5th Archbold expedition to New Guinea. March 4, 1956 to February 1, 1957
Page 159
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by American Museum of Natural History Library. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
141 176 Wed. Jan. 2: Day spent on a visit to the Highlands, with John Womansley on the D.C. which The government plans to do a round of the population every Wednesday. Left for at 7:30, I landed at Tanaka from 10-50 mm. rain. The Thibetian of Birmingham met me at the airport. Tanaka is in the centre of an area in which, Scotland over many years, is covered by several air drones, coffee is being grown by Europeans. Country is almost entirely deforested except for a few trees along riverbanks & a ravine. Many native population living in their own houses. I wonder that the older plantations are just about coming into full bearing; this is a critical item for the growing industry (A visiting expert reported to the local council). From Tanaka we flew to MONTI, passing over the Thimba valley & part. Nalima on the way. Minj is in the great Mwagi Valley, at ca. 3500 ft. Women live in small huts & both men & women wear a sort of shawls of native cloth. Some cocoa plantings. (Probably more state for European government in the Mwagi than in the Tanaka area). I saw the team of a Travel Room from the ABO of Minj & drove across the valley to NORDUCL, a distance of about 15 miles, by fairly good clay-covered road. At Nordugl, the goat & the Edward Mathew leave a small project in sheep raising. Have ca. 1000 head of Romney Marsh breed in charge of Frank Penable-Smith of the Dept. of African culture. Various flukes have been involving in their rotation of grazing, on small paddocks, more practical to control the flukes. The original object was to introduce sheep into this grassy valley in an African theme for the natives, but the natives have shown no interest. A wildlife section of Nordugl is in charge of Thom Magu with a private collection of birds & mammals. This is a private project of Notelum. Magu has been in charge for 3 years. It thoroughly equipped up in his charges. The property has been well developed with big cages, ponds, & plantings for the little shells & ornament. Many of which of parrots and doves will be captive. Then an African duck. 8 No. of Bichicolores, Tama pipiens, [illegible]