Walter Norman Koelz
Encyclopedia
Walter Norman Koelz was an American zoologist and museum collector.
Walter Koelz's parents were immigrants from the Black Forest region of Germany, and his father was a village blacksmith in Waterloo. Walter Koelz studied zoology and received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Michigan
in 1920. In 1925 he joined the McMillan Expedition to the American Arctic. He also studied the whitefish
es during his work at the University of Michigan at the Institute for Fisheries Research. He was offered a post with the Himalayan Research Institute of the Roerich
Museum in 1930. He visited Naggar
in Kulu, in May 1930, to begin botanical explorations. He returned to Michigan in 1932, but his interest in Tibetan culture led to his appointment as a Research Fellow on the Charles L. Freer Fund in September 1932.
In 1933 he returned to Indian Tibet to collect anthropology related material for the University of Michigan. In 1936 Dr. Koelz travelled once more to India to collect plants. For seven years from 1939 he explored Persia, Nepal
, and parts of India including Assam
and made a large collection of birds. In 1956 he was awarded the Meyer Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the world of Agriculture. He found and brought back a disease-resistant wild melon from Calcutta that helped save the California melon crop one year. He had collected nearly 30,000 bird specimens for the University of Michigan's zoology museum and some 30,000 plants for the U. of M. herbarium.
Koelz often described new subspecies often on the sole basis of assuming that the population was isolated. Many of the subspecies of birds that he described from India are now invalid. Of the fish Coregonus artedii which is found in lakes and consists of isolated populations he described no less than 24 subspecies.
Walter Koelz's parents were immigrants from the Black Forest region of Germany, and his father was a village blacksmith in Waterloo. Walter Koelz studied zoology and received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1920. In 1925 he joined the McMillan Expedition to the American Arctic. He also studied the whitefish
Whitefish (fisheries term)
Whitefish or white fish is a fisheries term referring to several species of demersal fish with fins, particularly cod , whiting , and haddock , but also hake , pollock , or others...
es during his work at the University of Michigan at the Institute for Fisheries Research. He was offered a post with the Himalayan Research Institute of the Roerich
Nicholas Roerich
Nicholas Roerich, also known as Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh , was a Russian mystic, painter, philosopher, scientist, writer, traveler, and public figure. A prolific artist, he created thousands of paintings and about 30 literary works...
Museum in 1930. He visited Naggar
Naggar
-Geography:Naggar is a settlement in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India, and it falls as a stopover. It was the capital of Kullu Rajas in 1460 AD.-Access:*Distance from Delhi: 589 km*Distance from Shimla: 246 km...
in Kulu, in May 1930, to begin botanical explorations. He returned to Michigan in 1932, but his interest in Tibetan culture led to his appointment as a Research Fellow on the Charles L. Freer Fund in September 1932.
In 1933 he returned to Indian Tibet to collect anthropology related material for the University of Michigan. In 1936 Dr. Koelz travelled once more to India to collect plants. For seven years from 1939 he explored Persia, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and parts of India including Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and made a large collection of birds. In 1956 he was awarded the Meyer Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the world of Agriculture. He found and brought back a disease-resistant wild melon from Calcutta that helped save the California melon crop one year. He had collected nearly 30,000 bird specimens for the University of Michigan's zoology museum and some 30,000 plants for the U. of M. herbarium.
Koelz often described new subspecies often on the sole basis of assuming that the population was isolated. Many of the subspecies of birds that he described from India are now invalid. Of the fish Coregonus artedii which is found in lakes and consists of isolated populations he described no less than 24 subspecies.
Publications
- Koelz, W. (1942): Notes on the birds of the Londa neighbourhood, Bombay Presidency. JBNHS. 43(1), 11-38.
- Koelz, W. (1947): Notes on a collection of birds from Madras Presidency. JBNHS. 47(1), 128-142.
- Koelz, W. (1937): Notes on the birds of Spiti, a Himalayan province of the Punjab. Ibis, 14 1(1), 86-104.
- Koelz, W. (1939): Additiions to the avifaunal list of Lahul. Ibis, 14 3(2), 354-356.
- Koelz, W. (1939): Three new subspecies of birds. Proc. Bio. Sci. Washington 52, 121-122.
- Koelz, W. (1939): New birds from Asia, chiefly from India. Proc. Bio. Sci. Washington 52, 61-82.
- Koelz, W. (1940): Notes on the birds of Zanskar and Purig, with appendices giving new records for Ladakh, Rupshu, and Kulu. Papers Michigan Acad. Sci. Arts Letters. 25, 297-322.
- Koelz, W. (1949): A new hawk from India. Auk 66(1), 82-83.
- Koelz, W. (1950): New subspecies of birds from southwestern Asia. Am. Mus. Novit. 1452, 1-10.
- Koelz, W. (1951): Four new subspecies of birds from southwestern Asia. Am. Mus. Novit. 1510, 1-3.
- Koelz, W. (1951): New birds from India. J. Zool. Soc. India 3(1), 27-30.
- Koelz, W. (1952): New races of Indian birds. J. Zool. Soc. India 4(1), 37-46.
- Koelz, W. (1952): New races of Assam birds. J. Zool. Soc. India 4(2), 153-155.
- Koelz, W. (1954): Ornithological studies I. New birds from Iran, Afghanistan, and India. Contrib. Instit. Regional Explorations 1, 1-32.
- Koelz, W. (1954): Ornithological studies III. On the validity of Galerida malabarica propinqua Koelz. Contrib. Instit. Regional Explorations 1, 33.
- van Tyne, J; Koelz, W. (1936): Seven new birds from the Punjab. Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool. U. Michigan 334, 1-6.
- Koelz, W. (1940): Notes on the winter birds of the lower Punjab. Papers Michigan Acad. Sci. Arts Letters. 25, 323-356.