Which rattlesnake was greenish-gray with brown-gray blotches and found in South Dakota in 1894? Transcribe Leonhard Stejneger's field notebook from survey along the Cheyenne River to learn more about snakes and other reptiles he observed.
Which rattlesnake was greenish-gray with brown-gray blotches and found in South Dakota in 1894? Transcribe Leonhard Stejneger's field notebook from survey along the Cheyenne River to learn more about snakes and other reptiles he observed.
This field book features specimen lists of reptiles and amphibians collected, as well as a run-in with a gray wolf, by Leonhard Stejneger (1851-1943). Though an expert herpetologist and ornithologist, his diverse zoological background would certainly have helped him in that encounter. Following this expedition, Stejneger would head back to the North Pacific to continue researching the fur seal, which had become central to some international political and economic concerns. Later, he served as simultaneous Head Curator of the Smithsonian Department of Biology and Curator of the Division of Reptiles and Batrachians from 1911 until his death.
This field book catalogues reptiles and amphibians collected in the South Dakota badlands in 1894. The specimen list was developed within a brief period at Quinn Draw and Corrall Draw near the Cheyenne River, as well as at Hemosa, South Dakota. Each listing includes a brief description and often measurements. A photograph of a house and an itinerary were also discovered in this field book. 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. The Leonhard Stejneger Papers collection, 1753, 1867-1943, can be explored more fully via the Smithsonian Institution Archives. With your help and transcription, future researchers can discover details about the collection, the Field Book project, and Leonhard Stejneger through the Smithsonian Institution Archives.