Description
The Charles S. Thaeler, Jr. papers consist of two bound volumes spanning the years 1956-1963. The field notes focus mainly
on the Thomomys genus, smooth-toothed pocket gophers, with some research on the Empidonax genus, birds of the tyrant flycatcher
family. The notes include journals, catalogues, and species accounts from localities within California and Nevada. Some of
the field notes contain map sketches. The Thaeler correspondence spans from his time at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology as
a graduate student to his time as a professor of biology at New Mexico State University.
Background
Dr. Charles S. Thaeler, Jr., born on January 9, 1932, mainly studied pocket gopher species in California and the Western United
States during his time with the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at UC Berkeley. Although formally a graduate PhD student under
Dr. Seth B. Benson from 1964-1969, Thaeler was affiliated with the MVZ prior to his enrollment as a graduate student. The
Thaeler Field Notes Collection contains his research from 1956-1963 on the genus Thomomys, smooth-toothed pocket gophers,
which were the subjects of his PhD dissertation entitled “An Analysis of the Distribution of Pocket Gopher Species in Northeastern
California (Genus Thomomys)” (1968). Thaeler’s research took him all throughout California, but he mainly focused his research
on Northern California counties, including Lassen, Shasta, Siskiyou, Plumas, and Mendocino county.
Restrictions
Copyright restrictions may apply. All requests to publish, quote, or reproduce must be submitted to the Museum of Vertebrate
Zoology Archives in writing for approval. Please contact the Museum Archivist for further information.
Availability
The collection is open for research.