ColfsPFA

Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

Colfs, Petrus Fredericus Albertus

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

Born: 1853, Antwerp, Belgium. Died: 1882, Tebingtinggi, S. Sumatra.

career:

Came to Batavia in 1874 as a soldier; in 1875 he quitted the service, and was appointed draughtsman in the employ of the Department of Harbour-works in 1878. In 1879 he met the explorer de la Saviniere (see there) and subsequently decided to make a collecting trip (for forest products etc.) to Bantam, at his own risk; Prinseneiland was visited too; the trip was not a financial success. The collected insects were bought by Governor General van Lansberge, entomologist himself,who subsequently sent Colfs to Soembawa. The latter was the first European who penetrated into the interior of Flores; he drew a sketch map, which, however, is not very reliable. After the termination of his trips to the Lesser Sunda Islands, he went to S. Sumatra, though already ailing, and soon afterwards died.

A.G. Vorderman got possession of his left documents, from which he composed a journal.¹

Collecting localities:¹

Lesser Sunda Islands. Soembawa (incl. Bima and Dompoe) (Oct. 5, 1879-Febr. 5, 1880): sailing from Makassar (SW. Celebes) (Sept. 27, 1879); Bima (Oct. 5-11); Laboehan (harbour of Soembawa) (14-15); Soembawa (16-20); W. coast: Ré (21-23); Oetang (24-26); Bouèr (27-29); Alas (Oct. 30-Nov. 4); back to Laboehan by proa (5); Soembawa (6-8); Pélat (9); Batoe-oelang (10-13); Soembawa (14-15). From Soembawa making an extensive journey, returning via Sanggar and Dompoe to Bima: setting out from Soembawa (Nov. 16); Lopok (16); Plampang (17-19); Ampang (20-21); Mata (22-25); Kowanko (26-27); Gempo (Nov. 28-Dec. 2); Bango (3-5); Kormet (in Sanggar, 6-8); Pioeng (9); Teloko (10); Dompoe (11-15); Ranggo (16-20) (southwards); Tjèmpi (21); Dompoe (22-23); Sila (24-25); Mangé (26-27); O’o (28-31); Bima (Jan. 1-5, 1880); Bima-Soba-Said-G. Soromandi (6-9); back to Bima (11). 2nd trip to the south coast: setting out from Bima to Bella (Jan. 12); Nata (13); Keboro (14-15); Sambori (16-18); Kemina (Kelobon) (19); Keroemboe (24); Prado (Jan. 28-Febr. 1); Tengah-Bima (2-3); Bima (4-5). Flores (Febr. 7-May 12, 1880). W. Flores: Réo (Febr. 7-10); Rouï (11-13); Réo (14-17); KoY (18-19); Tjiba (20-22); Dégai (23-24); Routé (25-26); Raho (27-29); Lalak (March 1-4); Li (5-6); Todo (7-9); Nangaramo (10); Nanga-lélé (12); Badjo (12-14); Kampong (15-19); Boleh (20-24), Kantor (25); presumably fallen ill and from there transported to Réo; Apr. 11 from Réo to Pot(t)a (staying 11-15); by sea to E. Flores: Maoemere (eastwards to Geliting and westwards to Bèbèng, Apr. 19-29); Nitta (Apr. 30-May 1); Maoemere (2-4); by sea to Larantoeka (staying 8-12); by sea to P. Klikoer (= P. Lomblen) (May 15-17); Flores: Ota Waloe (27-29); Larantoeka (May 30-June 2); Timor: Koepang (June 4-13), trip to Amarasie, etc.; Flores: Larantoeka (June 18-beginning of July); P. Adonare (= Adonara) (end of June); Timor: Koepang (July 9-12); Flores: Larantoeka (13); Alor (July 15-Aug. 16), staying at Kokar part of the time (July 24-30); from Aug. 17-Sept. 8 the journal was not kept; Sept. 9 he was on P. Pandai (= P. Pantar), W of Alor; P. Alor (from Sept. 10), at Blagar (11-20) and Terong (21), etc.; Flores: Larantoeka (22-29); Timor: via Koepang to Anfouan (Sept. 30); Atapoepoe (Oct. 3-29); Koepang (Oct. 30-beginning of Nov.); Pariti (Nov.); Koepang (till about Dec. 2); Soembawa (he did not visit P. Rot(t)i): Waingapoe (Dec. 12-18); Monboro (Lauwdra and Ketervé, Dec. 18, 1880-Febr. 13, 1881); Waingapoe (Febr. 13-17), departing the 18th; S. Sumatra (1881-82) (he collected birds near Lahat,² but probably no plants).

collections:

His collections of the Lesser Sunda Islands were received at Buitenzorg in 1881 and were shipped off to Leiden, where they were to be identified by Boerlage.

Herb. Leiden [L]: > 300 nos, including from Soembawa (Dompoe and Bima) 228, and material in alcohol; some dupl. in Herb. Bog. [BO] (numbered in the H.B. series) and in Herb. Berl. [B].

Vorderman¹ gives a list of vernacular names (from Soembawa and Bima), which, without the material, is of no importance.

literature:
(1) ‘Het journaal van Albert Colfs’ (Batavia 1888).
(2) cf. Vorderman in Nat. Tijdschr. N.I. 41, 1882, p. 125.

biographical data:

A.G. Vorderman, Het journaal van Albert Colfs, Batavia 1888, p. 1-3.

	Career Collecting localities Collections Literature Biographical data
	Colfs, Petrus Fredericus Albertus
	(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)
	Born: 1853, Antwerp, Belgium. Died: 1882, Tebingtinggi, S. Sumatra.
	career: Came to Batavia in 1874 as a soldier; in 1875 he quitted the service, and was appointed draughtsman in the employ of the Department of Harbour-works in 1878. In 1879 he met the explorer de la Saviniere (see there) and subsequently decided to make a collecting trip (for forest products etc.) to Bantam, at his own risk; Prinseneiland was visited too; the trip was not a financial success. The collected insects were bought by Governor General van Lansberge, entomologist himself,who subsequently sent Colfs to Soembawa. The latter was the first European who penetrated into the interior of Flores; he drew a sketch map, which, however, is not very reliable. After the termination of his trips to the Lesser Sunda Islands, he went to S. Sumatra, though already ailing, and soon afterwards died. A.G. Vorderman got possession of his left documents, from which he composed a journal.¹
	Collecting localities:¹ Lesser Sunda Islands. Soembawa (incl. Bima and Dompoe) (Oct. 5, 1879-Febr. 5, 1880): sailing from Makassar (SW. Celebes) (Sept. 27, 1879); Bima (Oct. 5-11); Laboehan (harbour of Soembawa) (14-15); Soembawa (16-20); W. coast: Ré (21-23); Oetang (24-26); Bouèr (27-29); Alas (Oct. 30-Nov. 4); back to Laboehan by proa (5); Soembawa (6-8); Pélat (9); Batoe-oelang (10-13); Soembawa (14-15). From Soembawa making an extensive journey, returning via Sanggar and Dompoe to Bima: setting out from Soembawa (Nov. 16); Lopok (16); Plampang (17-19); Ampang (20-21); Mata (22-25); Kowanko (26-27); Gempo (Nov. 28-Dec. 2); Bango (3-5); Kormet (in Sanggar, 6-8); Pioeng (9); Teloko (10); Dompoe (11-15); Ranggo (16-20) (southwards); Tjèmpi (21); Dompoe (22-23); Sila (24-25); Mangé (26-27); O’o (28-31); Bima (Jan. 1-5, 1880); Bima-Soba-Said-G. Soromandi (6-9); back to Bima (11). 2nd trip to the south coast: setting out from Bima to Bella (Jan. 12); Nata (13); Keboro (14-15); Sambori (16-18); Kemina (Kelobon) (19); Keroemboe (24); Prado (Jan. 28-Febr. 1); Tengah-Bima (2-3); Bima (4-5). Flores (Febr. 7-May 12, 1880). W. Flores: Réo (Febr. 7-10); Rouï (11-13); Réo (14-17); KoY (18-19); Tjiba (20-22); Dégai (23-24); Routé (25-26); Raho (27-29); Lalak (March 1-4); Li (5-6); Todo (7-9); Nangaramo (10); Nanga-lélé (12); Badjo (12-14); Kampong (15-19); Boleh (20-24), Kantor (25); presumably fallen ill and from there transported to Réo; Apr. 11 from Réo to Pot(t)a (staying 11-15); by sea to E. Flores: Maoemere (eastwards to Geliting and westwards to Bèbèng, Apr. 19-29); Nitta (Apr. 30-May 1); Maoemere (2-4); by sea to Larantoeka (staying 8-12); by sea to P. Klikoer (= P. Lomblen) (May 15-17); Flores: Ota Waloe (27-29); Larantoeka (May 30-June 2); Timor: Koepang (June 4-13), trip to Amarasie, etc.; Flores: Larantoeka (June 18-beginning of July); P. Adonare (= Adonara) (end of June); Timor: Koepang (July 9-12); Flores: Larantoeka (13); Alor (July 15-Aug. 16), staying at Kokar part of the time (July 24-30); from Aug. 17-Sept. 8 the journal was not kept; Sept. 9 he was on P. Pandai (= P. Pantar), W of Alor; P. Alor (from Sept. 10), at Blagar (11-20) and Terong (21), etc.; Flores: Larantoeka (22-29); Timor: via Koepang to Anfouan (Sept. 30); Atapoepoe (Oct. 3-29); Koepang (Oct. 30-beginning of Nov.); Pariti (Nov.); Koepang (till about Dec. 2); Soembawa (he did not visit P. Rot(t)i): Waingapoe (Dec. 12-18); Monboro (Lauwdra and Ketervé, Dec. 18, 1880-Febr. 13, 1881); Waingapoe (Febr. 13-17), departing the 18th; S. Sumatra (1881-82) (he collected birds near Lahat,² but probably no plants).
	collections: His collections of the Lesser Sunda Islands were received at Buitenzorg in 1881 and were shipped off to Leiden, where they were to be identified by Boerlage. Herb. Leiden [L]: > 300 nos, including from Soembawa (Dompoe and Bima) 228, and material in alcohol; some dupl. in Herb. Bog. [BO] (numbered in the H.B. series) and in Herb. Berl. [B]. Vorderman¹ gives a list of vernacular names (from Soembawa and Bima), which, without the material, is of no importance.
	literature: (1) ‘Het journaal van Albert Colfs’ (Batavia 1888). (2) cf. Vorderman in Nat. Tijdschr. N.I. 41, 1882, p. 125.
	biographical data: A.G. Vorderman, Het journaal van Albert Colfs, Batavia 1888, p. 1-3.