Murphy, Robert Cushman, 1887-1973

Correspondence to Lewis Mumford from Robert Cushman Murphy and his wife, Grace Emiline Barstow Murphy.

From the description of Letters, 1964-1971, n.d., to Lewis Mumford. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 155873220

Naturalist, scientist and environmentalist.

From the description of Papers, [ca.1895-1965], ca.1895-ca.1965 (bulk) (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 156794758

Robert Cushman Murphy was a zoologist, ornithologist, and oceanographer. He was Curator of Mammals and Birds at the Brooklyn Museum (1911-1917) and held various curatorial positions at the American Museum of Natural History (1917-1973). He was a pioneer in the study of the ecology and biogeographic zonation of oceanic birds.

From the description of Papers, ca. 1907-1973. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 154298084

From the description of Journals, 1907-1971. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122409252

Robert Cushman Murphy (1887-1973), one of the twentieth century’s great ornithologists, was curator of mammals and birds at the Brooklyn Museum (1911-1917) and was curator of birds and later chairman of birds at the American Museum of Natural History (1917-1973). The world’s foremost authority on sea birds, in 1936, he penned Oceanic Birds of South America, a two volume set. An ardent traveler and explorer, he kept copious notes of his travels, which he typed up, illustrated and had bound. The APS library owns forty-two bound journals. Murphy was made an APS member in 1946. A pioneer in the study of the ecology, a louse, fish, plant, lizard, an Antarctic inlet, spider, and two mountains have acquired his name.

From the guide to the Robert Cushman Murphy journals, 1907-1971, 1907-1971, (American Philosophical Society)

Robert Cushman Murphy, an ornithologist, conservationist, author and museum curator, spent 35 years with the American Museum of Natural History, retiring as chairman of the Dept. of Ornithology and Lamont Curator of Birds in 1955.

Murphy's interests in oceanic birds and conservation were established during his first expedition for the AMNH, the 1912-1913 South Georgia Island Expedition. After working for several years at the Brooklyn Museum, Murphy was appointed associate curator of birds at the AMNH in 1921. He eventually went on 13 expeditions, to Peru, the Mediterranean Sea, New Zealand and other Pacific Islands, Bermuda, Venezuela, and islands in the Caribbean, often accompanied by his wife, Grace, a naturalist, conservationist and author. During the 1920-1941 Whitney South Sea Expedition, Murphy's expertise kept him out of the field so that specimens could be processed, studied and classified as soon as they arrived. In 1932, Murphy faced the daunting task of cataloging the 280,000 birds acquired by the AMNH when it purchased Lord Rothschild's Tring collection. With the help of Grace Murphy and Ernst Mayr, the work was completed in 4 months, producing a manuscript of 740 pages. Murphy published five books, including Birds of Peru (1925) and Oceanic birds of South America (2 v., 1936, 1948). In addition, he was co-author or contributor to five others, and wrote between 500 and 600 articles, both scientific and popular. Murphy died in 1973.

From the description of Collection, 1913-1973 (bulk 1930-1973). (American Museum of Natural History). WorldCat record id: 56669796