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SUMMARY:Corresponding lepidopterists and the British Lepidoptera collectio
 n\, Department of Entomology\, British Museum (Natural History) - Erica Fi
 scher (King's College London)
DTSTART:20231120T130000Z
DTEND:20231120T140000Z
UID:TALK207061@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Tom Banbury
DESCRIPTION:In this paper\, I examine records of butterfly and moth specim
 ens collected between 1881 and 1955 which are housed in the Natural Histor
 y Museum (formerly the British Museum [Natural History]) along with associ
 ated correspondence to better understand the influence of outside collecto
 rs on the growth of the British Lepidoptera collection. A wide variety of 
 collectors and correspondents contributed specimens to the Museum\, and ma
 ny who contributed specimens were also in contact with members of staff\, 
 especially lepidopterists Norman Riley and 'Tiger' Tams.\n\nThrough this c
 ase study\, I demonstrate the utility of digitized museum specimen data in
  historical research when combined with archival materials\, especially us
 ing quantitative methods. These two types of sources provide a better pict
 ure of the growth of the collection and the people involved than either so
 urce on its own. Combining sources also makes it possible to examine the i
 nfluence of informal communication on specimen acquisition at the Museum. 
 Letters provide examples of attempts by staff members to steer outside col
 lecting to the benefit of the Museum\, especially in efforts to create a '
 complete' national collection of butterflies and moths from the British Is
 les. In particular\, I examine the spatial distribution of both specimens 
 and correspondents to identify inconsistencies and biases in collecting.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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