Record Unit 7188 - Oliver Perry Hay Papers, 1911-1930

Some of Oliver Perry Hay's books and papers, as found on the internet, 2010

Oliver Perry Hay is still listed on the "Today in Science History" site, both his birth and his death. The paragraph on him is: "American paleontologist whose catalogs of fossil vertebrates greatly organized existing knowledge and became standard references. From 1912, he conducted his research at the United States National Museum where he assisted in working up and describing the museum's collections in vertebrate paleontology. Hay's primary scientific interest was the study of the Pleistocene vertebrata of North America. He is renowned for his work on skull and brain anatomy. His first major work was his Bibliography and Catalogue of the Fossil Vertebrata of North America (1902), supplemented by two more volumes (1929-30). Hay also wrote on the evidence of early humans in North America." The website also has a link to 868-page book Bibliography and Catalogue of the Fossil Vertebrata of North America on Amazon.com, $65 for a new (reprinted 1974) copy -- January, 2010

Several of his books have been digitized by various libraries in America and are available for free on the internet, for personal use.

List of 210 publications, from the Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates, 1887-1930 - pdf

1893 The Batrachians and Reptiles, State of Indiana (published in Indianapolis) - pdf

1895 On the Structure and Development of the Vertebral Column of Amia (published in Chicago by the Field Columbian Museum) - pdf

1902 Bibliography and Catalogue of the Fossil Vertebrata of North America (published in Washington, DC by the Geological Survey, Dept of the Interior) - pdf

1908 The Fossil Turtles of North America (published in Washington, DC by the Carnegie Institution) - pdf

1910 On the Manner of Locomotion of the Dinosaurs, especially Dipolodocus, with remarks on the Origin of the Birds (published quarterly by the Washington Academy of Sciences) - pdf

1912 The Recognition of Pleistocene Faunas (published in Washington, DC by the Smithsonian Institution) - pdf

1919-1920 Anthropologic Scraps (short articles published in a Washington, DC science journal, perhaps for the Anthropology library?) - pdf

Information from the Smithsonian Institution Archives Website

Record Unit 7188 - Oliver Perry Hay Papers, 1911-1930

Finding Aids to Personal Papers and
Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Record Unit 7188
Oliver Perry Hay Papers,
1911-1930

By William Cox

Introduction

Historical Note

Descriptive Entry

INTRODUCTION

This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.

HISTORICAL NOTE

In 1912, Oliver Perry Hay (1846-1930) was appointed research associate at the Carnegie Institution of Washington to pursue the study of the vertebrate animal life of the North American Pleistocene period. Hay was furnished with office space in the United States National Museum (USNM) to conduct his research. In addition, he assisted in working up and describing the USNM collections in vertebrate paleontology.

Hay's primary scientific interest was the study of the Pleistocene vertebrata of North America. His major contribution to the field of vertebrate paleontology was his Bibliography and Catalogue of the Fossil Vertebrata of North America, 1902, supplemented by the Second Bibliography and Catalogue of Fossil Vertebrata of North America, 2 vols., 1929-1930. Other important works include The Fossil Turtles of North America, 1908, and The Pleistocene Geology of North America and its Vertebrated Animals, 3 vols., 1923-1927.