Guide to the Collections held by the British Museum (Natural History), Mammals Section (as filmed by the AJCP)
M2597 - M2598
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2019
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Natural History Museum: Collections of the Mammals Section
- Title
- Natural History Museum: Collections of the Mammals Section (as filmed by the AJCP)
- Date Range
- 27 June 1887 - 1984
- Collection Number
- M2597 - M2598
- Extent
- 42 items
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Australian Joint Copying Project
- Sponsor
- The Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP) online portal was created with the assistance of the Australian Public Service Modernisation Fund, 2017-2020. The National Library of Australia gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the other foundation AJCP partners, the State Library of New South Wales and The National Archives of the UK, and all other organisations which supported the work of the AJCP, the world's most extensive collaborative copying project, operating from 1948 to 1997.
Introduction
Scope and Contents
Michael R. Oldfield Thomas correspondence 1868-1928. Subjects include collecting expeditions to Australia, Malaya, Indonesia and the Pacific and dispatch of skulls and other specimens. Correspondents include Wilfrid B. Alexander, Tom Carter, Charles W. De Vis, Joseph Fletcher, Charles Hedley, Frederic Wood Jones and Sir Hubert Wilkins.
Collectors' notes. Subjects include: Hubert Wilkins' Australia and Islands expedition 1923-24; expeditions to Malaysia 1967, 1974; Cambridge Sumatra expedition 1984; and mammals of Oceania and Eastern New Guinea.
Conditions Governing Access
Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use
Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.
Preferred Citation
Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.
Citation items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.
Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)
Archival History
Material selectively filmed at the British Museum (Natural History), London, as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project, 1988 (AJCP Reels: M2597-2598). Original microfilm digitised as part of the AJCP Online Delivery Project, 2017-2020.
Formerly known as British Museum (Natural History), the Museum Natural History Museum changed its name in 1992.
Existence and Location of Originals
Natural History Museum (formerly British Museum (Natural History)), London, England. For further information see Archives of the Natural History Museum (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/library-and-archives.html)
Formerly known as British Museum (Natural History).
Existence and Location of Copies
The original AJCP microfilm of the records filmed from this collection is available at the at the National Library of Australia [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2589455] as well as other institutions holding AJCP microfilm.
Finding-aid Notes
This finding aid is a revised online version of the original finding aid prepared by the Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP), published by the National Library of Australia in 2019. The original AJCP finding aids were unpublished typescripts or photocopies available from libraries that held copies of the original microfilm.
Dates used in this finding aid refer to the date range of the records selected for filming rather than to the date range of the Series or Files.
This Finding Aid retains the identifiers present at the time it was filmed by the Australian Joint Copying Project. The new control numbers applied by the Natural History Museum have been identified where possible.
Subjects
Alexander, Wilfrid B.; Australia; Cambridge Sumatra Expedition (1984); Carter, Tom; De Vis, Charles W.; Fletcher, Joseph; Great Britain; Hedley, Charles; Jones, Frederic W.; Malaya; Mammal; Natural History Museum, London; Papua New Guinea: flora and fauna; Skeletal remains; Sumatra; Thomas, Michael R. Oldfield
Bibliography
Originally cited in Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook. Part 8: Miscellaneous (M) Series. Third Edition, published 1998. Entry 64, p22.
Item Descriptions
Series. Collector's Notes, 1923 - 1984
11 itemsFilmed selectively.
Subseries Box 6. Collector's Notes, 1923 - 1924
1 item
Wilkins expedition to Australia and Islands, 24 November 1923 - May 1924 (File)
Comprises: Letter of 2 March?
Sir George Wilkins to Thomas, Westwood, possibility of collecting in Groote Eylandt and specimens already collected; list of specimens collected in Torren Creek, Queensland, 24 Nov. 1923.
preliminary and provisional report, 1 Jan. 1924 - 31 March 1924.
(report on) mammals; list of mammals, Westwood, 1924.
preliminary and provisional report part 3, 1 Oct. - 30 Nov. 1923 notes.
Oldfield Thomas New Scoteinus from Queensland, Annals and Magazine of Natural History ser.9 Vol. 13, May 1924 p.540 and Some New Australian Muridae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History ser. 9, Vol. 13, March 1924 p.296.
57p.
Subseries Box 10. Collector's Notes, 1967 - 1974
2 itemsSeries. Oldfield Thomas Correspondence, 1887 - 1929
31 itemsIncoming letters to him have been bound alphabetically by year; occasionally the copy of his reply is included. The early volumes have letter numbers, but this system becomes erratic and finally stops. Letters from the following Australasian scientists and collectors are included in the collection. All letters, unless noted, are to Thomas at the British Museum (Natural History).
Filmed selectively.
Biographical / Historical
Michael Roger Oldfield Thomas (1858-1929). Joined the staff of the British Museum upon leaving school in 1876. In 1878 he transferred to the Department of Zoology and served as a clerk under Dr. A. Gunther. He was then appointed Assistant in charge of the mammal collection, a post he held until he retired in 1923. He published Catalogue of Marsupialia in the British Museum in 1888.
Wilfrid B. Alexander (1885-1965). Educated at King's College Cambridge; 1910-1911 Assistant Superintendent of Cambridge University Museum of Zoology; 1912 Assistant in Natural History Section of Western Australia Museum, Perth; 1914 Keeper of Biological Department; 1920 appointed Biologist to Prickly Pear Board, Queensland; 1925 returned to England.
Tom Carter (1863-1931) Ornithologist and pastoralist: Migrated to Western Australia in 1887 and was employed as a jackaroo on Boolothanna Station; in 1889 acquired his own property in Point Cloates area; he identified 180 birds and secured specimen of 170, two of which were new and one, Spinifex bird, named after him.
Charles W. De Vis (1829-1915)Originally he entered the Church, but he pursued an interest in Natural History. On arrival in Queensland in 1870 he contributed an article on geology and ornithology to Queenslander; appointed a curator of Queensland Museum in 1882 and served as Director, 1901 - 1905.
Joseph Fletcher (1850? - 1926) Teacher and biologist, one of the first scientists to investigate the embryology of marsupials; 1893 - 1919 director of the Linnean Society of New South Wales and editor of the Proceedings.
Ludwig Glauert (1879-1963) 1908 emigrated to Western Australia and joined the Geological Survey in Perth as a palaeontologist; helped to arrange the collections of the Western Australia Museum and in 1914 promoted to Keeper of Geology and Ethnology: appointed Keeper of Biological Collections in 1920 and Curator in 1927.
John W. Gregory (1864-1932). 1887 on staff of Geological Department of the British Museum (Natural History) and became an authority on fossil coral and bryozoa; 1901 Professor of Geology at Melbourne University, established himself as the leading authority in Australia on water supply and mining geology, leading an expedition to Lake Eyre and writing The Dead Heart of Australia; returned to England on appointment to the chair of Geology at Glasgow. He drowned in a canoeing accident during an expedition to Urubamba River, North Peru.
Charles Hedley (1862-1926) A self taught naturalist he went to Queensland in 1882 for his health, and worked at first voluntarily, for the Queensland Museum; became a scientific assistant at the Australian Museum, Sydney in 1891 and Assistant Curator in 1908.
Gerald Freer Hill (1880-1954). Appointed naturalist to Commonwealth Government Exploration Party, Central Australia and Northern Territory, 1911 - 1912 and Government Entomologist Northern Territory, 1912 - 1917.
Charles Hose (1863-1929) Entered the service of the Rajah of Sarawak in 1884 and became member of the Supreme Council and Judge of Supreme Court of Sarawak in 1904; made a large collection of Sarawak flora and fauna over many years for the British Museum (Natural History) and other museums and was the author of several books on Borneo and Sarawak.
Frederic Wood Jones (1879-1954). Qualified as a doctor and 1905 - 1906 appointed medical officer to Eastern Extension Telegraph Company on Cocos and Keeling Islands, where he developed his interest in natural history; 1919 appointed to chair of anatomy at University of Adelaide, spending all his spare time studying Australian fauna. Published The Mammals of South Australia (Adelaide, 1923 - 25).
Robin Kemp (1871 - ). Born in London and became assistant account ant to a railway being constructed in Sierra Leone, where he started collecting; 1906 - 1907 collecting in New Zealand; and then went as collector on an expedition financed by C.D. Rudd to East Africa; 1912 - 1914 he collected for G.M. Matthews at Cape York and Gulf of Carpentaria; after a further visit to New Zealand he went to Argentina collecting for the British Museum (Natural History).
Cecil Boden Kloss (1877-1949). 1900 joined Dr Abbott on Terrapin for a collecting expedition in Andaman and Nicobar Islands 1908 appointed to Museum at Kuala Lumpur under H.C. Robinson, and made numerous collecting expeditions in South-East Asia; Director of Museums, Federated Malay States until retirement in 193[illeg]
Albert Le Souef (1877-1951). Appointed assistant director of Melbourne Zoo on death of his father, and in 1903 Secretary to the Zoological Society in Sydney, where he supervised the planning and development of Taronga Park Zoo.
Heber Longman (1880-1954) Emigrated to Queensland in 1902 for his health and settled at Toowoomba where he bought a newspaper and founded the Field Naturalist's Club; 1911 joined staff of Queensland Museum and appointed director in 1918.
Clive Lord (1889-1933). Trained as an architect but developed his interest in natural history; appointed assistant curator of Tasmanian Museum in 1917 and was Director 1923 to 1933.
Allan McCulloch (1885-1925). Entered Australian Museum, Sydney, as a cadet in 1898; 1906 appointed scientific assistant, with special area of interest fish fauna. He died in Honolulu and his ashes were interred on Lord Howe Island.
James Douglas Ogilby(1853 - 1925). Studied at Trinity College, Dublin, before going to Australia; appointed to Australian Museum in 1885 and was responsible for vertebrate collections, dismissed in 1890 for drunkenness, but later re-employed to work on the fishes of Queensland.
Herbert C. Robinson (1874-1929) Born in England, collected in Cooktown, Queensland, before becoming assistant to H.O. Forbes at Liverpool Museum, appointed director of Federated Malay States Museum and resigned in 1926.
John Porter Rogers (1873-1941). Born at Riverlea, Tallarook, Victoria; 1895 - 1898 started collecting while prospecting for gold in Western Australia; collected for G.M. Matthews in many areas including Wyndham district of Kimberley, Cape York, and Melville Island; 1914 part of Government of South Australia's expedition to Musgrave and Everard Ranges; after the war took up land on his own behalf.
Herbert Harold Scott (1866-1938). Born in England but brought up in the United States, ordered to take a sea voyage for his healt he settled in Tasmania; 1897 became curator of Victoria Museum in Launceston, co-author with C. Lord of Synopsis of Vertebrate Animal of Tasmania (Hobart, Oldham, 1924).
Robert Shelford (1872-1912). Born in Singapore, and studied Natural Science at Emmanuel College Cambridge; 1895 appointed demonstrator in Biology at Yorkshire College, Leeds; 1897 appointed Curator of Sarawak Museum, Borneo, where he started collecting and exploring with a special interest in insects; 1905 appointed Assistant Curator in Hope Department of Zoology, Oxford University Museum.
Guy C. Shortridge (1880-1949). Served with South African Constabulary in Boer War, and engaged by Sclater, Director of South Africa Museum, to collect mammals and birds in Pondoland; subsequent collecting career included collecting for W.E. Balston in Western Australia, 1904 - 1906; 1921 appointed Director of Kaffrarian Museum, King William's Town, South Africa.
G. William Stalker (1879 - 1910). Started collecting for the British Museum (Natural History) while prospecting for gold on Mambare River, New Guinea; 1905 sent to Alexandra Station in Northern Territory; 1907 went to Inkerman Station, South of Townsville. He was drowned on 9 Jan. 1910 while a member of the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition for Exploration of Central New Guinea.
Ellis Troughton (1893-1974). Joined Australian Museum, Sydney, as a cadet and served on its staff for over 50 years, becoming curator of mammals; collected in Australia, New Guinea and Santa Cruz Islands.
Edgar Waite (1866-1928). Appointed zoologist of Australian Museum, Sydney in 1893; in 1906 became curator of Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand; 1914 appointed director of South Australian Museum, Adelaide.
Sir George Hubert Wilkins (1888-1958). Born at Mount Bryon South Australia and studied engineering; 1913 - 1916 photographer and second in command of Vilhjalmus Stefanson's Canadian Arctic expedition and went as naturalist and photographer with Shackleton' last expedition; 1923 - 1925 led an Australian and Islands Natural History Expedition for the British Museum (Natural History): In 1928 he made the first Antarctic flight.
Bernard H. Woodward ( - 1916). Went to Western Australia and acted as a mineral registrar and assayer in gold; on foundation of Western Australian Museum in Perth in 1889 he was appointed Curator, a post he held until retirement in 1916.
Leonard Wray ( - 1942) Entered Perak Civil Service in 1881 as superintendent Government Hill Gardens and in 1883 appointed Director of Museums Federated Malay States.
Correspondence, 27 June 1887 - 25 October 1896 (File)
6 items
C.W. De Vis, Queensland Museum, 27 June 1887 (Item 89)
re Oldfield Thomas' projected history of marsupials
Correspondence, 24 February 1899 - 3 November 1899 (File)
7 itemsCorrespondence, 25 November 1899 - 17 November 1900 (File)
7 items
A. Butler, State Museum Kuala Lumpur, sending specimens, 23 May 1900; 2 Aug 1900; 17 Oct. 1900 (Item 73-75)
Lady Duff, London, asking for a loan of a stuffed kangaroo for the Australian stall at the native bazaar, 18 May 1900 (Item 121)
Hale & Son London, re sale of Papua mouse, 28 April 1900; 1 June 1900; 5 Nov. 1900; 9 Nov. 1900 (Item 163-166)
B. Woodward, Western Australia Museum and Art Gallery re exchange of specimens, 12 June 1900 (Item 350)
Envelope 'Lydekker Correspondence' (between Nos. 188 and 189.), 19 January 1900 - 7 October 1901 (File)
8 items
Correspondence with Henry Travers, Wellington, N.Z. (Item)
re specimens of whales and sea elephants he is prepared to supply
Travers to Lydekker, British Museum (Natural History), 19 Jan. 1900; 22 April 1900; 11 May 1900; 25 April 1900; 1 Sept. 1900; 19 Jan. 1901; 10 May 1901 (Item)
A. Yuill, Colonial Museum, Wellington N.Z. to J. Fisher, Invercargill re elephant specimen, 17 December 1900 (Item)
Herbert Robinson re collecting in Patani Siamese Malay States, 22 Feb. 1901; 21 June 1901; 31 July 1901 (Item 280-282)
Correspondence, 19 December 1901 - 20 October 1902 (File)
7 items
H.J. Hillier, Killalpauima, South Australia, 6 Jan. 1902; 3 April 1902; 7 Aug. 1902; 28 Aug. 1902 (Item 149-152)
re collecting for the museum and his life on the mission station for the Diyeri tribe.
Herbert Robinson, 19 December 1901 - 16 March 1902 (Item 278-279)
Penang with general comment on conditions in the Malay Peninsula, and that he is taking over the Selangar State Museum.
Correspondence, 17 November 1902 - 17 November 1903 (File)
10 items
O.L. Adams, Burnie, Tasmania, thanking Thomas for gift of his book on marsupials, 14 September 1903 (Item 1)
Cecil Brooks, Bidi, Sarawak that he will try to do some collecting, 22 March 1903 - 1 November 1903 (Item 43-441)
H. Hillier, Killalpanima, South Australia re difficulty of getting mammal specimens due to drought conditions, 1 Dec. 1902; 13 March 1903; 11 April 1903; 22 Oct. 1903 (Item 136-139)
C. Hose, Baram, Sarawak, re his subscription to the Zoological Society and specimens, 9 January 1903 - 7 May 1903 (Item 150-151)
C.A.W. Monckton, Cape Nelson, BNG. That he asked the natives to collect specimens, 4 August 1903 (Item 236)
Correspondence, 20 December 1903 - 19 December 1904 (File)
15 items
David Jordan, Leland Stanford Junior University, California, 3 June 1904 (Item 172 a and b)
re Alvin Seale, Curator of Ichthyology, Bishop Museum, Honolulu re his qualifications to be a collector for the British Museum
Frank Macgeorge, Adelaide, that he has friends in Central Australia who could collect small animals for the museum, 9 March 1904 (Item 195)
Herbert Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, asking the museum to fund an expedition into the high mountain range of Pahang, 9 November 1904 (Item 252)
G.C. Shortridge, Devon, re plans for his journey to Australia, 18 August 1904 - 27 September 1904 (Item 283-284)
B. Lefuoy, Agent General, Western Australia, London, re Shortridge's travel pass, 19 October 1904 (Item 285)
Guy C. Shortridge, Albany, re his journey to Perth and visits there to the zoo and the Premier, 30 November 1904 (Item 287)
W. Stalker, Lindman Creek, Gira Goldfield, BNG. Sending rats and other specimens, 20 Dec. 1903; March 1904; 10 Aug. 1904 (Item 292-294)
Correspondence, 12 January 1904 - 17 November 1905 (File)
13 items
Tom Carter, Broome Hill, W.A., that he has found some land, and is ready to start collecting for the museum, 25 August 1905 (Item 70)
H.Hillier, Killalpanima, W.A., sending specimens and future trip back to England, 28 February 1905 (Item 134)
C.B. Kloss, Johore Museum, sending specimens from south of Johore with map, 30 January 1905 - 9 August 1905 (Item 161 a-d)
S. Metzger & Co., Bermondsey, with query regarding the markings on Australasian rabbit skins, 2 October 1905 (Item 193)
G. Shortridge, Albany, Southern Cross and Kalgoorlie, 12 Jan. 1905; 27 Feb. 1905; 2 April 1905; 24 April 1905; 18 June 1905; 1 July 1905; 29 July 1905; 16 Aug. 1905; 28 Sept. 1905; 15 Nov. 1905 (Item 246-256 b)
re the animals he has seen and collected in Western Australia
W. Stalker, Cairns, Camoweal, Queensland, and Alexandria, N.T., 11 March 1905; 28 March 1905; 13 April 1905 (Item 265-267)
re collecting in the Northern Territory
Correspondence, 13 September 1905 - 18 December 1906 (File)
12 items
J.B. Carruthers, Dept. of Agriculture, Kuala Lumpur, 26 April 1906 (Item 65)
re appointment of Mr King as government entomologist.
J. Carruthers, Kuala Lumpur, that he can appoint an entomologist - would any one on the Museum staff like the job, 18 November 1905 (Item 68-68a)
J. Charter, Albany, W.A. that was working with Shortridge but they have parted, he is available to collect for the museum, 17 January 1906 (Item 71)
H. Hillier, Hermannsbury, N.T. that he is ready to collect for the museum, difficulty of sending material by camel train, 6 June 1906 - 23 July 1906 (Item 160-162)
Memo that the Museum will give £150 to H. Robinson towards his expedition to Gunung Tahan, 18 December 1905 (Item 380)
G. Shortridge, Beverley and Carnarvon, W.A., 10 Jan. 1906; 27 Jan 1906; 30 March 1906; 18 May 1906; 4 June 1906; 24 July 1906 (Item 412-446)
re his successful trapping expeditions with lists of specimens sent.
W. Stalker, Alexandria N.T. and Burketown, 13 Sept. 1905; 4 Jan 1906; 23 Jan. 1906; 30 Jan. 1906; 7 Feb. 1906; 22 Feb. 1906; 16 May 1906; 23 or 6 March 1906; 30 May 1906; 23 July 1906; 23 Aug. 1906; 15 Sept. 19 Oct. 1906; 14 Oct. 1906; 9 Nov. 1906; 14 Nov. 1906; 6 Dec. 1906; 18 Dec. 1906 (Item 461-484)
re breaking of the drought, problems of transport, the specimens he is sending, with sketch maps.
Correspondence, 1 April 1905 - 13 November 1907 (File)
6 items
F.R. Barton, Cooktown, QLD., re sending specimens of New Guinea art and an echidna inspirits, 12 April 1907 (Item 18)
A. McCulloch, Australian Museum, Sydney, 25 February 1907 (Item 128-128e)
re a possible new species of Dorcopsis from New Guinea, with 3 photographs.
Herbert Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, that he has been collecting on many of the small islands, 11 Oct. 1907; 30 Aug. 1906; 2 April 1906; 22 June 1906; 1 April 1905; 13 Nov. 1907 (Item 164-165)
J.P. Rogers, Fremantle and Wyndham, W.A., 13 February 1907 - 27 September 1907 (Item 166-167)
re sending kangaroo skins and other specimens, failure to collect small mammals.
Correspondence, 14 December 1906 - 12 September 1908 (File)
7 items
T. Hubback, Petang, Jelebu re election as Fellow of Zoological Societyand species of Malay wild dogs and cats, 3 January 1908 (Item 75)
J. Rogers, Wyndham and London, 12 Sept. 1908; 28 May 1908 (Item 214-215)
re trouble he has catching rats and that he is returning to Western Australia in June
G. Shortridge, Batavia, Kuala Lumpur and Devon, 20 Dec. 1907; 14 Jan 1908; 16 Feb 1908; 21 Feb. 1908; 11 May 1908; 10 Aug. 1908; 20 Aug. 1908; 29 Aug. 1908 (Item 243-253)
re collecting on Java. Letter no. 251 includes a sketch map and short notes on locations.
W. Sneyd, Las Palmas, with descriptions and photographs of whales washed up on coast of New Zealand, 9 September 1908 (Item 260)
Correspondence, 10 November 1906 - 26 November 1909 (File)
12 items
H. Hillier, Hermannsburg, Central Australia, 9 February 1909 - 21 June 1909 (Item 71-72)
That the only animal he can get is Nkaia and mice and insects.
M.W. Lyon, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, sending various specimens from Malaya and S.E. Asia, 16 February 1909 - 27 July 1909 (Item 116-117)
L.R. Rate, Dorking, sending skins obtained in Queensland ten years previously, 10 May 1909 - 15 May 1909 (Item 166-167)
H. Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, 22 May 1909; 15 Feb. 1908; 12 March 1908; 23 May 1908; 5 July 1908; 18 Sept. 1908; 12 Oct. 1908; 13 March 1909; 17 April 1909; 26 Oct. 1909; 1 April 1909; 25 April 1909; 12 Nov. 1908 (Item 171A - 187)
Re collecting expeditions and sending specimens.
J.P. Rogers, Wyndham, W.A., 20 April 1909; 22 April 1909; 29 April 1909; 27 July 1909 (Item 189-193)
re collecting and the naming of a bat after him.
G. Shortridge, Kangean , Perth, Batavia, 26 Nov. 1909; 10 Nov. 1906; 14 July 1907; 26 Feb. 1907 (Item 209-212a)
Re collecting in Sumatra and list of mammals sent from Kangean; journey inland from Perth collecting, - a number of animals have died out in recent years.
Rev. J. Shortridge, Honiton, Devon, asking for any printed matter concerning his son Guy, 17 August 1907 (Item 213)
G. Shortridge, Batava (except where noted), n.d; 28 Jul 1907; 7 Aug 1907; 14 Aug 1907; 14 Sep 1907; 17 Nov 1907; 17 May 1907 (Perth); 7 Apr 1907 (Perth); 5 Jul 1907; 12 Dec 1907; 13 Jun 1907 (Fremantle) 11 Jun and 17 Jun 1909 (Honiton); 13 Aug; 11 Sept. 1909; 17 Oct 1909, 30 Oct 1909; 7 Nov 1909. (Item 214-233)
Re expedition and sending specimens; upset at the discouraging letter he gets from Thomas.
The conditions specimens arrive in is not his fault.
They don't understand his problems.
His money is stolen in Fremantle.
Journey back to Born and travel up country.
Correspondence, 9 October 1909 - 10 October 1910 (File)
7 items
J.H. Haynes, Montebello Island Onslow, W.A. that he will get specimens of the animals on the island, 9 March 1910; 28 Oct.1909 (Item 79-80)
H.Hillier, Hermannsburg, that he has re signed but will continue collecting, 21 April 1910 (Item 84)
C.B. Kloss, Kuala Lumpur, re expedition to islands off East Malay Peninsula, 6 April 1910 - 9 October 1910 (Item 140-141)
A. McCulloch, Australian Museum, Sydney, 21 January 1910 (Item 150)
re naming of Australian forms as sub-species; European workers don't realise the uniformity of conditions over the Australian continent.
G. Shortridge, Dutch East Indies, Arno Islands, 2 Dec. 1909; 14 Dec. 1909; 24 March 1910; 4 June 1910 (Item 190-193)
re difficulty of getting good specimens.
Stalker's death; (letter of 24 March 1910).
Problems of the expedition, laziness and incompetence of leaders (British Inimika River Expedition).
Correspondence, 6 December 1909 - 29 November 1912 (File)
15 items
G.R. Hill, Melbourne. That his son Gerald is with Captain Barclay's Northern Territory Survey expeditions as scientific collector and photographer, 20 March 1911 (Item 81)
H. Hillier, Hermannsburg and Outalpa Station, Olary, South Australia, 6 Dec. 1909; 15 May 1911; 13 Aug. 1911 (Item 82-84)
Re native methods of killing marsupial rats and echidnas; no native animals left at Olary foxes and dogs having killed them.
H. Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, Busy with his book on Malay Peninsula mammals, planning an expedition to Butang Archipelago, 5 April 1911 - 11 September 1911 (Item 159-160)
B. Woodward, Perth, re visit from Mr. Haynes, whose house on Montebello was blown away by a willy-willy, 12 May 1911 (Item 202)
B. Woodward, Perth, re McClintock Range Kangaroo and possibility of receiving duplicates of New Guinea material, 9 June 1911 (Item 203)
G.F. Hill, Windsor, Victoria re his experience of collecting mammals in North Australia on the Barclay expedition, 3 September 1912 (Item 52)
Robin Kemp, Cape York, Queensland, 25 July 1912; 20 Sept. 1912; 14 Nov. 1912; 29 Nov. 1912 (Item 64-67)
That there are no small mammals in the area; he dislikes Australia and wishes to return to Africa.
Herbert Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, sending specimens of Tupaiae and others, 18 September 1912 (Item 125)
Correspondence, 17 February 1912 - 5 October 1913 (File)
8 items
P.M. Byrne, Charlotte Waters, Central Australia, re collecting for the Museum, n.d. (rec. 28 July, 1913); 5 Oct. 1913 (Item 41-42)
Robin Kemp, Cape York and Normanton, Queensland, 31 Dec. 1912; 25 July 1913; 18 Sept. 1913; ? Oct. 1913 (Item 127-130b)
Sending mammals and skulls, and describing Cape York and difficulties of his solitary life.
H. Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, 15 April 1913; 27 July 1913; 29 Aug. 1913 (Item 201-203a)
Sending an Albino Napu, news of Kloss's expeditions to snow mountains, proposed expedition to Central West Sumatra.
J.P. Rogers, Philippine Islands, re the collecting he did in North Australia for the Museum, 17 February 1912 (Item 204)
Correspondence, 27 April 1913 - 5 August 1914 (File)
6 items
Robin Kemp, Normanton, Queensland, 27 April 1913 - 21 June 1914 (Item 140-141)
Leaving for a holiday in New Zealand, sending some specimens, from talking with old inhabitants he learns that many mammals have died out in Carpentaria area.
Correspondence, 16 December 1914 - 13 December 1916 (File)
10 items
W.B. Alexander, Public Library and Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, re specimens, 18 August 1915 (Item 2)
Robin Kemp, Auckland, New Zealand and Long Sutton, Somerset, 11 March 1915 - 28 May 1915 (Item (52-53))
That he is returning home to help in the war.
Payment for Queensland material.
C.B. Kloss, Kuala Lumpur, re collecting expedition by himself and Robinson, Museum news, 5 June 1915; 21 Aug. 1915; 8 Nov. 1915; Dec. 1915; 5 Jan. 1916; 29 Jan. 1916; 21 Feb. 1916; 13 March 1916; 13 April 1916; 19 May 1916; 11 July 1916; 3 Aug. 1916; 3 Sept. 1916; 13 Dec. 1916 (Item (no number) -89)
H.A. Longman, Queensland Museum Brisbane, re his list of Australian rodents, 16 Jan. 1915; 31 May 1915; 8 May 1916; 18 Aug. 1916 (Item (96) -97)
A. McCulloch, Sydney, 30 April 1915; 19 May 1915; 5 Aug. 1915, 15 Dec. 1914 (Item (no number))
That he has volunteered for hospital service, that the curator doesn't agree to sending mammals overseas to be identified.
Correspondence, 15 February 1917 - 20 November 1918 (File)
7 items
W. Allen, Gin Gin, Bundaberg, Queensland re selling skins of several animals, including Platypus, 20 November 1918 (Item (no number))
J. Cleland, Dept. of Public Health, Sydney, 22 August 1917 - 30 January 1918 (Item 52)
Re a plague of mice that is eating all the wheat and hay stores in many parts of Australia.
Correspondence, 2 January 1919 - 21 September 1920 (File)
18 items
W. Allen, Gin Gin, Bundaberg, Queensland, 11 June 1919; 17 Oct. 1919; 24 Oct. 1919; 1 Nov. 1919 (Item 7- (no number))
Sending skins of various animals, difficulty of skinning koalas.
H. Batchelor, Taroom, Queensland, 12 January 1920 (Item no number)
re a mouse he sent to the Museum which was caught 30 miles from nearest human habitation. (in pencil, faint).
K.W. Dammerman, Zoological Museum. Buitenzorg, Dutch East Indies, 27 May 1920 - 21 September 1920 (Item no number)
re rat specimens from the Dutch East Indian area.
C.B. Kloss, Kuala Lumpur, sending specimens of mice, 29 May 1919; 25 April 1920; 11 June 1920; 29 Aug. 1919; 16 Sept. 1920 (Item no number)
Heber A. Longman, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, 14 June 1919 - 28 November 1919 (Item 23-24)
re his list of Australian Muridae, the drought is affecting specimens.
G. Miller, Honolulu, 6 August 1920 - 25 August 1920 (Item no number)
re visit to Hawaii, description of the volcano and vegetation on the Islands.
William Potter, Gunner No. 1 Battery No. 54488, 22 Jan; 24 Jan; 31 Jan 1919 (AIF, AIF and War Chest Club, London); 11 Feb; 14 Feb 1919 (No. 1 Battery RBAA, Heytesbury, Wilts); 17 Mar 1919 (Embarkation Camp, Sutton Veny, Wilts); 12 Jun; 4 Jul 1919 (Sydney); 24 Nov 1919; 14 Apr 1920; 5 Jun 1920, (Madang) (Item no number)
Re his proposed expedition to German New Guinea collecting for the Museum.
Problems of collecting during the mating season and the wet season.
Natives not interested in trapping animals, only in shooting birds.
Pratt Bros., North New Guinea, Dutch East Indies, 10 Jan. 1920; 24 March 1920; 14 March 1920 (Item no number)
Sending specimens caught on expeditions in Dutch East Indies (faint).
H. Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, Museum news, plans for expeditions now the war is over, 27 Feb. 1919; 16 June 1919; 19 July 1919; 22 July 1920 (Item no number)
A. Wade, Director of Oilfields, Papua. re species he has collected, 17 November 1919 (Item no number)
Correspondence, 26 January 1921 - 19 December 1921 (File)
11 items
K. Dammerman, Buitenzorg, re specimen collected on New Guinea expedition, 3 Feb; 23 Mar; 12 Oct 1921 (Item 73-76)
Glauert, Perth, 14 April 1921; 8 July 1921; 22 July 1921; 12 Sept. 1921 (Item 95-100)
Sending specimens, natives have burnt out the camp of a government exploring expedition.
Edward Jacobson, Sumatra, 1 March 1921 (Item 138-39)
Variability of nesolagus species, due to bad eyesight he is giving up collecting.
Prof. Wood-Jones, Adelaide University, 26 Jan. 1921; 28 April 1921; 4 May 1921; 8 Sept. 1921; 19 Dec. 1921 (Item 143-154)
Filed under Jones.
Re his work on Australian rodents.
Plans for collecting expeditions to Lake Eyre.
Deplores disappearance of marsupials due to introduced foxes and rabbits.
Sending specimens, by sending forms to schools trying to find out what marsupials are still living in S.A.
Moulton, Raffles Museum, Singapore, re species of Mydaus from Borneo, 31 January 1921 - 25 July 1921 (Item 216, 220)
H. Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, sending lists of types, 31 Aug. 1921; 1 Sept. 1921; 15 Sept. 1921 (Item 277-285)
Correspondence, 4 January 1921 - 29 December 1922 (File)
29 items
W. Allen, Gin Gin, Bundaberg, Queensland sending specimens of small mammals, 15 August 1922 (Item 4)
Beaufort, Zoologisch Museum, Amsterdam re New Guinea animals, 27 Jan. 1922; 10 Feb. 1922; 14 Feb. 1922; 23 Feb. 1922; 27 Feb. 1922; 14 March 1922; 20 March 1922; 24 March 1922; 28 April 1922; 31 March 1922; 15 June 1922, 10 Oct. 1922; 11 Nov. 1922; 1 Dec. 1922; 16 Dec. 1922; 29 Dec. 1922 (Item 17-39)
K. Dammerman, Buitenzorg re identification of new species from New Guinea expedition, 27 February 1922 - 17 May 1922 (Item 111-2)
Glauert, Perth, re visits by Sherrin and Troughton, differences between species, 3 February 1922 - 4 July 1922 (Item 179-180)
Launcelot Harrison, Sydney University re his work on Ornithorhynchus, 12 January 1922 - 18 April 1922 (Item 200-201)
Prof F. Wood-Jones, Adelaide University, 27 Feb. 1922; 6 Mar. 1922; 30 March 1922; 13 July 1922; 9 Dec. 1921; 30 March 1922; 27 Sept. 1922 (Item 228-238)
Specimens from Franklin Island, Pearson's Islands and from localities round Adelaide.
A. Le Souef, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, 16 April 1922, 11 May 1922; 6 May 1922; 4 May 1922; 4 Aug. 1922; 29 Sept. 1922 (Item 248-253)
re his publication on muridae sending specimens of phascogale which has reached plague proportions.
Heber Longman, Queensland Museum, that cannot send small rodents, specimens from Stradbroke Island, 6 June 1922 - 7 December 1922 (Item 260-1)
Longman, Brisbane. Differences in treatment of British and American collectors by Australians, 12 July 1922; 23 June 1922 (Item 263-4)
Longman, Brisbane, sending specimens gather by Sherrin, problem of retaining of specimens by the Brisbane Museum, 1 September 1922 - 14 October 1922 (Item 267-69)
Longman, Brisbane, re specimens of rats, arrival of Sherrin - query regarding his status, 1 Feb. 1922; 23 Dec. 1921; (Item 272-3)
Clive Lord, Tasmanian Museum, Hobart, re Tasmanian rodents, 14 March 1922 - 22 June 1922 (Item 276-9)
Neal McNeill, British Pacific Science Expedition, London, 4 Nov. 1922; 3 Oct. 1922; 23 Oct. 1922 (Item 343-5)
Requesting appointment be for expedition sets out for New Guinea.
T. Sherrin, Auburn, Sydney, 1 Oct. 1922, 26 Nov. 1922, 12 Nov. 1922, 22 Oct. 1922, n.d., 26 Dec. 1922, 5 Dec. 1922, 21 Dec. 1922 (Item 427-46)
Angry that his services are being dispensed with.
Sending specimens.
list with locations.
Thomas to Sherrin, 1 Nov. 1922; 21 Aug. 1922. (Item 447-8, 439)
That because he has made false declarations to get around the rules and regulations the Museum will no longer employ him.
Possibility of the Museum funding an expedition by Wilkins to collect throughout the country.
(Copy).
Sherrin, Laura, Queensland that sending specimens addressed to his brother in order to circumvent Longman, 2 July 1922 (Item 440-2)
Sir Sydney Harmer to Official Secretary, Australia House asking for assistance to be given to Sherrin on his collecting expedition, 1 August 1922 (Item 443-6)
T. Sherrin, Auburn (except as noted), 31 Aug. 1922; 24 May 1922 (Ravenshal, Qld.); 9 May 1922; 9 April 1922; 25 March 1922; n.d.; 28 Feb. 1922. (Item 447-448, 449-464)
re collecting in N. Queensland.
Problem of transport.
lack of specimens due to foxes.
Correspondence, 19 January 1923 - 24 December 1923 (File)
10 items
K. Dammerman, Buitenzorg sending mammals from Buru and Key Island, 1 February 1923 - 31 October 1923 (Item 28-30)
F. Wood-Jones, University of Adelaide, 19 Jan. 1923; 16 May 1923; 20 June 1923; 1 Oct. 1923 (Item 50-57)
re possibility of a South Australian platypus.
Expedition to Pearson's Island and new species discovered there.
H. Longman, Queensland Museum, Brisbane ack., 16 Feb. 1923; 22 March 1923; 27 July 1923; 4 Oct. 1923 (Item 77-81)
Receipt of specimens from N. Queensland.
Facilities granted to Captain Wilkins and his plans for expeditions.
Ellis Troughton, Australian Museum, Sydney, exchanging specimens, 22 Dec. 1923; 16 Mar. 1923 (Item 195-6)
(on board SS St. Albans) G.H. Wilkins, Townsville, 20 June 1923; 22 Nov 1923; 16 June - 30 Sep 1923 (Item 200-18)
Difficulty of finding specimens and keeping them in good condition.
Salary demanded by Sherrin.
Problems of exporting specimens.
Drought conditions.
Wilkin's Australia and Islands expedition: Preliminary and provisional report, pt. 2. York Peninsula pp 10-14.
Correspondence, 22 September 1919 - 27 October 1924 (File)
9 items
P. Buxton, Apia, W. Samoa, sending bat specimen and describing characteristics of local diurnal pteropus, 20 May 1924 - 27 July 1924 (Item)
Glauert, Perth, requesting copies of reprint on Australian mammals, 27 June 1924 - 27 October 1924 (Item)
Prof. Wood-Jones, Univ. of Adelaide, 8 March 1924; 3 May 1924; 24 June 1924 (Item)
A new federal Act of Dec. 1923 has prohibited the exporting of all fauna, he is not able to send his considerable collection of skins and skulls back to England.
Australian Museum's treatment of Charles Hedley; difficulties of getting specimens.
Kloss, Raffles Museum, Singapore, likes his new life in Singapore, Robinson is in London, 29 March 1924 (Item)
H. Longman, Queensland Museum, re specimen from Stradbroke Island, Moreton Island and Dunk Island, 28 April 1924 - 26 May 1924 (Item)
H. Robinson, Kuala Lumpur, complaining about unprofessional conduct by Kloss, 22 September 1919 (Item)
Correspondence, 25 January 1925 - 12 September 1925 (File)
7 items
Edward Jacobson, Fort de Kock, Sumatra, sends specimen of a bat and mammals, 12 Sept. 1925; 12 Sept. 1925 (Item 25-26)
Prof. F. Wood-Jones, 25 Jan. 1925; 1 March 1925; 13 March 1925; 17 March 1925; 12 June 1925; 6 July 1925 (Item 27-32)
University of Adelaide tired of sending unappreciated material to English institutions.
Visit to Kangaroo Island.
New species of Pseudomys.
Visit to Tasmania.
Sending specimens via Captain Wilkins.
Correspondence, 12 January 1926 - 24 December 1926 (File)
14 items
Australian Museum re exchange of skin and skull of Petrogale, 15 October 1926 - 18 October 1926 (Item)
Harry Burrell, Kensington N.S.W. that hopes to be able to get a platypus skull for the Museum, 29 March 1926 (Item)
P. Buxton, London, re locations on New Hebrides and material from Samoa, 17 January 1926 - 3 March 1926 (Item)
Glauert, Perth, 16 Feb. 1926; 23 April 1926; 12 May 1926; 22 June 1926; 22 July 1926; 30 July 1926; 3 Dec. 1926 (Item)
Sending various specimens.
Museum problems.
In his opinion very few marsupials have become extinct within recent years, they are just not as plentiful.
F. Wood-Jones, Adelaide University, sending rat from Kangaroo Island, 7 Aug. 1926; 12 Jan 1926 (Item)
C. Boden Kloss, Singapore, that Robinson has retired, sending specimens, 23 Aug 1926; 7 Sept. 1926; 5 Oct. 1926; 6 Dec. 1926; 24 Dec. 1926 (Item)
(3 Letters)
H. Longman, Queensland Museum, 26 Feb. 1926; 27 Feb. 1926; 22 April 1926; 10 May 1926; 28 July 1926; 18 Aug. 1926 (Item)
Specimens collected by Cpt. Wilkins.
Failure of collecting trips on Stradbroke Island.
Correspondence, 13 January 1927 - 30 December 1927 (File)
9 items
(Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides); 30 Dec. 1927; 16 Dec. 1927 John Baker, Oxford, 17 March 1927 (Item)
re specimens collected on New Hebrides.
E. Banks, Sarawak Museum, Kuching sending skins of various mammals, 31 May 1927 - 5 November 1927 (Item)
H. Longman, Queensland Museum, identifications of Wilkin's material, introducing J. Edgar Your visiting England, 13 January 1927 - 23 March 1927 (Item)
James Ritchie, Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh, 11 February 1927 - 30 March 1927 (Item)
Sending Australian mammal specimens from Sir Malcolm McEacharn's collections for identification.
Correspondence, 5 January 1928 - 28 February 1929 (File)
10 items
E. Banks, Sarawak Museum, sending entire collection of Bornean small mammal skins, whereabouts Mason, 13 July 1928; 20 April 1928 (Item)
C.B. Kloss, Singapore, sending various specimens of mice and squirrels, 5 Jan. 1928; 27 March 1928; 2 April 1928; 3 April 1928; 5 June 1928; 15 Aug. 1928; 13 Aug. 1928; 20 Aug. 1928; 21 Aug. 1928; 25 Feb. 1929. (on letter from Thomas of 28 Nov. 1928) 30 Nov. 1928. (Item)