Curatorial History
Daniel Giraud Elliot, 1894-1906
Wilfred H. Osgood, 1909-1947
Edmund Heller
Colin C. Sanborn
D. Dwight Davis (Curator of Osteology)
Philip Hershkovitz, 1947-1997
Karl F. Koopman, 1959-1961
Joseph B. Moore, 1960-1968
Luis de la Torre, 1969-1976
John J. Pizzimenti, 1973-1976
Ronald W. Turner, 1976
Patricia W. Freeman, 1976-1980
Robert M. Timm, 1980-1986
Bruce D. Patterson, 1981-present
Lawrence R. Heaney, 1988-present
1894 - 1895
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology (except Ornithology)
O. P. Hay, Assistant Curator of Zoology (except Ornithology)
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology (except Ornithology)
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
Mr. Dodson of London
Locality: Somaliland, Africa
Collection:See next year’s report
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
Taxidermy section was established this year with Carl E. Akeley as its head.
B. New Exhibits
Two monkey groups
1895 - 1896
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology (except Ornithology)
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Dr. Millspaugh, Botany
Professor Holmes, Anthropology, FMNH
Accompanied: Mr. Allison V. Armour of Chicago on his yacht
Locality: Havana, Progreso, islands on east coast of Yucatan, Laguna de Terminos and Vera Cruz
Collection: 400 zoological specimens
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: George K. Cherrie, Assistant Curator, Department of Ornithology
Locality: Santo Domingo, West Indies
Collection: 16 mammals
1896 - 1897
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology (except Ornithology)
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology (except Ornithology)
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: D. G. Elliot
Carl E. Akeley
Locality: Somaliland, Africa
Collection: 200 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
Musk Ox Diorama
1897 - 1898
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: D. G. Elliot
Carl E. Akeley
Locality: Olympia Mountains, Washington State
Collection: 500 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A.Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
- Waller’s gazelle diorama – Akeley
2.Oryx diorama - Akeley
1898 - 1899
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions
None
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
Wild Ass Group – Akeley
Cheetah Group – Akeley
Striped Hyena Group - Akeley
1899 - 1900
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
V. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Seth E. Meek
Locality: Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, Canada
Collection: mammals, fishes, reptiles, and insects
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Seth E. Meek
Locality: Ontario, Canada
Collection: mammals, fishes, reptiles, and insects
VI. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
Polar Bear diorama
Greater Koodoo Group - Akeley
1900 - 1901
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Taxidermist-in-Chief
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Seth E. Meek
F. E. Lutz
Locality: Central Mexico
Collection: 386 mammals (p. 40)
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller (p. 40)
Locality: California
Collection: 165 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
- Warthog Group
1901 - 1902
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller
Locality: Oregon, California, and Mexico
Collection: 838 mammals
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: W. E. Snyder
Locality: North Dakota
Collection: 252 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
- Virginia Deer or “Four Seasons” diorama (Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring) – Akeley
1902 - 1903
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Zoological Expedition (p. 180-181, 184)
Personnel: Edmund Heller
Locality: Sierra Nevada and Death Valley, California, Nevada
Collection: 478 mammals (p. 202)
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: N. G. Buxton
Locality: Mexico (p. 181, 201)
Collection: 168 mammals
C. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Seth E. Meek
Locality: Southern and Eastern Mexico (p. 202)
Collection: 1 ocelot
D. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller (p. 202)
Locality: California
Collection: 745 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
1903 - 1904
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions (p. 269-270)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller and C. M. Barber
Locality: Southern Mexico
Collection: 866 mammals (p. 288)
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller
Locality: California
Collection: 736 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
1904 - 1905
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions (p. 357)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller & C. M. Barber
Locality: Guatemala
Collection: 194 mammals (p. 384)
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Carl E. Akeley, Edmund Heller, and Vernon Shaw Kennedy
Locality: British East Africa
Collection: See next year report
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
1906
I. Scientific Staff
D. G. Elliot, Honorary and Supervisory Curator of Zoology
Charles B. Cory, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions (p. 27)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Carl E. Akeley, Vernon Shaw Kennedy, and Edmund Heller
Locality: British East Africa (1905-07)
Collection: See report for next year
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: C. M. Barber and Edmund Heller
Locality: Guatemala
Collection: 31 mammals (p. 52)
C. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller
Locality: Cairo, Illinois
Collection: 178 mammals (p. 51)
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
Plans for new building started.
1907
I. Scientific Staff
Charles B. Cory, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II.Scientific Expeditions (p. 357)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Carl E. Akeley, Vernon Shaw Kennedy, and Edmund Heller
Locality: British East Africa
Collection: 1,119 mammals (p. 157-158)
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller
Locality: Wisconsin and Illinois
Collection: 363 mammals (p. 156-157)
C. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller
Locality: California
Collection: 40 mammals (p. 157)
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
1908
I. Scientific Staff
Charles B. Cory, Curator of Zoology
Seth E. Meek, Assistant Curator of Zoology
Carl E. Akeley, Chief Taxidermist
II. Scientific Expeditions (p. 357)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: John F. Ferry
Locality:Costa Rica, Panama, and Islands of Curacao, Aruba, and Bonaire
Collection: Bird and mammal skins
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: N. Dearborn
Locality: Venezuela and Curacao
Collection: Bird and mammal skins
C. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Edmund Heller (p. 264)
Locality: Louisiana
Collection: 176 mammal skins
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
1. Woodchuck Group
2. Muskrat Group
1909
I. Scientific Staff
Wilfred H. Osgood, Assistant Curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology
II. Scientific Expeditions (p. 350-351, 379)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: John F. Ferry, Department of Zoology
Locality: Northern coast of South America, Island of Tonaire, Aves, Los Roques, Orchilla, Tortuga, Blanquilla, Los Hermanos, Margarita, and Testigos
Collection: 19 mammals
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: John F. Ferry, Department of Zoology
Locality: Prince Albert and Quill Lake, Saskatchewan
Collection: 22 mammals
III.Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
1. African Elephant Group (Stanley Field Hall) Akeley?
2. Glacier Bear Diorama
3. Alaskan Wolf Group
4. Alaskan Lynx Group
1910
I. Scientific Staff
Wilfred H. Osgood, Assistant Curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology
II. Scientific Expeditions (p. 26-27)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Wilfred H. Osgood
Locality: Northern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois
Collection: 108 mammals (p. 50)
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: H. F. Raven
Locality: Costa Rica and Venezuela
Collection: 8 mammals (p. 50)
C. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: L. L. Pray
Locality: Michigan
Collection: 28 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
1911
I. Scientific Staff
Wilfred H. Osgood, Assistant Curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology
II. Scientific Expeditions (p. 357)
A. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Wilfred H. Osgood and S. G. Jewett, Assistant
Locality: Venezuela and Colombia
Collection: 232 mammals
B. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: L. L. Pray and C. F. Brandler
Locality: White Deer Lake, near Champion, Michigan
Collection: Group of six beavers (p. 149) for exhibit
C. Zoological Expedition
Personnel: H. T. Raven
Locality: Venezuela
Collection: 5 mammals
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
None
B. New Exhibits
1. American Antelope Group
2. Small Mammal Group consisting of white-footed mouse, jumping mouse, meadow mouse, and short-tailed mouse.
1959
I. Scientific Staff
Philip Hershkovitz, M.S. Curator of Mammals
Karl Koopman, Ph.D., Assistant Curator of Mammals
Luis de la Torre, Associate, Mammals
II. Scientific Expeditions
A. Colombia Zoological Expedition
Personnel: Kjell von Sneidern
Locality: Colombia
Collection: 336 mammals (p 122)
B. U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3
Personnel: Harry Hoogstraal, Field Assoc.
Locality: Cairo, Egypt
Collection: 202 mammals (p 122)
C. Conover Peru Expedition – 1958
Personnel: Emmet R. Blake, Curator of Birds
Locality: Peru
Collection: 8 mammals (p 121)
D. Malaysia Zoological Field Trip, 1958-59
Personnel: D. Dwight Davis
Locality: Singapore and Malaya
Collection: 13 mammals (p 122)
III. Miscellaneous
A. Remarks
Additional Webpages
Be sure to visit the Osgood Files for additional information on the period (1909-1947) he was associated with Field Museum.