Citation of the material should include the following elements:
University of Toronto Scarborough Library, Archives & Special Collections, Frederick A. Urquhart fonds, Series Name - Box # File # - Item # (if applicable).
Fredrick (Fred) Albert Urquhart was a professor of zoology at the University of Toronto and the University of Toronto Scarborough. Born in Toronto in 1911, Urquhart studied biology at the University of Toronto, completing an MA in 1937 and a PhD in 1940. His first attempt at tagging monarchs, in 1937, met with limited success, but led to the development of the Alar Tagging Method in the 1940s. In 1945, he married Norah Patterson, who would become a partner in his research endeavours. He was appointed assistant director of zoology at the Royal Ontario Museum in 1945, becoming director in 1949; at the same time, he was appointed as an assistant professor in zoology at the University of Toronto. Urquhart took on full professorship in 1963. In 1966, he spearheaded a program in zoology at Scarborough College, a position that he held until his retirement in 1977. In 1975, two member of Urquhart’s extensive network of monarch trackers, Ken and Cathy Brugger, discovered millions of monarch butterflies in the Neovolcanic Plateau in Mexico, many of them tagged, proving that monarchs did indeed travel thousands of kilometres to breed. Urquhart and his wife were able to visit Mexico in 1976 to see the monarchs firsthand. An internationally renowned entomologist, Urquhart published both books and articles on the migratory patterns of monarch butterflies. He died in 2002.
Published
The fonds contains a small number of personal items belonging to Frederick A. Urquhart. Personal items include a letter and two books.
Due to the small amount of material in the collection, no further arrangement has been carried out beyond the collection level.
The 2005-01 accession was deposited by Urquhart's son Doug Urquhart.
Material is subject to the Copyright Act.
Box list available.
Published
File includes a letter from Nell Williams, wife of English entomologist and ecologist C.B. Williams, to Norah Urquhart, wife of Frederick Urquhart, written on 2 March 1983 from Strathdee, Kirkcudbright, Scotland. The letter discusses their husbands' shared research interest in butterfly migration, their involvement with the Hope Entomological Collection at Oxford University, and refers to the Urquhart's discovery about monarch butterfly migration.
Open
Published
File includes Urquhart's copy of Fieldbook of Insects by Frank E. Lutz (published 1921). Second edition, revised and enlarged, with about 800 illustrations, many in colour. 561 pages.
Front end page is inscribed "Frederick A. Urquhart July 14-33, 3rd Biology, 55 Hammersmith Ave, Toronto" in black ink. Book is in very poor condition - front cover has come unattached, binding fabric on spine torn, several pages loose or unbound, extensive discolouration to end papers. Some attempts have been made to repair the book with tape.
Open
Published
File includes Urquhart's copy of The Moth Book: A Popular Guide to a Knowledge of the Moths of North America by W. J. Holland (published 1934 by Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc.). Includes 48 colour plates. 479 pages. Front end page is inscribed "Frederick Urquhart, 66 Willow Ave Toronto". Book is in poor condition - binding fabric on spine is tearing, discolouration on end papers, some loose pages.
Open