Charles Henry Gilbert (1859-1928), Naturalist-in-Charge, and Chauncey Thomas, Jr. (1850-1919), Commanding: Conflict Aboard the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross in 1902

Charles Henry Gilbert (1859-1928) was a pioneering ichthyologist who made major contributions to the study of fishes of the American West. As chairman of the Department ofZoology at Leland Stanford Junior University in Palo Alto, Calif., during 1891-1925, Gilbert was extremely devoted to his work and showed little patience with those ofa different mindset. While serving as Naturalist-in-Charge of the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross during her exploratory expedition to the Hawaiian Islands in 1902, Gilbert engaged in an acrimonious feud with the ship's captain, Chauncey Thomas, Jr. (1850-1919), U.S.N., over what Gilbert perceived to be an inadequate effort by the captain. This essay focuses on the conflict between two strong figures, each operatingf rom different world views, and each vying for authority. Despite the difficulties these two men faced, the voyage of the Albatross in 1902 must be considered a success, as reflected by the extensive biological samples collected, the many new species of animals discovered, and the resulting publication of important scientific papers.

Charles Henry Gilbert (1859-1928), Naturalist-in-Charge: the 1906 North Pacific Expedition of the Steamer Albatross

Fishery science pioneers often faced challenges in their field work that are mostly unknown to modern biologists. Some of the travails faced by ichthyologist and, later, fishery biologist Charles Henry Gilbert (1859-1928) during his service as Naturalist-in-Charge of the North Pacific cruise ofthe U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross in 1906, are described here, as are accomplishments of the cruise. The vessel left San Francisco, Calif., on 3 May 1906, just after the great San Francisco earthquake, for scientific exploration of waters of the Aleutian islands, Bering Sea, Kamchatka, Sakhalin, and Japan, returning to San Francisco in December. Because the expedition occurred just after the war between Japan and Russia of 1904-05 floating derelict mines in Japanese waters were often a menace. Major storms caused havoc in the region, and the captain of the Albatross, Lieutenant Commander LeRoy Mason Garrett (1857-1906), U.S.N., was lost at sea, apparently thrown from the vessel during a sudden storm on the return leg of the cruise. Despite such obstacles, Gilbert and the Albatross successfully completed their assigned chores. They occupied 339 dredging and 48 hydrographic stations, and discovered over 180 new species of fishes and many new species of invertebrates. The expedition's extensive biological collections spawned over 30 descriptive publications, some of which remain today as standards of knowledge.

Biographic Memoir of Ernest Ingersoll: Naturalist, Shellfish Scientist, and Author

The name Ernest Ingersoll is well-known to many shellfishery biologists as the author of two outstanding monographs on the shellfisheries of the United States and Canada in the 1880's. The first (Ingersoll, 1881a), entitled "A Report on the Oyster-Industry of the United States," was a 252-page description of historical and contemporary oyster fishing' marketing methods, and statistical data in the eastern provinces of Canada and the coastal states of the United States. The second (Ingersoll, 1887), entitled "The Oyster, Scallop, Clam, Mussel, and Abalone Industries," was a l20-page summary of the first monograph about oysters as well as a history and description of contemporary methods and statistical data of the other shellfisheries. Although Ingersoll was, by profession, a naturalist and author but only briefly a shellfish scientist, these monographs are regarded as benchmarks, providing the principal descriptions of shellfisheries in North America in the 1700's and 1800's.

Mapping species distributions : A comparison of skilled naturalist and lay citizen science recording

Acknowledgements We are grateful to Elaine O’Mahony, Imogen Pearce, Richard Comont, Anthony McCluskey and other BBCT staff for the many hours of BeeWatch species identification and for all people who submitted sightings to BeeWatch, OPAL, BWARS and the various local recording schemes and societies. We thank the NBN for allowing us to download the bumblebee records without strings attached, and the Essex, Greater London, Cumbria and Sussex based recording centres for providing records upon request. Finally, we are indebted to Tom August and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable critique on an earlier version of this work.

The Victorian Naturalist

v.35-36 (1918-1920)

The Victorian Naturalist

v.33-34 (1916-1918)

Half hours with a naturalist: rambles near the shore.

Mode of access: Internet.