What might you find if you peek under logs and follow streams while researching reptiles and amphibians? Find out as you transcribe James A. Peters' field notes from researching in Mexico in 1949.
What might you find if you peek under logs and follow streams while researching reptiles and amphibians? Find out as you transcribe James A. Peters' field notes from researching in Mexico in 1949.
Herpetologist Dr. James A. Peters (1922-1972) was an extremely active researcher. Over the course of 30 years, he discovered at least seventeen new species or subspecies that were mostly amphibians. He even has five neotropical amphibians and reptiles ? and one snake ? named after him. Peters served as Curator and Assistant Curator of the Department of Reptiles and Amphibians at the Smithsonian Institution.
This bound field notebook offers daily narrative entries about Peters' 1949 collecting trip to Mexico. Writing in late winter through spring, Peters explains the specimen, surrounding environments including local flora, and weather conditions and elevations. The field book also features sketches and an itinerary at the last pages.
This field book is part of the Field Book Project and Registry: a conservation and digitization initiative co-sponsored by the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Your help with transcription will allow others to learn more about the collection, the Field Book project, and Dr. James A. Peters through the Smithsonian Institution Archives.