Papers of REGINALD ERNEST MOREAU (1897 - 1970)

Of special interest are the notebooks (Items 87-100) in Kiswahili by native observers trained by Moreau in Tanganyika, and Moreau's extensive correspondence with Dr. James Chapin (Items 11-27) which is remarkable not only for its wealth of ornithological information but also for the beautiful calligraphic drawings of animals and birds in which Chapin 'spolled out' his own name or that of others.

Contents

I. Biographical

II. Correspondence

III. Work for The Palaearctic-African Bird Migration Systems

IV. Diaries, journals and working notes

Listed by Jeannine Alton and Harriot Weiskittel

The papers were assembled from various sources.

The early correspondence (Section II) and the African diaries, journals and working notes (Section IV) were retained in the library of the Edward Grey Institute, Oxford, by David Lack after Moreau's death; Item 4 gives a full account of Dr. Lack's disposition of Moreau's papers.

The material on Palaearctic-African migration (Section III) was received from Dr. James Monk, Moreau's literary executor, who edited the manuscript of The Palaearctic-African Bird Migration Systems for publication.

Moreau had relied on an extraordinarily global network of correspondents for data and information; the later material in the files (1970-73) is Dr. Monk's continuation of this correspondence and his own notes and drafts.

Moreau was not a professional ornithologist. He was employed in the Army Audit Office in England and Egypt, later in the Colonial Service agricultural research unit in Amani, Tanganyika, and pursued his ornithological studies and observations in his leisure time. On his retirement, he devoted his time wholly to ornithology, as editor of Ibis and working in the Edward Grey Institute, at first in an honorary capacity.

Summary of Career

b. 1897 Kingston-on-Thames

1906 Educated Kingston Grammar School

1914 Entered the Civil Service (Army Audit Office)

1920 Move to Egypt (Army Audit Office)

1924 Marriage

1928 Move to Amani, Tanganyika (Colonial Service agricultural research unit)

1946 Retirement from Civil Service; return to England

1947 - 60 Editor of Ibis

1947 - 66 Work at Edward Grey Institute, Oxford

1951 Honorary M.A. Oxford