Exist Dates
April 5, 1890 - March 29, 1970
Biographical or Historical Note
- abstract
-
Harold Elmer Anthony (born April 5, 1890, died March 29, 1970) was a mammalogist and worked at the American Museum of Natural
History for over 50 years. He specialized in mammals of the Western Hemisphere and led many expeditions to South and Central
America. Anthony was the Chairman and Curator in the Department of Mammalogy and was the Dean of Scientific Staff for several
years. The Museum's mammal halls were created under his leadership: Hall of North American Mammals, Akeley Hall of African
Mammals and Hall of South Asiatic Mammals. He wrote "Field Book of North American Mammals" (1928) and "Mammals of Porto Rico,
Living and Extinct" (1925, 1926, in two volumes).
H. E. Anthony was born in Beaverton, Oregon, April 5, 1890.
Prior to working at the AMNH, Anthony was a field collector for the U.S. Department of Argriculture, Biological Society in
North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. He began working for the Museum as a naturalist on the Albatross Expedition to Lower California,
spring 1911. By September 1911, he was employed as Museum staff until his retirement in 1958. During this time, H.E. Anthony
held several positions including Chairman, Curator of Mammals and Dean of Scientific Staff. In 1958, Anthony became curator
of the Frick Laboratory, a research lab located in the Museum and maintained by the Childs Frick Foundation for the study
of fossil life. He left this position in 1966. The lab was merged with the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology in 1968.
Outside the Museum, Anthony worked with wildlife and conservation organizations, including the Committee on Conservation of
Land Mammals (Chairman 1931-1935), Committee on Wild Life (1932), National Association of Audubon Societies (Chairman and
Director 1935)among many others. He was also interested in horticulture and served as president of the Greater New York Orchid
Society, from which he received a gold medal.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
H.E. Anthony specialized in the mammals of the West Indies and South American. He was active in conservation issues, especially
in the preservation of wild mammals in North America.
PUBLICATIONS (SELECTION)
• The Indigenous Land Mammals of Porto Rico, Living and Extinct, 1918
• Mammals of Porto Rico, Living and Extinct, 1925-1926
• Field Book of North American Mammals, 1928
• Horns and Antlers: Their Evolution, Occurrence and Function in the Mammalia, 1928-1929
• “The Facts About Shiva”, Natural History Magazine, December 1937
• “Christmas in Burma”, Natural History Magazine, December 1939
This is a condensed summary from a selection of sources.
Sources
American Museum of Natural History. Anthony, Harold Elmer [Staff C.V.], undated.
American Museum of Natural History Press Release. "Noted Mammalogist Dies in California." March 30, 1970.
Library of Congress Name Authority File
Chronology
- 1890: Born in Beaverton, Oregon
- 1911: Began work at the American Museum of Natural History
- 1911 January - April: California (Expedition Site) Albatross Expedition to lower California
- 1911 September: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Assistant in Department of Mammalogy
- 1912 August - September: Oregon (Expedition Site) Collecting trip to eastern Oregon for Department of Mammals and Birds
- 1914 January - March: Gatún, Lago (Expedition Site) Shiras Expedition to Panama
- 1915: EDUCATION - Columbia University, B.S.
- 1915 February - May: Panama (Expedition Site) Eastern Panama to collect mammals and birds
- 1915 February: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Assistant in Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology; Placed on Scientific Staff
- 1915 July - October: FIELD WORK - Idaho and Oregon to collect mammals
- 1916 May - August: Puerto Rico (Expedition Site) Puerto Rico field work
- 1916 September - October: Ontario (Collection Site) Collected skin and skeleton of a moose from Ontario, Canada. (AR 1916, p. 75)
- 1917 January - March: Cuba (Expedition Site) Cuba and Santo Domingo Expedition
- 1919 February 3: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Appointed Associate Curator of Mammals of Western Hemisphere
- 1919 November - 1920 March: Jamaica (Expedition Site) To study the zoology of the island
- 1920: EDUCATION - Pacific University, M.A.
- 1920 June - 1923 December: Ecuador (Expedition Site) Took place from June 1920-March 1921, July 1923-December 1923
- 1924 January 10: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Placed in charge of Department of Mammals
- 1926 January: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Curator of Mammals
- 1926 February - July: FIELD WORK - Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Expedition
- 1926 November - 1927 June: Sudan (Expedition Site) Member of the Taylor Sudan Expedition
- 1927 - 1928: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Secretary of Division II
- 1927 November: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Placed in charge of African and Asiatic Mammal Halls
- 1928 May - October: Siberia (Expedition Site) Stoll-McCracken Siberian Arctic Expedition
- 1929 November - 1930 April: South America (Expedition Site) Ottley-Anthony South American Expedition
- 1932 January - March: Venezuela (Expedition Site) Anthony-Ottley Venezuela Expedition
- 1934: EDUCATION - Honorary degree from Pacific University, D.Sc.
- 1934 August 16 - September 21: Jackson Hole (Expedition Site) Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- 1936 August 10 - October 19: Kenai Peninsula (Expedition Site) Stillman-Durrell Expedition to Alaska
- 1937 September 3 - 29: Grand Canyon (Expedition Site) Patterson Grand Canyon Expedition
- 1938 October - 1939 May: Myanmar (Expedition Site) Vernay-Cutting Burma Expedition
- 1939 May 1: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Advisory Associate, Department of Forestry and Conservation
- 1942 - 1944: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Dean of Scientific Staff
- 1942 July 1: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Chairman of Department of Mammals
- 1944 March: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Curator of Recent Mammals
- 1946 May 8 - November 12: Malawi (Expedition Site) Vernay Nyasaland Expedition
- 1948 August 8 - September 26: Alaska (Expedition Site) Friedman-Anthony Alaska Expedition
- 1952 - 1957: STAFF APPOINTMENT - Deputy Director
- 1958: Retired from the American Museum of Natural History
- 1958 - 1966 March: Curator of the Frick Laboratory
Terms
- localDescription
- affiliated person
- place
- California
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1911 January-April
Albatross Expedition to lower California
- place
- Oregon
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1912 August-September
Collecting trip to eastern Oregon for Department of Mammals and Birds
- place
- Gatún, Lago
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1914 January-March
Shiras Expedition to Panama
- place
- Panama
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1915 February-May
Eastern Panama to collect mammals and birds
- place
- Puerto Rico
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1916 May-August
Puerto Rico field work
- place
- Ontario
(Collection Site)
dates: 1916 September-October
Collected skin and skeleton of a moose from Ontario, Canada. (AR 1916, p. 75)
- place
- Cuba
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1917 January-March
Cuba and Santo Domingo Expedition
- place
- Jamaica
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1919 November-1920 March
To study the zoology of the island
- place
- Ecuador
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1920 June-1923 December
Took place from June 1920-March 1921, July 1923-December 1923
- place
- Sudan
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1926 November-1927 June
Member of the Taylor Sudan Expedition
- place
- Siberia
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1928 May-October
Stoll-McCracken Siberian Arctic Expedition
- place
- South America
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1929 November-1930 April
Ottley-Anthony South American Expedition
- place
- Venezuela
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1932 January-March
Anthony-Ottley Venezuela Expedition
- place
- Jackson Hole
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1934 August 16-September 21
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- place
- Kenai Peninsula
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1936 August 10-October 19
Stillman-Durrell Expedition to Alaska
- place
- Grand Canyon
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1937 September 3-29
Patterson Grand Canyon Expedition
- place
- Myanmar
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1938 October-1939 May
Vernay-Cutting Burma Expedition
- place
- Malawi
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1946 May 8-November 12
Vernay Nyasaland Expedition
- place
- Alaska
(Expedition Site)
dates: 1948 August 8-September 26
Friedman-Anthony Alaska Expedition