■ <-* o vv, jL^lcCliiOXl ) 
T. And Mrs. Mann 
To Address Pen Women 
Dr. William M. Mann, Director 
of the National Zoological Park, 
Washington, D.C., will he guest 
speaker at the monthly luncheon 
of the Alexandria Branch Na¬ 
tional League American Pen Wo¬ 
men, Friday, March 4, 1 p.m. in 
the Old Club Teahouse on Wash¬ 
ington St. He will review his lat¬ 
est book, “Ant Hill Odyssey.” 
Dr. Mann, well-known Zoolog¬ 
ist, has traveled extensively be¬ 
ginning at the early age of 12 
years to acquire an outstanding 
record of scientific research in 
the insect world. 
Mrs. Mann, who 
her husband on his 
ploration for rare 
accompanies 
trips of ex- 
and curious 
specimens, will be co speaker and 
give the feminine version of the 
search for bugs, beetles, and 
snakes. Mrs. Mann is a noted lec¬ 
turer and author of many zoologi¬ 
cal papers. Her book, “From 
Jungle to Zoo,” is both instructive 
and entertaining. 
/' 
Dr. And Mrs William M. Mann 
Address Alexandria Pen Women 
V 
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard, 
consider her ways and be wise:” 
. . . This Bibical quotation inspired 
the recently-published book “Ant 
Hill Odyssey,” reviewed by the 
author, Dr. William M. Mann Di¬ 
rector of the National Zoological 
Park, Washington. D. C., at the 
monthly luncheon meeting of the 
local branch of Pen Women, 
Friday. March 4th in the Old Club 
Teahouse. 
Mrs. William M. Mann, wife of 
the director, prefaced the review 
with a narratoin of interesting and 
amusing facts incident to the pub¬ 
lishing of the manuscript which, 
she stated, was by the insistant 
lequest of friends and publishers. 
Mrs. Mann confessed her curiosity 
regarding the scientist’s contact 
with cannibals; but she said he 
always reassured her that he liked 
them and that some of his best 
friends were cannibals. 
Dr. Mann, humorist, scientist 
and ardent collector of insects, 
held his audience spellbound as 
he related the highlights of an ex¬ 
citing and profitable career. He 
sketched briefly his boyhood days 
motivated by an irrisistable desire 
to collect bugs, butterflies, snakes, 
and small animals. His family had 
migrated from Virginia in the early 
17th Century and settled in Mon¬ 
tana. As a youth he attended Wash¬ 
ington State College, then Stafford 
University, where, after desperate 
persuasion on his part, he was 
permitted to join an expedition to 
Biazil to hunt ants, wasps and 
beetles. 
Biazil is termed “a great ant 
nest,” the speaker said, “and it 
is commonly known that every inch 
of land is daily visited by ants.” 
Ur. Mann related the ingenious 
activities of these insects and their 
deadly methods of destruction. He 
stated that 'there are about 8,000 
different kinds of ants in the insect 
world. Returning to the United 
States, Dr. Mann accepted an ap- 
poiiiy-nent as research assistant at c 
Harvard University at the same 
time studying for his dictorat e de¬ 
gree. As an interval of research 
during this period he visited Haiti 
Mexico, Arabia, and Switzerland.’ 
Upon his return to Harvard he 
completed his docorate and im¬ 
mediately embarked on an ex¬ 
pedition to the Pacific Isles. The 
account of his experiences in Fiji 
and the Solomons will long be re¬ 
membered. Concerning cannibal¬ 
ism, Dr. Mann stated that thru the 
influence of missionaries the gru- 
some custom has been sbmewhat 
abolished. Curious inquiry as to 
its origin resulted in the explana¬ 
tion that it whs based on revenge, 
religion superstition and the de¬ 
sire to absorb th e strength of the 
eaten victim. After a visit to Aus¬ 
tralia, Dr. Mann again returned 
to the States and accepted an ap¬ 
pointment as director of 'the Na 
tional Zoo. 
Long, Mrs. E. P. Davis, and “Capt 
Irving L. Daniels. 
Members attending included; the 
mesdames: Evelyn Packard Aker- 
ley Margaret Berry, Lenore Kent 
Kiefer, Lilia Wood Daniels, Bertha 
Hurlburt Dougherty, Kathryn Gil- 
ham Guenatta Gordon, Josephine 
Goodale, Jean Hermes Hawes 
Marianne M. Hulfish, Ruth I. Imus’ 
Nora O. Lambourne, Lydia Banks 
McCrary, Henrietta Nesbitt, Edith 
Yundt Otteson, Eugenie Deland 
augstadt, Emma Ferguson, Amy 
Alden Lowrie, and Edna Johnson 
Dowie. 
1 
Gues.ts and members joined in 
a general discussion of zoological 
parks both in the United States 
and abroad and of unusual ex¬ 
periences with insects and animals 
m foreign countries. 
During the business session pre¬ 
ceding the luncheon, a resume of 
he year’s activities were reviewed 
by the branch president, Mrs. Le¬ 
nore Kent Kiefer. Tentative plans 
weie made for the incoming year 
which will b e supervised by a pro¬ 
gram committee. Mrs. Nora' O 
Lamborne was, elected correspond¬ 
ing secretary, replacing Mrs. Anita 
Boutel. 
Many distinguished guests'were 
present: Mrs. Ellen Burke, Count- 
ess Helena Siera Kowska, Mr. and 
Mrs. Czedekowska, Mrs. Robert L 
MrfVf' 5 ' F J ank C ' Cr «ghto n ; 
Mrs. William Reed, Mrs. William 
Middleton, Mrs. Alden Ryan, Mrs. 
Theodore Morde, Mrs. Eugene Vi- 
nogradoff, Mrs. Don Cambridge 
Mimck, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Dens- 
more, Mrs. E. S. Wallace, Mr!. 
Virginia Thomas, Mrs. Henry De 
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