(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 5: Cyclopaedia of collectors, Supplement I)

Born: 1841, Voltri, W of Genoa, Italy. Died: 1901, Sassari, NW. Sardinia

career:

Zoologist-ethnographer who accompanied Beccari (see there) on his first New Guinea trip and who afterwards made further explorations, partly alone, partly with others. In 1875 he settled in Yule Island; he made veritable raids among the natives to enrich his collections. At his arrival in Thursday Island on Jan. 4th, 1878, he was indicted for murder on two Chinamen; after acquittal on May 4th he left Sydney, homeward bound.

The genus Albertisia Becc. was named after him and several other plant species by F. von Mueller and Beccari.

Collecting localities:¹

1st Voyage. Sailing with Beccari (see there) from Genoa Nov. 1871 and via Java (Batavia, Buitenzorg, Mt Pangrango, Soerabaja), Makassar, Timor (Dilly and Koepang) and Banda to Ambon, where preparations were made for the New Guinea trip. During the stay in Ambon, a visit was paid to Boeroe Island and to Wahai in Ceram. Sailing from Ambon (March 21, 1872) via Gissar (= Geser), Ceram Laut, Goram (Apr. 1) to Dutch New Guinea (8): P. Karas(Faor), Kapour (15), Sorong (23), the 28th starting for Salawati (where fallen ill), Ramoi River (June 13), back to Sorong (July 2) and departure from there (15); coast Amberkaki (= Amberbaken) (23); P. Mansiman opposite of Doré (Aug. 3); Andai; trip in the Arfak Mts (Sept. 4-Oct. 1)² as far as Hatam; taken ill again at Andai (a month); to P. Mansiman (Nov. 2); departure to Sorong (7), arriving the 15th; Ambon (Dec. 7), sailing from there (12) in the ‘Vittor Pisani’ to Sydney, via Klein Kai (= Noehoerowa) (Doulan, Dec. 17-20), Aroe Islands (Dobo, 21st) and along the S. coast of New Guinea to Port Jackson. At the end of 1873 sailing from Australia via Fiji, Honolulu, America, to Europe, arriving in April 1874.

2nd Voyage. Nov. 10, 1874 sailing from Naples via Singapore to Somerset in Australia (stay Dec. 27-March 4, 1875); March 5 sailing for Papua (SE. New Guinea): Darnley Island (12); Yule Island (arriving the 14th or 16th), which was used as a starting point for several trips:³ e.g. canoe trip to the Hilda and Ethel River, Nikura and Epa (mid-April); visiting Nikura for the 2nd time (May 17) and several other trips by boat to the New Guinea coast; to Naiabui (Aug. 14), exploring the Bioto River and then going back to Naiabui (Sept. 4); march in the mountains (13-17); back in Yule Island (Sept. 22), from where Nov. 7 to Somerset on account of illness (arrival on the 14th).-1st Exploration of the Fly River⁴ with S. MacFarlane (see there) and H.M. Chester: sailing from Somerset (Nov. 29, 1875) in the ‘Ellengowan’; Fly River (Dec. 6-21); back at Somerset (28).-2nd Exploration of the Fly River⁵ with Hargrave and Wilcox: sailing from Somerset in the ‘Neva’; Katow (May 21, 1876), mouth of the Fly (22); ascending the river till June 25, travelling on foot upstream for another 5 miles and thereafter return trip during which ascending the Alice River (June 30-July 6); leaving the Fly River mouth on the 18th and via P. Mibuou (= Bristow Island) (July 18-Aug. 3), Bampton Island, Yarrou; Katow River (Aug.7-Oct. 27, at Moatta = Mawata);Tawan Island; back to Somerset (arrival Nov. 21).-3rd Exploration of the Fly River:⁶ in the ‘Neva’ sailing from Somerset (May 3, 1877), reaching the mouth on May 21st. As a result of d’A.’s conduct during the trip they suffered from attacks by the natives; with the Chinese on board difficulties arose too; in consequence they were unable to extend the journey farther inland than in 1876, only the Strickland River was detected. The return voyage was made via Moatta (= Mawata near the Katow River; Nov. 23-Dec. 5) to Thursday Island (Jan. 4, 1878).

collections:

His ornithological collection in Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genoa; anthropological colt. in Mus. Florence; botanical collection, at least partly, given to Beccari (= Florence) [FI]. The plants of the trips 1875 and 1876 for the greater part described by F. von Mueller,⁷ and probably in Herb. Melbourne [MEL]; those of the last trip by Beccari.⁸ According to the latter’s account the collection of the last exploration consists of magnificent material thanks to preservation in spirits. The plants originating from the Fly River which are mentioned in d’A.’s book are numbered between 1 and 314.

Dupl. Scitamineae in Herb. Copenh. [C] (pres. by Melbourne).

literature:

(1) L.M. d’Albertis: ‘Alla Nuova Guinea. Ciò the ho veduto e ciò the ho fatto’ (Torino 1880, ill.); English transl.: ‘New Guinea, what I did and what I saw’ (London 1880, 2 vols); abridged French. transl. Some dates mentioned do not agree with those of Beccari.

(2) cf. ‘Una mesa fra i Papuani del Monte Arfak’ (Boll. Soc. Geogr. Ital. 10, 1873, p. 67-71; ‘Viaggio di de Albertis nei monhi Arfak e sue collezioni zoologiche’ (Cosmos di Guido Cora 1, 1873, p. 218-220).

(3) cf. Letter from d’Albertis giving some account of several excursions into Southern New Guinea’ (Proc. Zool. Sue. Lond. 1875, p.530-532).

(4) L.M. d’Albertis: ‘Remarks on the natives and products of the Fly River, New Guinea’ (Proc. Roy. Geogr. Soc. Lond. 20, 1875-76, 1876, p. 343-353, discuss. p. 353-356; extracts from letters to Dr Bennett of Sydney, publ. in Sydney Morning Herald March 1876).

(5) L.M. d’Albertis: ‘Journal of the expedition for the exploration of the Fly River in 1876’ (Sydney 1877) w. App. by Baron F. von Mueller (l.c p. 14). cf. Map in Peterm. Mitt. 1878, Taf. 23; and F. Antoine in Oesterr. Bot. Zeitschr. 27, 1877, p. 206-208; Tour du Monde 432, 1882, p. 321-336,w.ill.

(6) cf. Peterm. Mitt. 1878, p. 198-199 and 423-426; and Boll. Soc. Geogr. Ital. 15, 1878, p. 105-108; Tour du Monde 43², 1882, p. 321-336,w. ill.

(7) in ‘Descr. Not. Pap. Pl.’ I, parts 3, 4, 5 and 6.

(8) O. Beccari: ‘Notizìe sulle piante raccolte dal sign. L.M. d’Albertis alla Nuova Guinea’ (in d’Albertis, Alla nuova Guinea, 1880, p. 571-579); ‘Catalogo delle piante del flume Fly, 1877’ (in l.c. p.575-577), also in the Engl. transl.; ‘Sulle piante raccolte alla Nuova Guinea dal Sign. L.M. d’Albertis durante l’anno 1877, con descrizione di tre nuove specie di Icacinaceae’ (in Malesia vol. 1, fast. 3, 1878, p. 255-257).

biographical data:

Portr. in Tour du Monde 43², 1882, p. 325; Rivista Geogr. Ital. Roma 7, 1901, p. 628-632 + portr.; Boll. Soc. Geogr. Ital. 38, 1901, p. 849-855; Geogr. Journ. Lond. 18, 1901, p. 629; Deutsche Rundschau f. Geogr. u. Stat. Wien 25, 1902, p. 182-184; Backer, Verkl. Woordenb., 1936.

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