1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910450213003321

Autore

Beidleman Richard G

Titolo

California's frontier naturalists [[electronic resource] /] / Richard G. Beidleman

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Berkeley, : University of California Press, 2006

ISBN

0-520-92750-8

9786612356339

1-282-35633-X

1-59875-921-3

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (501 p.)

Disciplina

508.794

Soggetti

Natural history - California

Scientific expeditions - California

Naturalists - California - History

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front matter -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Preface -- Prelude -- Part 1. The Oceanic Expeditions -- Part 2. The Early Peripatetic Naturalists -- Part 3. The Overland Expeditions and Their Naturalists -- Part 4. Iron Horses and River Steamers -- Part 5. The California Geological Survey -- Part 6. Institutions and Naturalists -- Part 7. The Postwar Naturalists -- Selected References -- Index

Sommario/riassunto

This book chronicles the fascinating story of the enthusiastic, stalwart, and talented naturalists who were drawn to California's spectacular natural bounty over the decades from 1786, when the La PĂ©rouse Expedition arrived at Monterey, to the Death Valley expedition in 1890-91, the proclaimed "end" of the American frontier. Richard G. Beidleman's engaging and marvelously detailed narrative describes these botanists, zoologists, geologists, paleontologists, astronomers, and ethnologists as they camped under stars and faced blizzards, made discoveries and amassed collections, kept journals and lost valuables, sketched flowers and landscapes, recorded comets and native languages. He weaves together the stories of their lives, their



demanding fieldwork, their contributions to science, and their exciting adventures against the backdrop of California and world history. California's Frontier Naturalists covers all the major expeditions to California as well as individual and institutional explorations, introducing naturalists who accompanied boundary surveys, joined federal railroad parties, traveled with river topographical expeditions, accompanied troops involved with the Mexican War, and made up California's own geological survey. Among these early naturalists are famous names-David Douglas, Thomas Nuttall, John Charles Fremont, William Brewer-as well as those who are less well-known, including Paolo Botta, Richard Hinds, and Sara Lemmon.