Bob Harrison asked about Dr. Kerr.

"Mysterious"?  Nah.

Use of an industrial-strength web spider (we don't
call it the "Information Supercollider" for nothing, ya know...)
for all of 36 seconds indicates that:

1) His full name is Warwick Estevam Kerr.
2) He is 79.
3) He is still in Brazil
4) He is doing OK for 79 - Here's a very recent photo of him,
   dating from August 2002:
   http://www.inpa.gov.br/jornaldarede/images/hex13.gif

He's the guy on the far left.

a)  He was, until recently, the Director of the Instituto
     Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia in Brazil but has
     since retired.

b)   Before that, he was apparently president of  the State
      University of Maranhao in Brazil.

c)   Back in 1981, Dr. Kerr spoke to the Western Apicultural Society
      in California, so there must be a few people in California who have
      spoken directly with him.

He appears to be alive and kicking, and likely reachable through
the Institute.  Try e-mailing Adarcyline Rodrigues ([log in to unmask])
But how good is your Portuguese?  :)

        jim