Details - 1948 Archbold Cape York Expedition - Biodiversity Heritage Library

1948 Archbold Cape York Expedition

Title

1948 Archbold Cape York Expedition

By

Brass, L. J. (Leonard John), 1900-1971

American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Mammalogy. Archbold Expeditions Collection.
Cape York Expedition (1948)

Type

Book

Material

Archival material

Publication info

[1947-1948]

Notes

Unbound typescript.

Journal maintained by Leonard Brass as leader of the Cape York Expedition in late 1947 and 1948. Entries detail the planning and organization of the expedition, the acquisition of permits, the collecting and preparation activities of both Brass and his colleagues and crew, as well as the round trip journey to the site. Subjects include social engagements, difficulties with the cargo being held due to a strike, the collecting and preparation activities of the team members, as well as observations and analysis of the weather and the botanical life of the environs. Flight observation logs are transcribed and included within the journal entries. Locations cited include Chicago, Cairns, Red Island Point, Thursday Island, Portland Roads, Mt. Tozer, Cooktown, Horn Island, the Iron Range, Mossman Gorge, Speewah, Mt. Bellenden-Ker, Peach River, Mt. Finneran, and Port of Spain.

Leonard J. Brass (1900-1971) was an Australian botanist and Associate Curator of the Archbold Collections in the American Museum of Natural History Department of Mammalogy. He began his expeditionary work for the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, and was brought into the Archbold Expeditions by Richard Archbold in 1933 for the 1st of the New Guinea Expeditions. He would join all but the last of the New Guinea Expeditions, leading the 4th, 5th and 6th, as well as the expedition to Cape York. He participated in other American Museum of Natural History expeditions, and also maintained ties with the Arnold Arboretum. Brass was involved in a research directorial capacity at the Archbold Biological Research Station in Florida from its inception in 1941 and retired in 1966.

Cataloged through a 2015 Leon Levy Foundation Archives grant.