North America's Galapagos : the historic Channel Islands biological survey / Corinne Heyning Laverty ; foreword by Torben C. Rick.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Laverty, Corinne Heyning, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Channel Islands Biological Survey (1939-1941).

Channel Islands Biological Survey.

Ecological surveys--California--Channel Islands.

Ecological surveys.

Natural resources--California--Channel Islands.

Natural resources.

Excavations (Archaeology).

Channel Islands (Calif.)--Antiquities.

Channel Islands (Calif.).

Excavations (Archaeology)--California--Channel Islands.

Antiquities.

California--Channel Islands.

Physical Description:

xix, 391 pages : illustrations, map ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City : The University of Utah Press, [2020]

Summary:

"Laverty has researched and written about the Channel Islands Biological Survey conducted just prior to World War II off the coast of southern California and aborted due to the war and island location. The manuscript illuminates the scientific process and delves into the realities and difficulties of scientific fieldwork in the late 1930s. It also tells the behind-the-scenes story of the work of a natural history museum. The eight Channel Islands each support different ecosystems, both flora and fauna, and human histories. Five of the eight islands comprise Channel Islands National Park. The expedition researchers--John Adams Comstock, Art Woodward, Jack von Bloeker Jr., and Don Meadows--hoped to achieve the exhilaration and recognition from new discoveries but were thwarted by the war and their inability to complete and publish the survey data. However, early archaeology done on the islands, some by the biological survey crew, initiated on-going work there. Prehistoric sites found on the islands have less pothunting and destruction than those on the mainland, hence they are more productive for addressing numerous questions. Today, they are helping to answer questions about the routes and timing for the peopling of the Americas"--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction : North America's Galapagos ; The Los Angeles County Museum Channel Islands Biological Survey

Big Dog Cave

Before Big Dog Cave

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo spoiled it all

The island of the caves, San Clemente Island

Camp Chinigchinich

The rock island, Santa Barbara

The lost island, San Nicolas

The search for the lone woman's whalebone hut

The lonely island, San Miguel

The king of San Miguel befriends the CIBS

To Rosa, the mysterious

The forested island, Santa Cruz

The expedition continues

Field work, first half 1940

Summer 1940

A flurry of letters and the end of the 1940 field year

The magic isle, Santa Catalina

Early 1941

Back at the museum

Hue and cry

An unmeeting of minds

Santa Rosa (again)

Unlucky thirteen

Epilogue.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Laverty, Corinne Heyning. America's Galapagos.

ISBN:

9781607817291

1607817292

OCLC:

1090697925