Dana, Catalogue of Crustacea of the U. S. Expl. Exped. during 1838-'42 under Charles Wilkes U. S. A. Commt., collected and described by James D. Dana.
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PrintThis field book is the original of a catalogue of crustacea collected during the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842. This catalog was compiled by James Dwight Dana (1813-1895), a geologist and zoologist on this expedition. These specimens are housed at the National Museum of Natural History, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, and this catalog was maintained by the department. The catalogue, handwritten in black, blue and red ink by James Dwight Dana, includes a foreword signed and dated "James D. Dana, New Haven, May 1. 1857". The author explains in this foreword that, due to the wreck of the Peabody, one of the expedition's vessels, and to the forced opening of specimens by the authorities, the key and labels for the collected specimens were lost or misplaced. Therefore the author, who had written a report and made drawings on the expedition, provides in his catalogue "the names of all the species described in the Report", "together with the page, plate figure, for the convenience of reference & comparison." Dana wrote localities in blue ink for specimens that were kept in alcohol, and in red ink for dried specimens. The catalogue, written in 227 leaves, includes an appendix at end. On a following blank page is written a later pencil note, dated September 1894. The catalogue is worn at its corners and spine, which are of leather and present some red rot; some leaves are loose.
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SIA Acc. 16-298
National Museum of Natural History, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Curatorial Records, 1838-1842
1 field book
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Box 1, folder 1