Richard Archbolds Madagascar journal : Mission zoologique franco-anglo-américaine 4 April, 1929-14 May, 1930
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Abstract
Archbolds journal from his time en route to and during the expedition to Madagascar. Dated entries describe his collecting and trapping work, observations about specimens and their locations, notes about social interaction and activities, and travel details including some location coordinates, descriptions of habitats, ships and other transport, the purchasing of goods and meals. Some hand drawn sketches and maps. Locations include Madagascar and South Africa. Note that 6 leaves of an undated narrative are inserted before the November 26, 1929 entry. Laid in sheets contain an itinerary listing numbers, localities and dates. The meaning of the numbers is not specified, but dates range from April 20, 1929 to May 3, 1931, and also include the locations of Decarys route. The Mission zoologique franco-anglo-américaine à Madagascar was an expedition to Madagascar coordinated with and represented by delegates from French, English and American institutions. Archbold's father had provided the sponsorship for the American Museum of Natural History to participate, and Archbold joined the expedition as photographer and collector. Richard Archbold was a sponsor of scientific study, mountaineer, aviator and research associate at the American Museum of Natural History from 1931. He established Archbold Expeditions (formerly Biological Explorations) which sponsored field work, a collection and curatorial staff at the American Museum of Natural History. He also founded the Archbold Biological Station in Florida in 1941 as a center for scientific research and ecological study. One of the first to recognize the value of air transport in expeditionary work, Archbold led three of the New Guinea Expeditions, the third of which culminated in the seaplane Guba IIs historic transcontinental flight.