[Nhcoll-l] in search of Paul-Emile Botta's mammals

[Chris J Conroy]

Hello NHColl,

     I am searching for a specimen of mammal collected in California in
about 1828 by Paul-Emile Botta. It was used to describe the gopher *Thomomys
bottae*. The paper was written by Joseph Fortuné Théodore Eydoux and Paul
Gervais (Voyage autour du monde de la corvette La Favorite. Mammiferes par
Mm. Fortune Eydoux et Paul Gervais. Magasin de Zoologie, VI, 1836.). I have
inquired with the MNHN in Paris, the zoology collection at the Sorbonne
Pierre and Marie Curie campus, the zoology collection at the University of
Montpellier, and the British Natural History Museum with no luck. I have
found some of Botta’s specimens. His herps seem to have gone to the MNHN
(they have his specimen of *Charina bottae*, which is the type). At least
some of his birds were acquired by the 3rd Duke of Rivoli, who sold them to
Thomas Wilson in 1846 who then donated them to the Philadelphia Academy of
Sciences. They have types of the Roadrunner and Anna’s hummingbird, both
taken by Botta in California. They do not have any of Botta’s mammals.
   Before I go deeper down this rabbit hole, I am wondering if anyone on
NHColl knows where Botta’s mammals ended up, or could recommend an archive
or museum I might inquire with, or perhaps a detailed biography of Botta? I
have sent an inquiry email to the archives at the MNHN with no response
yet.

Thanks,

Chris Conroy
Staff Curator of Mammals
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
University of California at Berkeley
USA
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