Articles on land snails in the subantarctic islands, finding the Possession Island message post and the history of Julius Haast's topographical mapping of the Southern Alps.
Records of the Canterbury Museum Volume 38 2024
Records of the Canterbury Museum Volume 38 2024
Fri, 13 Dec 2024
Articles
Rediscovered Suter type land snail material from subantarctic islands south of New Zealand
Johnathon Ridden, Wilma Blom and Paul Scofield
ABSTRACT: Details and images are provided for type material of six species of land snails described by Suter (1909) based on specimens collected on the subantarctic Auckland Islands, Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku and Snares Islands/Tini Heke, south of New Zealand. Primary type material of these species is held by Auckland War Memorial Museum, Australian Museum (Sydney), Canterbury Museum (Christchurch) and Te Papa Tongarewa (Wellington). The whereabouts of the type lots from the Canterbury Museum collection, including the holotypes of Endodonta minuta Suter, 1909 and Thermia expeditionis Suter, 1909, and syntypes of Athoracophorus (Pseudaneitea) huttoni Suter, 1909, Endodonta benhami Suter, 1909, Laoma cognata Suter, 1909 and Phenacohelix subantarctica Suter, 1909, had been unknown for several decades. They have recently been rediscovered.
Locating the Possession Island message post: the oldest human structure in the Ross Sea sector, Antarctica
Mark C G Mabin and David L Harrowfield
ABSTRACT: The message post era of exploration in the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica lasted less than 10 years and was only a significant factor in Commander (later Captain) Robert Falcon Scott’s 1901–1904 Discovery Expedition (1901–1904). However, it did result in the first on-land human-built structure south of the Antarctic Circle, namely the message post on Possession Island. This is recorded in the Antarctic Treaty System’s list of Historic Sites and Monuments, with a registered location that is not on Possession Island. This message post has not been reliably seen since 1903. This paper proposes a correction for the general location of the message post and, based on interpretation of aerial imagery dating from 1983, suggests where the post may be found.
The History of Julius Haast’s Topographical Mapping of the Southern Alps
George Hook and Sascha Nolden
ABSTRACT: Julius Haast’s brief, when appointed Provincial Geologist for Canterbury in 1861, was to complete a geological survey of the whole province. In order to do that he needed to topographically survey the unmapped parts of the province, which included most of the Southern Alps and the West Coast. The results of the topographical survey, undertaken in conjunction with the geological survey over the next eight years, was summarised on a large, professionally-drafted map of the Southern Alps, which Haast submitted to the Provincial Council in 1868. This article discusses Haast’s acquisition of surveying and cartographic skills before tracing the development and interim publication of his topographical mapping of the Southern Alps up to the submission of the completed map. Haast’s efforts to have it published within New Zealand and overseas are then examined, including eventually submitting it to the Royal Geographical Society in 1870, which published a finely detailed reduced-scale version of the map. The use made of various versions of Haast’s ‘great map’, within New Zealand and overseas is considered, and the belated recognition of the importance of his map is highlighted. In conclusion, the ultimate fate and state of each of Haast’s manuscript and draft maps of the Southern Alps are discussed.