Mr November 2007
goniometer
One of the early ideas I had for The System of Nature was making a blended goniometer — the instrument that measures crystal angles. This was because Linnaeus had proposed a much less successful system for the classification of the mineral kingdom. There was a goniometer in the geology museum.
Mr September 2007
Soundmen Jack Robinson and Fred Cole all set for a terrific comedy crash used in the Red Skelton Show
Bowdler Sharpe’s lithograph
Bowdler Sharpe’s lithograph of the Great Bowerbird from Sharpe, R.D. (1891-1898), Monograph of the Paradisaeidae or Birs of Paradise, and Ptilorhynchidaae or Bower-bird. Parts 1-8. London: H. Southern and Co. In Michael Everett’s book (where this is scanned from) it is reproduced this way around but most often its reproduced as a mirror image.
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other early shots from the Kununurra bower
These were all taken of the well-known bower at the end of Hidden Valley in Mirimar National Park in Kununurra. This bower is within 200 metres of a major town but has no red material. predominantly grey and green (why I named the project such)
other early shots from the Kununurra bower Read More »
found the mystery researcher
And was kindly sent the coordinates of 10 bowers in the vicinity of the Broome Bird Observatory. An excellent stroke of luck!
found the mystery researcher Read More »
muckingabout for the Green, Grey or Dull Silver Project
a small digital experiment with ink and acrylic on paper superimposed onto stone of colour favoured by the bowerbird.
muckingabout for the Green, Grey or Dull Silver Project Read More »
possible research questions
Is the use of red reported in Townsville great bowerbird a local or widespread trait? I have not seen it in bowers I have visited in the Kimberley. Is this because of a small sample size or poor observation, or is there no red out there? What is the relative importance of sphericity versus
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ideas of hierarchies
diagram from Linnean style categorisation of the tree of life
ideas of hierarchies Read More »
the mystery Queensland researcher
The warden at Broome passed on some tantalising information about a researcher from Queensland who was mapping bowerbirds with a GPS in the last year or so. Details are sketchy so I am now ploughing through universities in Queensland trying to find out someone who might know this mystery person. It would be great
the mystery Queensland researcher Read More »
bowerbirds and Linnaeus
I have been working on a possible exhibition opportunity for a show about the 300th anniversary of Linnaeus. Researching Linnaeus I came across some references to his classing of minerals, fossils and crystals. In this case Linnaeus’s system was never adopted. I am thinking about combining it with the bowerbird’s classification of stones in
bowerbirds and Linnaeus Read More »