Horn Expedition
Encyclopedia
The Horn Scientific Expedition was the first primarily scientific expedition to study the natural history
of Central Australia
. It took place from May to August 1894, with expedition members first traveling by train from Adelaide
to the railhead at Oodnadatta in South Australia
, then using camel
s for transport to traverse over 3000 km of largely uncharted country from Oodnadatta through the Finke River
basin to Alice Springs
and the Macdonnell Ranges
in what is now the Northern Territory
.
The expedition was equipped and sponsored by William Austin Horn, a wealthy pastoralist and mining magnate, who accompanied the expedition in its early stages. The area studied included the country of the Arrernte
and Luritja
people, whose assistance and goodwill was crucial to the success of the expedition through the provision of natural history specimens, artefacts and information.
Other personnel were two collectors, one of whom was ornithologist
George Keartland
, a cook and four cameleers. Local Aboriginal guides were also used for parts of the expedition.
The expedition was the first to collect fishes from central Australia. New species were described as well as new records made of others. Findings included the lack of evidence for aestivation by desert fish and the importance of flooding for dispersal.
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
of Central Australia
Central Australia
Central Australia/Alice Springs Region is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory. The term Central Australia is used to describe an area centred on Alice Springs in Australia. It is sometimes referred to as Centralia; likewise the people of the area are sometimes called Centralians...
. It took place from May to August 1894, with expedition members first traveling by train from Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
to the railhead at Oodnadatta in South Australia
South Australia
South 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...
, then using camel
Dromedary
The dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...
s for transport to traverse over 3000 km of largely uncharted country from Oodnadatta through the Finke River
Finke River
The Finke River is one of the largest rivers in central Australia. Its source is in the Northern Territory's MacDonnell Ranges, and the name Finke River is first applied at the confluence of the Davenport and Ormiston Creeks, just north of Glen Helen. From here the river meanders for approximately...
basin to Alice Springs
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
and the Macdonnell Ranges
MacDonnell Ranges
The MacDonnell Ranges of the Northern Territory, are a long series of mountain ranges located in the centre of Australia , and consist of parallel ridges running to the east and west of Alice Springs...
in what is now the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
.
The expedition was equipped and sponsored by William Austin Horn, a wealthy pastoralist and mining magnate, who accompanied the expedition in its early stages. The area studied included the country of the Arrernte
Arrernte people
The Arrernte people , known in English as the Aranda or Arunta, are those Indigenous Australians who are the original custodians of Arrernte lands in the central area of Australia around Mparntwe or Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The Arrernte tribe has lived there for more than 20,000 years...
and Luritja
Luritja
Luritja is a name used to refer to several dialects of the Indigenous Australian Western Desert Language, and thereby also to the people who speak these varieties, and their traditional lands.-Origin and meaning of Luritja:...
people, whose assistance and goodwill was crucial to the success of the expedition through the provision of natural history specimens, artefacts and information.
Personnel
Members of the expedition, with their responsibilities, included:- Professor Baldwin SpencerWalter Baldwin SpencerSir Walter Baldwin Spencer KCMG was a British-Australian biologist and anthropologist.Baldwin was born in Stretford, Lancashire. His father, Reuben Spencer, who had come from Derbyshire in his youth, obtained a position with Rylands and Sons, cotton manufacturers, and rose to be chairman of its...
– zoologyZoologyZoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, who also edited the official account of the expedition for publication - Dr Edward Charles StirlingEdward Charles StirlingSir Edward Charles Stirling was an Australian anthropologist and the first professor of physiology at the University of Adelaide.-Early life:...
– anthropologyAnthropologyAnthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, who acted as the medical officer - Professor Ralph TateRalph TateRalph Tate was a British-born botanist and geologist, who was later active in Australia.-Early life:Tate was born at Alnwick in Northumberland, the son of Thomas Turner Tate , a teacher of mathematics and science, and his wife Frances...
– geologyGeologyGeology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and botanyBotanyBotany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses... - J. A. Watt – geology and mineralogyMineralogyMineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
- C. Winnecke – meteorologyMeteorologyMeteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
, as well as being the surveyor and leader
Other personnel were two collectors, one of whom was ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
George Keartland
George Arthur Keartland
George Arthur Keartland was an Australian typographer and ornithologist notable for his collecting work on the Horn and Calvert scientific exploring expeditions....
, a cook and four cameleers. Local Aboriginal guides were also used for parts of the expedition.
Achievements
Among the achievements of the expedition was the collection and description of new mammal species, some of which are now locally extinct or threatened, including the:- Fat-tailed False AntechinusFat-tailed False AntechinusThe Fat-tailed False Antechinus , also called the Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus and Red-eared Antechinus, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order...
- Sandhill DunnartSandhill DunnartThe Sandhill Dunnart is a species of small carnivorous Australian marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It is known from four scattered arid areas of Australia: near Lake Amadeus in Northern Territory, the central Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, the southwestern edge of the Great Victoria Desert...
- Stripe-faced DunnartStripe-faced DunnartThe Striped-faced Dunnart is an Australian marsupial. This dunnart has an average length of 155-198 mm from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail, snout to anus distance of 75-98 mm, a tail measuring 80-100 mm and an ear length of 17-18 mm. Its weight varies between 15-25 grams. It has a...
- KowariKowariThe Kowari , also known as the Brush-tailed Marsupial Rat, Kayer Rat, Byrne's Crest-tailed Marsupial Rat, Bushy-tailed Marsupial Rat and Kawiri, is a small carnivorous marsupial native to the dry grasslands and deserts of central Australia...
- Central Rock RatCentral Rock RatThe Central Rock Rat, Central Thick-tailed Rock-rat, Macdonnell Range Rock-rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Australia....
- Shark Bay MouseShark Bay MouseThe Shark Bay Mouse, Djoongari or Alice Springs Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Australia, restricted to four islands in the Shark Bay area. It was once found throughout the western two thirds of Australia but it suffered greatly after the arrival of...
- Sandy Inland MouseSandy Inland MouseThe Sandy Inland Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Australia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
- Spinifex Hopping MouseSpinifex Hopping MouseThe Spinifex Hopping Mouse , also known as the Tarkawara or Tarrkawarra, occurs throughout the central and western Australian arid zones, occupying both spinifex-covered sand flats and stabilised sand dunes, and loamy mulga and melaleuca flats.The population fluctuates greatly: in normal years it...
The expedition was the first to collect fishes from central Australia. New species were described as well as new records made of others. Findings included the lack of evidence for aestivation by desert fish and the importance of flooding for dispersal.
Further reading
- Spencer, Baldwin. (Ed). (1896). Report on the Work of the Horn Expedition to Central Australia. (4 vols). Dulau and Co: London; and Melville, Mullen & Slade: Melbourne.