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Finding Aid to the Walter P. Taylor papers MVZA.MSS.0139
MVZA.MSS.0139  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Administrative Information
  • Biographical/historical note
  • Scope and Contents note
  • Arrangement note

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Walter P. Taylor papers
    Identifier/Call Number: MVZA.MSS.0139
    Contributing Institution: Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Archives
    Language of Material: English
    Physical Description: 0.1 Cubic feet
    Date (inclusive): 1904-1915
    Abstract: The Walter P. Taylor papers include field notes, manuscripts, and photographs. These materials offer insight into the work done by Taylor between 1904-1915.
    Creator: Taylor, Walter P. (Walter Penn), 1888-1972

    Administrative Information

    Conditions governing access

    The collection is open for research.

    Preferred citation

    Walter P. Taylor papers, MVZA.MSS.0139, 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

    Walter P. Taylor (1888-1972), a biologist and educator, was a significant contributor to ornithology in the Northwestern United States. He received his PhD from UC Berkeley in 1914, and served as Assistant Curator of Mammals at MVZ from 1909-1911 and Curator of Mammals from 1911-1916. He began his role as Assistant Biologist in 1916 with the Biological Survey (USDA), and retired as Senior Biologist in 1951 with the Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (USDI). He also was a professor with numerous U.S. colleges and universities. Additionally, he contributed over 300 short papers, bulletins, and technical publications in the fields of systematic zoology, ecology and conservation.
    Sources Consulted:
    Alcorn, Gordon D. "In Memoriam: Walter Penn Taylor." The Murrelet, 53, 3 (1972): 41. Accessed June 12, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3535229/.
    Lehmann, Valgene W. "Obituaries: Walter P. Taylor, 1888-1972." The Journal of Wildlife Management, 36, 4 (1972): 1379-1380. Accessed June 12, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3799296/.

    Scope and Contents note

    The Walter P. Taylor papers consist of eleven standard-bound volumes of field notes, including specimen and habitat sketches. The volumes span the years 1908-1915, with localities in California and Nevada. In addition to the eleven volumes, a manuscripts folder focuses on an MVZ expedition to Humboldt Co., Nevada in 1909, with specimen data, specimen measurements, and maps. A photographs folder contains landscape images from Humboldt Co., Nevada; these photographs accompanied an article titled "Field notes on amphibians, reptiles and birds of northern Humboldt County, Nevada, with a discussion of some of the faunal features of the region", published in University of California Publications in Zoology, Volume 7, Number 10 (1912). A third folder holds non-standard bound field notes from 1907-1909 that includes descriptions of a field encounter with Joseph Grinnell.

    Arrangement note

    The collection has been arranged in the following series: Field notes, Manuscripts, and Photographs. Within Field notes, there are two subseries: MVZ standard binding and MVZ non-standard binding.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Biological specimens--Collection and preservation.
    Biological specimens--Identification
    Biology Fieldwork
    Cataloging--Specimens.
    Scientific expeditions--California
    Scientific expeditions--Nevada
    University of California (1868-1952). Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
    Field notes
    Photographs