臺北帝国大学の動物学研究一青木文一郎と哺乳類標本一

摘要

Bunichiro Aoki had been a professor of comparative anatomy and mammalogy in Taihoku Imperial University (now National Taiwan University, NTU) when Japan ruled Taiwan. Fortunately, a good portion of the mammal specimens collected by Prof. Aoki and his colleagues were well maintained in the Zoological Museum of NTU. We examined the specimens to evaluate the zoological research conducted in Taihoku Imperial University between 1928 and 1945. A total of 4,195 specimens of small mammal stuffed skins and medium and large sized mammal skeletons and skins were preserved in good condition, but most of the labels attached to skull specimens of small mammals were lost or intermingled with the other specimens. Examination of 4004 labels attached to small mammal skins revealed that the Aoki collection had registration numbers 1-5009, as well as duplicate numbers 1-156 for the specimens collected by Yamasaki. Specimens were collected mostly from the lowlands around Taihoku (now Taipei), but also from the mountains in Taiwan, Hainan Island,and the Japanese main-islands. Unexpectedly, one squirrel specimen of Yasuichi Horikawa was found in a box of the Aoki Collection. A part of the reprint collection of Prof. Aoki currently deposited in the NTU Library (about 11,244 items) was also examined. Based on the examination of specimens and reprints, we discuss the zoological research and collection that was done by Prof. Aoki, and his associates (Dr. Shinkichi Tateishi, Dr. Ryo Tanaka, and others) in Taihoku Imperial University.