James Whitelaw Craig - Diaries [M978] 1873 Sept.-1877 Mar

M 978

fonds

Canberra : Australian Joint Copying Project, [19--]

432403

Microfilm : M 978

microfilm reel 35 mm

Engineer from Paisley, Scotland. Craig was a keen naturalist and gave a large collection of specimens to the Paisley Museum

Diary, Sept. 1873 to Mar. 1877. The first portion of the diary records an expedition to the south of France, during which he collected specimens of birds, insects, butterflies and plants, which he later presented to the Paisley Museum. Craig added to his collection while in Australia from 1874 to 1877. The record of his activities during this period make up the second portion of his diary. The daily entries are very detailed, recording several temperature readings most days together with general meteorological notes and observations on the natural history of the are being visited. Although Craig spent time in Melbourne and Sydney and travelled around the surrounding countryside he spent the largest part of his stay in or near Brisbane. He befriended many aborigines and his diary contains extensive notes on their attitudes, behaviour and customs, the notes often being accomapanied by drawings done by Craig. Accounts of his collection activities frequently include local lore related to events such as bushfires, and to the disappearance of species from a locality

Filmed as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project by the National Library of Australia and the State Library of New South Wales
National Library of Australia holds microfilm master
Available for reference
Australian Joint Copying Project handbook. Part 8 : Miscellaneous [M series], Entry 37, p. 29
Australian Joint Copying Project miscellaneous series M978
Microfilm copy of originals held by Local History Library, Central Library, High Street, Paisley, Scotland