Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

 

Bock, Carl

 

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

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

 

Born: 1849, Copenhagen, Denmark.

 

career:

Explorer and ethnographer who made a zoological collecting trip in Sumatra through the liberality of the late Marquis of Tweeddale,1 and subsequently one to Borneo with support of the D.E. Indian Government.1-2 In 1885 he collected reef-animals in the Java Sea and the Moluccan Sea on behalf of the Berlin Academy of Science. Later on he was appointed Consul-General respectively at Shanghai, Antwerp and Lisbon. In 1913 he was a resident of Brussels.

The cuckoo Cuculis bocki was named after him.

 

Collecting localities:

1878-79. Sumatra West Coast. To Padang (Aug. 6, 1878); to Ajer Mantjoer (Aug. 14) and Batang Aneh (=?Aneikloof), at the latter place staying 3 days in company with Beccari; to Padang Pandjang (18), Tanah Datar (Fort van der Capellen) and Boea; to Mt Sago (Landanglawas) (30), up to 5000 feet; on the way to Sidjoengjoeng (Sept. 9-11); to Kotta Baroe (Oct. 12), Soepajang via G. Silampoeng, Solok, Paio; Solok (Nov. 14), Moeara Laboe, Ajer Angat, Lolo; setting out for Solok (Jan. 18, 1879), Padang Pandjang, Ajer Mantjoer (staying till May 12).-1879-80. NE. & SE. Borneo. Sailing into the Mahakam (July 16, 1879); Tengaroeng (July 20-Aug. 10); by proa to Longwai, at first following the Mahakam, subsequently the Telèn (arrival 21); following the same route during the return voyage. Samarinda; Tengaroeng (Nov. 9-20); starting by proa (21) to Moeara Pahoe (stay Dec. 4-14); by proa (l5) to Moeara Anan and proceeding by land to Tiko on kali Benangan, proceeding by proa to Teweh (staying 25-27); by proa (28) on the way to Bandjermasin (stay Dec. 31-Jan. 26, 1880); departure to Amoentai; to Barabei (29); to Mindai (Febr. 1); back via Birajan, Barabei (21-24), the 25th proceeding to Bandjermasin, and March 3 sailing from there to Soerabaja.

 

collections:

Herb. Kew [K], e.g. Coscinium fene-stratum Scheff. from Borneo.3

He specially collected birds, shells, and insects. It is just possible that he collected a few botanical specimens in Sumatra too; in the descriptions of his trips in the latter island, he relates of his trouble in dragging a large specimen of Amorphophallus with tuber to the cottage.

His collections (probably zoological) from Ajer Mantjoer, Lolo, and Ajer Angat were lost by shipwreck in the Red Sea; his living specimens were shipped later on and duly reached their destination. He made natural history collections in China, Siam and Laos too.

 

literature:

(1) C. Bock: ‘The head-hunters of Borneo’ (London 1881 ;including: ‘Journeyings in Sumatra’); transl. into German: ‘Unter den Kannibalen auf Borneo’ (Jena 1882).

cf. also Nat. Tijdschr. N.I. 41, 1882, p. 118-129 (bird coll. from Sumatra).

(2) C. Bock: ‘Reis in Oost- en Zuid-Borneo van Koetei naar Banjermassin, ondernomen op last der Indische Regeering in 1879-1880’ (’s-Gravenhage 1887, 1 vol. + atlas; publ. Kon. Inst. v. Taal-, Land- en Volkenk. N.I.). According to footnotes, the names of kampongs etc. mentioned by him, do not agree with the data of others, e.g. with those of Schwaner.

(3) cf. Pflanzenreich 46, 1910, p. 114.

 

biographical data:

Who’s who 1913.