Papers of Carlos Paton Blacker, 1920-1974, reflecting his long and active career in psychiatry (including as including as psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital and as an Adviser to the Ministry of Health), and his activities as Secretary to the Eugenics Society and with a number of organisations interested in population and birth control, including the Birth Control Investigation Committee, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and the Simon Population Trust. There is also some material relating to his return to military duty in the Second World War as a Regimental Medical Officer. The collection also includes correspondence (both personal and professional), which sheds light on his interests in ornithology and nature conservation, and other writings both published and unpublished.

Bound manuscript by James Forbes entitled "Bills, Feathers, Eggs, etc., of various Birds in the Torrid Zones", 1818.

Manuscript by Dr Staude, [early 19th century], entitled "Systematische Ordnung der ornithologischen Sammlung des herzoglichen naturalien Cabinets".

Two works by Hugh Edwin Strickland bound in a single volume: "On the evidence of the former existence of Struthious birds distinct from the Dodo, in the islands near Mauritius", 1844 and "List of Unfigured Species of Birds, the type-specimens of which exist in the India House or in the Museum of the Zoological Society", 1853.

Library Manuscripts comprise manuscript items donated to the Royal Geographical Society. They are chiefly single files or a small number of items which are not large enough to warrant forming a special collection. The papers include, astronomical and meteorological observations, diaries, correspondence, notes, conference papers, reports, articles, photographs, sketches and maps covering all aspects of geography and exploration across the globe and date from 1691 to 1994. Highlights include:

Memorandum on a map of South America, by John Arrowsmith.

Papers of Maj R A Bagnold, 1929-1933, comprising positions, routes and heights in Egypt and letters from Bagnold.

Letters from Sir John Barrow to Lord Melville, 1935-1945 and letters to Barrow from Murzuq, 1822 and J D Dundas, 1818.

Papers of Dr Heinrich Barth, 1846-1952, letters and copy of a sketch map of Timbuktu.

Notes on heights of mountains in America by Capt F W Beechey, 1826.

Letters from the King of Siam to Sir John Bowring, 1855.

Letters relating to the British Arctic Air Route Expedition, 1928-1932.

Correspondence and reports of the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition to New Guinea, 1908-1911.

Papers of G Wyman Bury, 1913-1918.

Papers of Capt R F M Crozier, 1836-1906.

Account of a journey to Lhasa and central Tibet by Sarat Chandra Das, 1902.

Papers of Lt James Barker Emery, chiefly relating to Mombassa, 1822-1835.

Plan and elevation of the Screw Yacht FRAM as reconstructed in 1898.

'Narrative of a small party of HMS LEVEN under command of Lt C W Browns sent to explore the Zambesi by one of the survivors, a native of Angola', by Antonio Jozi, 1823.

Journal of Joseph Kaye's voyage from London to Genoa.

Papers and maps relating to William Kennish's exploration in South America for a canal route.

Papers relating to the Kufara expedition led by H W C J Penderel and P A Clayton to Gilf Kebir, 1933.

Papers relating to the Livingstone Award, 1875-1970.

H B Molesworth's diary of a journey to Mokalla (Mukalla), 1893.

Letters from Sir John Morrison to Henry Dundas and others concerning Persia and trade with Persia, 1783-1792.

Narrative of a shipwreck on the southern shores of Arabia by B A R Nicholson, 1836.
Correspondence of Walter Oudney, 1821-1823.

Papers of Adm Sir W E Parry, relating to the Arctic, 1819-1823.

Papers relating to the Pitcairn Islands, 1831-1885.

Annotated 'Code of Naval Signals' belonging to Adm Sir Home Popham, 1799.

Letter from Sultan Husain Sufrari, 1708.

Account of explorations on the coast of Patagonia by B Villarino, 1782.

Travel journals of J Washington, chiefly in South America, 1822-1829.

Letters to A F R Wollaston, 1896-1926.

MSS.2208-2216 comprise notebooks and essays. MSS.2210-2211 are broader in subject than the rest of this block of material, comprising lectures in physiology; the remainder of the manuscripts in this block focus on issues of specifically tropical medicine. Kala-azar and malaria are particularly featured. MS.2208 also includes a list of birds in Dunduan. MSS.5692-5697 consist of illustrative material (primarily water-colours from microscope slides relating to tropical parasitic diseases), correspondence, cuttings and offprints, and miscellaneous other papers relating to Donovan's work on tropical medicine.

Correspondence of Sir Edward Sabine, together with two volumes of correspondence on Terrestrial Magnetism by Sir Edward Sabine, Reverend Humphrey Lloyd and others.

Papers and correspondence of Max Nicholson, 1928-1987, including papers relating to the first expeditions of the Oxford University Exploration Club, 1928-1929; the work of the Terrestrial Conservation Section of the International Biological Programme (IBP) in Azraq, Jordan, in Tanzania and Tunisia and in miscellaneous expeditions of the 1960s to 1980s linked with the IBP; correspondence relating to National Parks, papers relating to the Jordan International Biological Station; papers relating to the Darwin Station, 1962-1971; papers relating to work in Egypt, 1983-1984; Tunisia, 1967 and Yugoslavia; papers relating to the UN/FAO Survey Team in Kalat State, Baluchistan, 1952-1953; photographs, print and correspondence relating to a number of expeditions on conservation and birdlife, 1929-1987.

Correspondence, notes and photographs from C W Andrews' expedition to Christmas Island, 1897-1898, including notes on the birds and other animals of Christmas Island, with a register of photographs; notes on the vegetation and geology of Christmas Island, with a register of plants; notes on the geology of Christmas Island, with a register of rock specimens; rough sketches and notes on the geology of Christmas Island; letters from Andrews to C D Sherborn written from Christmas Island and elsewhere; photographs taken during Captain Pelham Aldrich's visit to Christmas Island in HMS Egeria, 1897-1898 and 1908; photographs taken by Andrews on Cocos-Keeling, 1898; album of photographs taken by Andrews on Christmas Island; leaflet prepared by Graham Collins and others, reprinting a letter from C W Andrews on Christmas Island to C D Sherborn, 11 Sep 1897, with illustrations and calendar of the Christmas Island Natural History Association for 1988, containing reprints of some of C W Andrews' photographs of the island.

MSS.3356-3382 comprise journals and memorandum books documenting the various phases of McCormick's career, as follows: MS.3356, sketchbook relating to West Indies and South America voyages, 1824-1825; MS.3357, journal of voyage north of Spitsbergen in the Hecla, 1827; MS.3358, notes of lectures on natural philosophy by Robert Jameson (1774-1854) at Edinburgh University, 1830-1831; MS.3359, diary of voyages to West Indies and South America, 1830-1832; MS.3360, half-pay diaries (7 volumes), 1830-1838; MS.3361, diaries covering 1823-1830, fair copy; MS.3362, sketch book covering voyages in North Sea and West Indies, 1832-1833; MS.3363, diary covering blockade of Dutch coast and voyage to West Indies, 1832-1834; MS.3364, diary of a walking tour in Devon (apparently part of a longer journey of which the other journal volumes are not extant), 1834-1835; MS.3365, diary while fitting out the Antarctic expedition of the Erebus, 1839; MSS.3366-3368, diaries written during the Erebus Antarctic expedition (15 volumes), 1839-1843; MSS.3369-3370, meteorological and ornithological logs respectively of the Erebus Antarctic expedition, 1839-1843; MS.3371, half-pay diaries (4 volumes), 1843-1845; MS.3372, memorandum book on Arctic discovery, chiefly compiled during the voyage of the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1848-1852; MS.3373, diary while fitting out the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1852; MSS.3374-3380, diaries written during the voyage of the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1852-1853; MSS.3381-3382, meteorological tables and sketches respectively, made during the voyage of the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1852-1853. MS.8682 comprises loose miscellaneous material, chiefly printed, relating to various phases of McCormick's career: evolving versions of his Narrative of a Boat-Expedition up the Wellington Channel in the Year 1852 (London: Eyre and Spotteswoode, 1854), plus testimonials, printed items by other authors including the Arctic traveller Dr. Richard King, publisher's advertisements and newspapers.

Volume containing 32 letters from John Hunter to Edward Jenner, 1773-1793. The letters were written whilst Jenner practiced medicine at Berkeley, Gloucestershire, having been a pupil of Hunters in London from 1770 to 1772. The letters record Hunter's encouragement of Jenner in his botanical, ornithological and medical observations and experiments, and include requests for Jenner to send him animal specimens, including fossils.

Papers of Eric Marshall including diaries on Shackleton's British Antarctic Expedition 1907-1909, aboard the NIMROD, including diaries 31 Dec 1907-22 Mar 1908, and 23 Mar-19 Sep 1908 and diary of the southern journey on the NIMROD expedition, 29 Oct 1908-11 Mar 1909; diaries, 25 Dec 1909-18 Mar 1911, on the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition to New Guinea, photographs from the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition to New Guinea, and correspondence between Marshall and Dudley Everitt, 1955-1959, concerning the expedition to New Guinea and the British Antarctic Expedition.

Volume of correspondence of Richard Meinertzhagen including official receipts from the Museum for donations (1914-1956), drafts of his critical memoranda on the state of the Museum (1939-1945), letters from Museum staff and trustees on his collections from the Hogga Mountains, Algeria (1931-1932), and correspondence on the disposal of his bird collection (1950-1954).

Diaries and notebooks, including ornithological, entomological, variological [1910]-1927; research notebooks, common cold and influenza, 1930-1933; notes on international congresses, 1950s-1960s.

Manuscript diaries, 1939-1946, notably covering his command of 2 Corps, BEF, France and Belgium, 1939-1940, his service as Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, 1940-1941, and as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, 1941-1946, with detailed accounts of meetings and conversations, and comments on personalities. Detailed unpublished memoirs, 1883-1946, written in [1946-1960]. Personal files, 1940-1946, principally comprising copies of official and semi-official correspondence with FM Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, 1942-1945, relating to his commands of 8 Army, Middle East, 1942-1943, and 21 Army Group, North West Europe, 1944-1945; with FM Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Viscount of Cyrenaica and of Winchester, 1940-1945, relating to his commands in the Middle East, 1940-1941, and India, 1941-1945; with FM Sir (Henry) Maitland Wilson, 1943-1945, relating to his commands in the Middle East, 1943-1944, and as head of British Joint Staff Mission, Washington, 1944-1945; with FM Hon Sir Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1942-1945, relating to his commands in the Middle East, 1942-1943, and Italy, 1943-1944, and the Mediterranean, 1944-1945; with Lt Gen Sir Kenneth Arthur Noel Anderson, 1942-1945, relating to his commands in North Africa, 1942-1944, and East Africa, 1945; with Adm Lord Louis (Francis Arthur Victor Nicholas) Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia, 1943-1945; with FM Sir John Greer Dill, head of British Joint Staff Mission, Washington, 1941-1944; with Lt Gen Frederick Arthur Montagu Browning, Chief of Staff, South East Asia Command, 1944-1945; with Lt Gen Herbert Lumsden, South West Pacific Area, 1944; with Lt Gen Sir Frank Noel Mason-Macfarlane, Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Gibraltar, 1942; and with Gen Wladyslaw Sikorski, Polish Forces, 1941-1943. Papers relating to his role as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, 1941-1946, dated 1940-1951, notably including conference papers for Combined Chiefs of Staff meetings, 1943-1945; semi-official correspondence with Lt Gen Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, 1940-1945, relating to Auchinleck's commands in Norway, India and the Middle East, 1940-1945. Other papers relating to his life and career, 1897-1963, dated 1897-1966, 1992-1993, including letters to his mother, 1906-1920, notably covering his service in India, 1906-1914 and France and Belgium, 1914-1918; texts of his lectures on artillery given at Staff College, Camberley, 1923-[1926]; papers relating to his post-war activities, notably his role as Chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast, 1949-1963, dated 1949-1968; papers relating to ornithology, 1950-1963; published and unpublished articles collected by Alanbrooke and his wife, 1929-1967; texts of his speeches and broadcasts, 1944-1962; photographs, [1902-1963], 1978, 1992, mainly official photographs of Alanbrooke as Chief of Imperial General Staff, 1941-1942. Papers collected by Mrs M C Long in preparation for the writing of Alanbrooke's biography, dated 1954-1958, notably including texts of interviews with friends and colleagues, 1954-1958. Correspondence relating to Alanbrooke's papers and Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant's books Turn of the tide (Collins, London, 1957) and Triumph in the West (Collins, London, 1959) (both based on Alanbrooke's diaries), dated 1951-1968. Correspondence of FM (Richard) Michael (Power) Carver, Baron Carver, relating to erection of Alanbrooke statue in Whitehall in 1993, dated 1991-1993

Manuscript copy of a rare printed book by Dubois: Journal et relations des voyages fait par le Sr. D. B. aux isles Dauphine ou Madagascar et de Bourbon ou Mascarenne, 1669 [copy 1805-1811]

Papers of Brian Houghton Hodgson, 1824-1874, comprising annotated British Museum Catalogues, " Brief Notices of Several New or Little-Known Species of Mammalia", 1855; List of specimens sent to British Museum, [1846]; notebook by Archibald Campbell in Nepal and annotated by Hodgson, 1833; catalogue of a collection of Mammalia from Nepal, Sikim, and Tibet, 1856; copies of printed papers, 1846-1848; correspondence, 1836-1874; correspondence and lists concerning the proposed publication of drawings, 1836-1845; descriptions of the animals of Nepal, Sikim and Tibet, 1830-1857; letters from Joseph Hooker to Brian H Hodgson, 1848-1850; lists of drawings and specimens, 1835-1838; lists of drawings and specimens sent to various recipients, 1842-1874; manuscripts of journal articles, 1831-1847; 'Memoranda of manners and habits of the birds of my Collection (according to the numbers attached to the drawings). Done by my native sportsmen or Shikarees and translated by my Writer', 1846-1857; miscellaneous journal articles, 1843-1846; notebook containing copies of letters to Hodgson, 1833-1842; Zoological Memos of 1846 made on the way from Monghys to Darjiling, 1846; Zoology Nepal notebooks, 1824-1827.

Sketch of a dodo by Sir Peter Scott, made at RGS, 1958.