Franklin J. W. Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Franklin J. W. Schmidt was an American naturalist, noted as one of the first practitioners of the field of "wildlife management". Hired by Wisconsin, Schmidt's main work was on the prairie grouse
, and its habits in the central marshes of Wisconsin. He published one paper on feeding habits of the grouse. At the time of his death, he planned to start a consulting service to assist other Midwestern states in managing the prairie grouse, which would have also allowed him to continue to collect even more information on the species. Seven other papers in preparation on the prairie grouse were consumed by the fire that killed Schmidt. Also consumed were field samples and Schmidt's mother.
Regarding rodents and reptiles, Schmidt published five papers. In the 1920s, Schmidt worked for Chicago's Field Museum, and he participapated in their expeditions to South America and Guatemala. His painted turtle
paper with Bishop
established the modern view of that genus as a single species with multiple subspecies. Schmidt's brother, Karl Patterson Schmidt
, who lived thirty years longer, was a noted herpetologist, who died by snakebite.
With Sherman C. Bishop
With Karl Patterson Schmidt
Tympanuchus
Tympanuchus is a small genus of birds in the grouse family. It contains three species:* Sharp-tailed Grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus* Greater Prairie-Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido* Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Tympanuchus pallidicinctus...
, and its habits in the central marshes of Wisconsin. He published one paper on feeding habits of the grouse. At the time of his death, he planned to start a consulting service to assist other Midwestern states in managing the prairie grouse, which would have also allowed him to continue to collect even more information on the species. Seven other papers in preparation on the prairie grouse were consumed by the fire that killed Schmidt. Also consumed were field samples and Schmidt's mother.
Regarding rodents and reptiles, Schmidt published five papers. In the 1920s, Schmidt worked for Chicago's Field Museum, and he participapated in their expeditions to South America and Guatemala. His painted turtle
Painted Turtle
The painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to Louisiana and northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The turtle is the only species of the genus Chrysemys, which is part of the pond turtle...
paper with Bishop
Sherman C. Bishop
Sherman Chauncey Bishop was a herpetologist and arachnologist from New York. He studied at Cornell University and, with Cyrus R. Crosby, gave the Spruce-fir moss spider its scientific name. His Handbook of Salamanders was the first serious and comprehensive treatment of North American salamanders...
established the modern view of that genus as a single species with multiple subspecies. Schmidt's brother, Karl Patterson Schmidt
Karl Patterson Schmidt
Karl Patterson Schmidt was an American herpetologist.-Biography:Schmidt was the son of George W. Schmidt and Margaret Patterson Schmidt. Schmidt's father was a German professor who, at the time of Schmidt's birth, was teaching in Lake Forest, Illinois. His family left the city in 1907 and settled...
, who lived thirty years longer, was a noted herpetologist, who died by snakebite.
Works
- 1926. Reptiles and amphibians of Worden Township, Clark County, Wisconsin. Copeia, 154, pp. 131–132.
- 1927. Pitymys pinetorum scalopsoides in Wisconsin. Jour. Mammal., 8, p. 248.
- 1931. The mammals of western Clark County, Wisconsin. Idem, 12, pp. 99–117, 1 map.
- 1936. The winter food of Sharp-tailed Grouse and Pinnated Grouse in Wisconsin. WILSON BULI.ETIN, XLVIII, Sept., 1936, pp. 186.203.
With Sherman C. Bishop
- 1931. The painted turtles of the genus Chrysemys. Publ. Field Mus., Zool. Ser., 18, pp. 121–139, figs. l-27.
With Karl Patterson Schmidt
- 1925. New coral snakes from South America. Idem, 12, pp. 127–134, pl. 11-12.