Inventory to the field notes of Frank C. Clarke at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at University of California, Berkeley.
MVZA.MSS.0063
Finding aid prepared by Chris Gordon
The processing of this collection was made possible through funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through
the Council on Library and Information Resources' "Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives" Project.
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Archives
3101 Valley Life Sciences Building
University of California
Berkeley
mvzarchives@berkeley.edu
March 2015
Descriptive Summary
Title: Frank C. Clarke field notes
Identifier/Call Number: MVZA.MSS.0063
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Archives
Language of Material:
English
Container: 1
Container: 2
Physical Description:
2.0 Volumes
Date (inclusive): 1912-1913
Abstract: The Frank C. Clarke Field Notes collection consists of field notes, specimen records, investigations, and some experiments
completed in California between 1912-1913.
Creator:
Clarke, Frank C., 1887-1958
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Access note
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Frank C. Clarke Field Notes, MVZA.MSS.0063, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Archives, University of California, Berkeley.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Biographical/Historical note
Frank C. Clarke was born in 1887 on the Clarke family ranch near Laytonville, Mendocino County, California. He graduated cum
laude from UC Berkeley in 1911 and earned his Master's degree in 1912 with a major in Entomology and Parasitology before returning
to the family ranch. For a short time Clarke accepted employment with the California Fish and Game Commission establishing
the skeletal differences between male and female deer. This information was later used to convict hunters who attempted to
pass off killed does as bucks.
Clarke worked to compile data on the working of his ranch, making him one of the leading authorities on brush clearance, wildlife
management, and range improvement. Working with his sheep flock, Clarke initiated breeding programs to improve their quality.
In addition, he developed a method of preparing a roll of fleece that became known among buyers as the best in California.
His fleeces also took championships in Chicago, Denver, Portland, and Texas wool shows of which Clarke was an early participant.
His dedication to the sheep industry eventually earned Clarke an election to the president of the California Wool Growers
Association.
Clarke began working with the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) at the University of California at Berkeley during his time
at the University as a graduate student. During Clarke’s decades long relationship with the MVZ, he contributed 225 animal
samples and two volumes of field notes from wildlife surveys conducted within California.
Scope and Contents note
The Frank C. Clarke Field Notes collection consists of 2 bound volumes spanning the years 1912-1913. The notes include interviews,
mostly informal, of residents and visitors surrounding survey sites and species accounts from localities within California.
Consists primarily of investigations into deer populations and behavior with some attention to hunting and conservation. Some
of the field notes contain investigations and experiments on sick ducks in the Kings County area of Southern California. Investigations
and experiments include records of duck species numbers, dissections and post mortem examinations of sick ducks, as well as
experiments to determine the cause of sickness.
Arrangement note
The arrangement of the collection is chronological and in its original form. The sections are bound in the order presented
in this guide.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Anas carolinensis
Biology--Fieldwork
Birds Research
Blue-winged teal
Cataloging--Specimens.
Deer
Deer hunting
Deer--Ecology
Ducks
Ecology--California
Elk Behavior
Field notes
Interview collection
Mallard
Mule deer Behavior
Platalea
Research reports and papers
Scientific expeditions--California
University of California (1868-1952). Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
White-tailed deer Behavior
Zoology Experiments
Volume 1 v565
1912
Physical Description:
197.0 Pages
Volume 1, Section 1
Journal, Fresno County, Calif. v565_s1
1912
Physical Description:
64.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Interviews with S.L.N. Ellis (pg 1-3/4-8), Mr. Wells (pg 3-4),T. A. Chatten and Deputy Hoen (pg 31-33). Included are informal
interviews with residents and visitors surrounding Bear Creek Canyon, Dunlap, Three Rivers, Hockett Meadows, Crabtree Creek,
Trout Meadows, and Springville.
Related Archival Materials note
Specimens collected in this section include accessions
#8 ,
#10 ,
#11 ,
#12 . These specimens can be found in the Museum of vertebrate Zoology's specimen database.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, United States, California, Fresno County
North America, United States, California, Mariposa County
North America, United States, California, Tulare County
View digitized field notes.
Volume 1/Section 2
Monterey, Santa Cruz & Santa Clara Counties, Calif. v565_s2
1912
Physical Description:
17.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Included informal interviews with residents and visitors surrounding Salinas and San Jose.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, United States, California, Monterey County
North America, United States, California, Santa Clara County
North America, United States, California, Santa Cruz County
View digitized field notes.
Volume 1/Section 3
Napa and Lake Counties, Calif. v565_s3
1912
Physical Description:
29.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Included informal interviews with residents surrounding Napa, Calistoga, Middletown, and Wildcat camp.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, United States, California, Lake County
North America, United States, California, Marin County
North America, United States, California, Napa County
View digitized field notes.
Volume 1/ Section 4
Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Imperial, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Cos., Calif. v565_s4
1912
Physical Description:
84.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Includes informal interviews with residents and visitors surrounding Los Angeles, East Lake Park, San Juan Capistrano, San
Diego, Noble Mine, Mason's Valley, Oceanside, San Mateo Valley, Imperial, and Calexico.
Related Archival Materials note
Specimens collected in this section include accessions
#14 . These specimens can be found in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology's specimen database.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, Mexico
North America, United States, California, Imperial County
North America, United States, California, Los Angeles County
North America, United States, California, Orange County
North America, United States, California, San Bernardino County
North America, United States, California, San Diego County
North America, United States, California, San Luis Obispo County
North America, United States, California, San Mateo County
North America, United States, California, Santa Barbara County
View digitized field notes.
Volume 2 v566
1912-1913
Physical Description:
154.0 Pages
Volume 2, Section 1
Mendocino Co. Calif. v566_s1
1912
Physical Description:
2.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Included is an informal interview with A. F. Lea of Cloverdale.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, United States, California, Mendocino County
View digitized field notes.
Volume 2, Section 2
Butte, Plumas, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou Cos., Calif. v566_s2
1912
Physical Description:
104.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Included are informal interviews with residents and visitors in the surroundings of Oroville, Brush Creek, Quincy, Portola,
Red Bluff, Redding, Sisson, Bray, Glenburn, Bartle, Junction City, Big Bar, Trinity Canyon, and Burnt Ranch.
Related Archival Materials note
Specimens collected in this section include accessions
#18 ,
#19 , and
#20 . These specimens can be found the in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology's specimen database.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, United States, California, Butte County
North America, United States, California, Los Angeles County
North America, United States, California, Plumas County
North America, United States, California, Shasta County
North America, United States, California, Siskiyou County
North America, United States, California, Tehama County
North America, United States, California, Trinity County
View digitized field notes.
Volume 2, Section 3
Miscellaneous Notes - Game v566_s3
1912
Physical Description:
5.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Contains informal interviews with visitors surrounding Cloverdale, Laytonville, Monterey Forest, and Palm Springs.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, United States, California, Humboldt County
North America, United States, California, Mendocino County
North America, United States, California, Monterey County
North America, United States, California, Napa County
North America, United States, California, Riverside County
North America, United States, California, San Bernardino County
North America, United States, California, Santa Barbara County
North America, United States, California, Sonoma County
North America, United States, California, Tulare County
View digitized field notes.
Volume 2, Section 4
Tulare Lake, Kings Co., Calif. v566_s4
1913
Physical Description:
42.0 Pages
Scope and Contents note
Contains informal interviews with residents and visitors surrounding Tulare Lake and Hanford. Included experiments done on
birds at Tulare Lake.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
North America, United States, California, Kern County
North America, United States, California, Kings County
North America, United States, California, Los Angeles County
View digitized field notes.
