Evening star., 1939-06-26
Expedition
Continued From First Page.

tor, a seaman came running to an
nounce that rabbit had escaped
and was cavorting on deck.
But we have no rabbits" said
DR.. Mann. Just what did this ami
NAL look like?"
"A rabbit, SIR replied the sea-
man.
1t seems that the Patagonian cavy
was then giving birth to a baby small
enough to crawl out through the
wire and strong enough to run about
at the age of one hour. No sooner
was this fugitive restored to it's
proper place than the other baby ar
rived. One cavy was born in the
Southern Hemisphere and another
in the Northern.
Some seamen have contended they
could actually smell the animals
when they sat down to eat in the
galley forward.
And some passengers, no doubt,
have heard several of the specimens
at night-especially the horned
screamers and the nutrias, which
cry like babies when they fight.
The collection includes two llamas,
two guanacos, two tapirs, two
viseachas, five Patagonian CAVES, 10
nutrias, one eyra or tiny wildcat
from the Matto Grasso, one pygmy
opossum, two huronss, three wild
dogs from the pampas and two Ar
gentine wildcats.
Assortment of Birds.
Among the birds are whole flock
of flamingoes, 10 horned screamers
with spurs on their wing joints, six
ostriches, an Argentine stork, two
plovers, two black storks, eight
curassows, 20 oven birds, the noisy
little Songsters which build apart
mentlike nests of clay: Is thrushlike
birds from Central Argentina, sev-
eral black-necked swans, five Casca-
roba geese, two Andean geese, one
Serima, a dozen martinets and
dozen tlnamou, the quaillike game
birds of the Argentine; S hawks, 2
king vultures, Andean condors and
lO wild ducks of various types.
The reptiles include box of as
sorted species from the Butantan
Snake Farm at Sac Paulo, Brazil;
broad-nosed alligator from South
ern Argentina and a collection of
frogs, turtles and toads.
AS whole the group gives pretty
fair picture of the fauna of Argen-
tina, with several remote sections
OF Brazil thrown in for good meas
ure.
I haven't learned to identify all
the specimens by name, although
I've come to know them quite in
timately-what with watering, feed
ing, cleaning, etc.
Some passengers have been sur
prlsed, and somewhat annoyed, at
my ignorance. They usually would
come to inspect the animals just
after breakfast and before time to
take their morning swim or sun
bath-the hour when all four keep
ers were busiest and the deck was
pretty messy with pans, pots and
kettles and every type of food known
to man or beast.
No Compre Englis.
Young man." once said doWager
(who had no business on a work
deck, and who held a scented hand
kerchief over her nose to counteract
any odor that might emanate from
the crates stacked all around herr,
what Is the name of that poor,
starved creature in that soiled box?"
Madam" replied, trying hard
so hard-not to slop muddy water
over her immaculate sport shoes,
mo compre Englis, no tingo, no
speako! Besides, you must excuse
me, as I have to open a box of
| cobras."
Questions, however, never seemed
to annoy DR.. Mann, no matter how
busy he happened to be. He gave
lectures on zoology to some 300 men,
bers of the crew and at least half
| that many passengers.
Perhaps every man is happier
about q. question to which he has
the answer. When they came too
fast for me I could always shrug and
say:
"Sorry-1 only work here!"