Field journal : Archbold 1936 New Guinea Exp. February 27, 1936 to July 8, 1937 / Tate, G.H.H.

Abstract

Journal documents Tates activities during the 2nd Archbold Expedition to New Guinea, which focused primarily on the environs of the Fly River. Tate describes the journey to Papua New Guinea, the setting up and planning of the collecting trips and camps, the activities of his fellow participants, primarily Brass and Rand, the use of the amphibious craft Kona, including its sinking. The bulk of the journal describes his daily activities in collecting and preparation of specimens and detailed descriptions of the environment along with some sketched maps. Locations mentioned include Daru, Port Moresby, the Oriomo River and Fly River, Wuroi, Dogwa, Palmer Junction, the Black River, and the Astrolabe Range and area of Rona where Tate continued to collect at the end of the expedition. Also found with the journal are manuscript draft pages regarding the geography and topography of the Fly River area. Tate was a British-born zoologist who worked as curator in the Department of Mammalogy at the American Museum of Natural History. He participated in a number of expeditions, including Archbold Expeditions-funded trips to New Guinea and the Cape York Peninsula. He was the older brother of zoologist Geoffrey Tate.