Descriptive Entry
Descriptive Entry
This accession consists of records documenting the travels and family of Melbourne Armstrong Carriker, ornithologist and entomologist specializing in bird lice. His association with the Smithsonian Institution began in 1940, when he collected birds in Vera Cruz, Mexico, for the United States National Museum (USNM). From 1941 to 1952, Carriker conducted collecting expeditions to Colombia for the USNM. From 1953 until his death, Carriker held the honorary post of Collaborator in the Department of Entomology of the National Museum of Natural History.
Carriker's travels documented in this accession include expeditions and collecting trips to Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Costa Rica as well as family vacations throughout the United States. Materials primarily include photographs and negatives, but also include narratives, diaries, and other writings; clippings; correspondence; and maps. Some materials were created about Carriker shortly after his death. Also included in these records is a book written by his son, Melbourne Romaine Carriker, about the Carriker family in 2000, titled Vista Nieve: The Remarkable True Adventures of an Early Twentieth Century Naturalist and His Family in Columbia, South America. The book was written using the materials in this accession.
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
Contact us at osiaref@si.edu
