by Lesley Parilla, Field Book Project
We have cataloged 5,000 field books, generated by collectors across the National Museum of Natural History and Smithsonian Institution Archives. These include more than 400 collections encompassing botany, entomology, ornithology, ichthyology, herpetology, mammalogy, and invertebrate zoology just to name a few. Collections with confirmed dates range from 1815 to 2008. Cataloged items cover every continent – including Antarctica and northern Polar Regions. They encompass journals, videos, photographs, scrap books, diaries, correspondence, slides (including stereographic), species lists, maps…should I continue?
After cataloging so many field books, some interesting trends emerged. Here are a few highlights of what we have found while cataloging.
A Growing Nation
Early collecting trips were often surveys of newly acquired American territories -- Oregon, Nebraska, and Alaska, for example. Individuals like J. A. Cooper traveled along with military and other participants between forts and new settlements, collecting as much information as possible about vegetation and wildlife. Recorded observations frequently include details about agricultural and commercial possibilities. Often these types of field books are journals with descriptions of communities and inhabitants of these regions.
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September 19, 1940, during Alaska King Crab Investigation with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Smithsonian Institution Archives. SIA2012-0672a. |
Economic Needs
Some collections like those of the Bureau of Fisheries and Bureau of Biological Survey (later to merge and become the Department of Fish and Wildlife) were born out of economic needs. The Bureau of Fisheries came out of a commission established by the US Congress to study the health and locations of fishing grounds. Field books document interviews with local watermen and surveys of locations about the presence and stability of marine life along all major US coastlines.
In a similar vein, the US Biological Survey was created under the US Department of Agriculture, initially studying geographical distributions of flora and fauna and the interplay when relating to control of agricultural pests. The field books of the US Biological Survey often discuss agricultural needs alongside investigations for the creation of nature preserves and refuges, helping to balance economic and conservation needs.
Contemporary Accounts
Journals, correspondence, and diaries can contain fascinating details about contemporary life. Field books at the Smithsonian relate details about interactions with contemporaries, descriptions of communities, and sometimes even food encountered in foreign countries. Some of the most memorable accounts include William and Lucile Mann describing the conditions in European zoos during World War II; Bohumil Shimek’s challenges leaving Europe at the outbreak of World War I; Waldo Schmitt traveling with Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Galapagos in 1938; and William Dall’s interactions with Russians just prior to the purchase of Alaska.
Recording Biodiversity
Field books often include more than one scientific discipline. Many scientists focused on two or three areas of interest, especially those collecting in the nineteenth century. Some, like the field books of Constantine Samuel Rafinesque can include up to five different disciplines.
Relationships between Federal Agencies
Interagency collaboration is not a new concept. Just look through a few NMNH department field book collections. Several departments at Natural History have long-term, deep connections with other agencies. These sometimes remain intact even as federal departments evolve and merge. Smithsonian collections include field books created by military officers (United States Exploring Expedition, also known as the Wilkes Expedition, was headed by US Navy), Bureau of Fisheries, US Department of Agriculture, and Department Fish and Wildlife.
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Page from “Color Notes on Hawaiian Fishes” recorded during Bureau of Fisheries field work at Hawaiian Fish Market. Smithsonian Institution Archives RU 7184, Box 16 Folder 8, 1901. 110726_0708. |
In all, it has been thrilling to see the range of field work documented across the Institution. I think all of us at the Field Book Project will agree it has been a fascinating journey thus far, and look forward to seeing what we find next.
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