Harold Hall Australian Expeditions
Encyclopedia
The Harold Hall Australian Expeditions comprise a series of five main ornithological collecting
expeditions carried out in the 1960s and covering much of the Australia
n continent.
in London
to expand their holdings of Australian bird
specimens following the sale of both the Rothschild
and Mathews
collections to the United States
. The expeditions were sponsored by Australian-born philanthropist
Major Harold Wesley Hall who gave the museum a grant of ₤25,000 to enable the expeditions to take place. The series of expeditions aroused some opposition within Australia on both nationalistic and conservation grounds, and formed the last systematic collecting effort of Australian birds by an overseas institution. However, the organisers worked closely and well with Australian ornithologists and museums. Mrs Pat Hall, in the introduction to the main report on the expeditions, says:
and sheep station
s; the majority of birds collected were shot, though a few were mist-netted
. Generally, stomach
and crop
contents were examined and identified, and skull
s were examined for pneumatisation. Tongue
s were also preserved from most species collected.
, was discovered, and two new subspecies (of the White-quilled Rock-Pigeon
and Grey Shrike-thrush
) described, while new data were obtained from rare species such as the Black Grasswren
and White-lined Honeyeater
. Several papers on the findings were published in various journals in a series titled “Results of the Harold Hall Australian Expeditions”.
Bird collections
Bird collections are curated repositories of scientific specimens consisting of birds and their parts. They are a research resource for ornithology, the science of birds, and for other scientific disciplines in which information about birds is useful...
expeditions carried out in the 1960s and covering much of the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n continent.
Organisation
The expeditions were organised by the Zoology Department of the British Museum of Natural HistoryNatural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to expand their holdings of Australian bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
specimens following the sale of both the Rothschild
Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild
Lionel Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild FRS , a scion of the Rothschild family, was a British banker, politician, and zoologist.-Biography:...
and Mathews
Gregory Mathews
Gregory Macalister Mathews CBE was an Australian amateur ornithologist.Mathews made his fortune in mining shares, and moved to England around 1900....
collections to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The expeditions were sponsored by Australian-born philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
Major Harold Wesley Hall who gave the museum a grant of ₤25,000 to enable the expeditions to take place. The series of expeditions aroused some opposition within Australia on both nationalistic and conservation grounds, and formed the last systematic collecting effort of Australian birds by an overseas institution. However, the organisers worked closely and well with Australian ornithologists and museums. Mrs Pat Hall, in the introduction to the main report on the expeditions, says:
”It was estimated that five expeditions could be equipped and mounted from London, each costing ₤5000. Each would consist of about six people travelling in three Land RoverLand RoverLand Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
s, some of the members being from the British Museum (Natural History) and some from Australian museums, assisted by amateurs from both countries, and each would last about six months. Routes were planned with three objectives: first to provide the British Museum (Natural History) with a representative collection of Australian birds; second, to explore some areas which were poorly known ornithologically; third, to allow the Head of the Bird Room, Mr J. D. MacdonaldJames David Macdonald (ornithologist)James David Macdonald was a Scottish-Australian ornithologist and ornithological writer. A traditional museum ornithologist, he did much to build up the collections of African and Australian birds held by the British Museum, as well as popularising ornithology through his writings.-Education and...
to visit on the first Expedition as many State Museums as possible to prepare the way for subsequent expeditions. In addition each expedition had to end up and store vehicles and equipment at some place from which it was practicable to start the next expedition six months later.
”The basic plan was as follows:
- 1st Expedition. Land Perth
Perth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
; cross quickly to MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
; collect in Victoria, New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and southern QueenslandQueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
; finish BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.- 2nd Expedition. Start Brisbane; move quickly north to collect in northern Queensland; finish Melbourne.
- 3rd Expedition. Start Melbourne; move quickly into South Australia
South AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
; collect in the desert areas of South Australia and Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
; finish Perth.- 4th Expedition. Start and finish Perth; collect in extreme southwest and in western districts of Western Australia north to the Hamersley Range
Hamersley RangeThe Hamersley Ranges is a mountainous region of the Pilbara, Western Australia. The range runs from the Fortescue River in the northeast, 460 km south. The range contains Western Australia's highest point, Mount Meharry, which reaches approximately AHD. There are many extensively-eroded...
.- 5th Expedition. Start and finish Perth; collect in Kimberleys and Arnhem Land
Arnhem LandThe Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
.
”This plan was carried out in the six years between November 1962 and 1968, most collecting being done in the Australian winters.”
Personnel
- The first expedition (November 1962 – June 1963) was led by J.D. Macdonald, whose wife Dr Betty Macdonald acted as expedition medical officer, caterer and cook. Other British Museum staff were G.S. Cowles and P.R. Colston. Australians involved with at least parts of the expedition included Allan McEveyAllan Reginald McEveyAllan Reginald McEvey was a schoolteacher before becoming Curator of Ornithology at the National Museum of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. In 1962-63 he participated in the first of the Harold Hall Australian ornithological collecting expeditions. He was President of the Royal Australasian...
and Bill Middleton as well as preparators R. Boswell (National Museum of VictoriaMuseum VictoriaMuseum Victoria is an organisation which operates three major state-owned museums in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; these are: the Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum and Scienceworks. It also manages the Royal Exhibition Building and a storage facility in Melbourne's City of Moreland.Museum...
) and R. Lossin (Australian MuseumAustralian MuseumThe Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
). Dom ServentyDominic Louis ServentyDr Dominic Louis Serventy was an eminent Perth based Australian ornithologist. He was born at Brown Hill, Western Australia. He was educated at the University of Western Australia and Cambridge University to parents of Croatian origin. He was president of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists...
assisted with the organisation of the expedition in Perth. - The second expedition (February – August 1964) was led by I.C.J. Galbraith, with Shane ParkerShane A. ParkerShane A. Parker was a British-born museum curator and ornithologist, who emigrated to Australia in 1967 after participating in the second Harold Hall Australian ornithological collecting expedition in 1964...
and T. Andersen. Galbraith’s wife was caterer and cook. Australians involved were I. McCallum and R.L. Pink. - The third expedition (March – September 1965) was led by Mrs B.P. (Pat) Hall, with Derek GoodwinDerek GoodwinDerek Goodwin was a British ornithologist who wrote a series of what The Times called "definitive works" on estrildid finches, crows and pigeons. He was considered to be an expert on bird behaviour....
and G.S. Cowles, and cook J.E. Thomas. Australian participants included D.G. Nicholls, C.D.B. Thomas, Dom Serventy and Arthur Matthews. For the first month a participant was General Sir Gerald LathburyGerald LathburyGeneral Sir Gerald William Lathbury, GCB, DSO, MBE was a British Army officer during the Second World War and later became Governor of Gibraltar-Military career:...
, a member of the funding committee and the Governor of GibraltarGibraltarGibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. - The fourth expedition (February – June 1966) was led by Colin HarrisonColin Harrison (ornithologist)Colin James Oliver Harrison was an English ornithologist.Harrison was born in London, UK. He got a scholarship to grammar school, and then worked as a librarian and a teacher. He had been interested in birds since childhood, and joined an expedition to study autumn migration in Norway...
, with P.R. Colston and R.F. Dear. Harrison’s wife served as caterer and cook. - The fifth expedition (April – November 1968) was led by Major B.D. MacDonald Booth, with D.J. Freeman, Clifford FrithClifford Brodie FrithDr Clifford Brodie Frith is an English-born Australian citizen and ornithologist.-Life:He is a self-employed private, independent, zoological researcher, consultant, natural history author, photographer and publisher....
and R.A. Whistler. Australian participants were Harry ButlerHarry ButlerWilliam Henry "Harry" Butler CBE is an Australian naturalist and environmental consultant. He is a populariser of science and natural history for both child and adult audiences and, as conservation consultant to the Barrow Island oilfield and many other projects, has played a major role in...
and A. Hiller.
Methods
Much of the collecting was carried out from camps on cattleCattle station
Cattle station is an Australian term for a large farm , whose main activity is the rearing of cattle. In Australia, the owner of a cattle station is called a grazier...
and sheep station
Sheep station
A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...
s; the majority of birds collected were shot, though a few were mist-netted
Mist net
Mist nets are used by ornithologists and bat biologists to capture wild birds and bats for banding or other research projects. Mist nets are typically made of nylon mesh suspended between two poles, resembling an oversized volleyball net. When properly deployed, the nets are virtually invisible...
. Generally, stomach
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
and crop
Crop (anatomy)
A crop is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion that is found in many animals, including gastropods, earthworms, leeches, insects, birds, and even some dinosaurs.- Bees :Cropping is used by bees to temporarily store nectar of flowers...
contents were examined and identified, and skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
s were examined for pneumatisation. Tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
s were also preserved from most species collected.
Results
The main objective of the expeditions – to provide a comprehensive and well-documented series of skins and anatomical specimens – was largely achieved. Types of new forms were deposited in the appropriate state museums. Specimens deposited in the British Museum comprised 4709 skins, 786 skeletons and 910 specimens in fluid. One new species, Hall's BabblerHall's Babbler
Hall's Babbler is a species of bird in the Pomatostomidae family. It is endemic to Australia and was first described in 1964.-Name:...
, was discovered, and two new subspecies (of the White-quilled Rock-Pigeon
White-quilled Rock-Pigeon
The White-quilled Rock Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
and Grey Shrike-thrush
Grey Shrike-thrush
The Grey Shrikethrush or Grey Shrike-thrush , formerly commonly known as Grey Thrush, is one of the best-loved and most distinctive songbirds of Australasia. It is moderately common to common in most parts of Australia, but absent from the driest of the inland deserts...
) described, while new data were obtained from rare species such as the Black Grasswren
Black Grasswren
The Black Grasswren is a species of bird in the Maluridae family.It is endemic to Western Australia.Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation....
and White-lined Honeyeater
White-lined Honeyeater
The White-lined Honeyeater is a species of bird in the Meliphagidae family. It is endemic to northern Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It formerly included the Kimberley Honeyeater as a subspecies.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ...
. Several papers on the findings were published in various journals in a series titled “Results of the Harold Hall Australian Expeditions”.