Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-14
BRAVE
DANGERS OF Null
Rare Bird and Plant Speci'
mems Are Received From
Land of Lamas.
BY THOMAS HENRY.

| For the first time scientific explora-
ton has been made Of the mysterious
kingdom of Null, or the land Of the
yellow lamas.
approximately 1000 specimens. most
ly bird skins and dried plants, were
received in washington this week from
Dr. Joseph r. Rock, leader Of the Ma
tional Geographic Society's expedition
into the Yunnan province of Southeast
ern China. The society has turned
these over to the Smithsonian Institu-
ton which Immediately will begin a
scientific study of them. Hitherto the
closely guarded little kingdom whence
they came, perched high among the
mountains, has been scientifically I'M
known.
1t was first visited by Dr. Rock in
1925, after he had waited nearly two
years to get special permission from
the King to cross its borders. At that
time conditions were greatly disturbed
and he was able to remain only few
days, although he was treated courte-
ously by the local authorities. Scien-
tific collecting was impossible, but he
decided to return as soon as possible.
Expect to Find New Species.
Smithsonian scientists have not yet
identified the birds and plants. but ex-
pect to find among them species I'M
known to science. Null, as described
by Mr.. Rock, is one of the most isolated
spots in the world, almost as much a
land of mystery to its Chinese and
Tibetan neighbors as to white men.
Shut up In their mountain fastenesses,
the people are equally ignorant OF the
outside world
The kingdom has an area of 1000
square miles, about the size Of Massa-
chusetts, and q primitive population
of approximately $4,000. Its chief bus
mess is religion Theoretically, it Is
subject to China but Chinese authority
long since has disappeared. Its noun
tain streams are rich in gold, which
constitutes its chief source of wealth.
For the most part the soil is too rocky
to cultivate and the people, forced to
support an enormous religious estab-
lishment. live In q miserable condition
Rock went first to the. city of Null,
capital of the strange kingdom. He
found it q vast lamasary with $40
houses and TOO monks engaged In UNI
ceasing prayer. There are three other
cities, all great lamasaries, with the
common people living in misery about
the walls. The King himself knows
nothing of the other villages.
The distinguishing marks Of the yell
low lamas are their red cloaks and
yellow ceremonial hats, from which the
sect takes its name. 1t Is usual for
three out Of Ave of the male members
of the family to become lamas.
Monarch Lives in SpIendor.
DR.. Rocks success in exploring the
| country was due largely to the favorable
impression he made on the King. He
able splendor. for Null, cut off SO long
from the outside world, has developed
q CULTURE of its own. The explorer was
allowed to take many pictures of the
religious customs. particularly OF the
towns prayer wheels, cylinders made
OF yak hide on which was pasted mile
after mile of paper containing Bhuddist
prayers. These wheels are everywhere.
a passing monk says millions OF prayers
by giving the wheel q turn. The ex-
plorer came away loaded down with
gifts OF gold, brass and furs.
Outside the villages Rock found Null
land OF vast oak and FIR forests,
giving way higher in the mountains to
spruce and rl1ododendrons. He de-
scribes it as weird fairlyland OF the
| mountains" A region Of high and
broken mountains rising in the midst
of . semi-tropical land is always rich
IN biological curiosities, 1t was explained
at the Smithsonian Institution. Even
| bilc preliminary cAdIIllIldCiOlA "a Cio
Rock collection has revealed specimens
| not represented at the museum. De-
spite the primitive conditions under
which II was necessary to work, all the
stuffed birds arrived in perfect condi-
| ton.
They included two specimens of the
black-necked crane, represented before
| in the United States only by two stuff
| fed birds at Harvard University. Other
| birds very rare in collections included
. cared pheaSants. with a tuft OF feathers
! on each side OF the head, resembling
an animal ear; white pigeons. found
| only on the edges Of the Thibetan
/ snowline; mountain parrots, one species
OF which was known previously only
/ from a cage specimen; some rare wrens
| and q boxful of birds related to the
warbler family. which are of an extreme
| blue color. The most colorful spect-
mems were the tiny red and yellow sun
birds and birds Of the sparrow family
with plaid breasts. There also were
numerous Jays and crows.
The collections were made while the
Rock party was in constant danger
from bandit bands, which always are
attracted by a foreign expedition and
which constantly are invading the lit
tie kingdom. In addition to the birds
and plants, Rock collected a large num-
Der Of articles illustrative of the Local
ethnology. which now are on their way
to the United States These include
two OF the Null prayer wheels and eight
silver reliquary shrines Of the lamas
There are also IL wooden boxes inlaio
with silver which are used In the re-
ltgtous rites. number OF Thibetan