely overhead seem
TO the envy of the land-bound laymen
TO have complete freedom Of the air.
But birds have distinctive habitats
comparable to wheat belts and timber
lines, and it is by taking cross-sections
of these life zones that Holt hopes tc
make an exhaustive survey Of the biro
life Of Venezuela.
Seeks Origin of Species.
The bird explorer is interested IN the
origin of existing forms, in the dlStri-
bntion of species, and TO arrive at these
facts he must find what species nov
exist in given localities. North Afnerics
knows some birds, the scarlet tanager
for example. which have originated II
the tropics but now are familiar to tenn
perate climes. Certain of the West
Indies Islands which are remnants OF
a former continental mountain chain
are believed to have been the highways
for the dispersal of various kinds OF
birds. Further studies viii determine
these and hundreds of other facts dear
TO the students of bird lore, which facts
also may shed light upon the making
and changing over of our continent a.
various geologic times.
In the course of his study Holt VII
amaSs photographs and collections o.
such wonder birds as the scarlet lplS
with its brilliant red plumage. which Is
the envy of the textile dye maker; the
cock-of- -the-rock, with its curious dou-
bic crest, formed of two groups OF featn-
ers pressed together. and the ungan-
ly Jabiru stork, with its white plumage
and naked black head and neck, winch
stands higher than our sandhiil crane.
Venezuela is happy hunting ground
of the ornithologist because OF tS
variety Of climatic and physical zones
ranging from mountain peaks tna'
pierce the sky at some 1900 feet tc
the low plains along the sluggish
Orinoco. There also are arid regions
where the cactus and thornbusn noio
sway, as in our own West; the hanc
country, carpeted with grasses ane
scrub trees, and the vast. humid anc
swampy delta Of the Orinoco, borderee
by nnangroyeS.
between the Rio Caura and Rio Branco
is region Of dense forests. In tnose
forests are scores of kinds Of trees, wood
from which some day win be as highly
priced as mahogany, walnut and teal
are today. The chicIe is there, alread,
Of economic value for Its gum, but pro-
viding also beautiful deep wine -colorec
wood which has been known TO endure
for hundreds of years.
Other Woods VIII BE Used.
Mahogany has forged ahead OF Other
tropical woods In popularity because Il
floats, and thus can be removed from
otherwise inaccessible forests. But Al
the worlds timber demands increase
ways win be found TO transport man!
other tropical woods 10 civilization cen
| ters, and dense forests which now ar
called jungle win become prize com
mercial timber stands.
And the perils Of jungle trayel7
For this area lies Just north Of tht
Brazilian border and east Of the regior
where, near the town of Esmeralda, tn,
| giant basins Of the Orinoco and thi
Amazon so overlap that the flip of ,
birds wing may determine whether /;
drop OF rain viii reach the sea at tn
Orinoco's delta or founder half wa.
across the continent to emerge at tn
island-fiecked mouth of the Amazon.
Holt is not greatly worried abou
. Jaguars. anacondas and boa con
| 6trictorg
Il have recently Travelled 10000 mile
through the interior of Brazil" he said
by count we saw In that distanc
lust eight snakes Other experience ii
tropical America leads me TO believe tn
1aguaf win not harm the traveller unles
the animal is moIested"
What then is your chief difflcuity2
he was asked.
Disease" he replied, disease and II
chief cause-ubiquitous insects. Mos
euitoes are the real peril Of the tropics
while nine-tenths OF the naturalists
discomforts are due 10 ticks, haryes
mites, fieas that burrow In the feet ant
~