Father Hayes' interest in the natural world was displayed at a young age when he started collecting bird eggs, and clearly continued for the rest of his life. His collection abounds with books on flora and fauna, both Australian and international, as well as geology, geography and anthropology.
Gregory Macalister Mathews was also an enthusiastic bibliophile and bird egg collector, an interest that would lead him into ornithology. Born and educated in New South Wales, he worked on a cattle station for six years, observing birds on droving trips. Moving to England after his marriage, it was on a visit to the British Museum that he came up with the idea of producing an exhaustive work on Australian birds.
The keeper of the bird collection at the Museum, R. Bowdler Sharpe, encouraged Mathews and taught him how to go about the massive endeavour. Mathews threw himself into the work, spending 16 hour days researching, writing and collecting materials for his research, including books, amassing over 5000 on every aspect of ornithology. The first volume of The Birds of Australia was published in 1912, with the twelfth and final volume appearing in 1927, although there was a later supplement.
Pictured are some plates from the Hayes collection copy, click to view full image
In addition to books illustrating Australian fauna such as the one above, Hayes also had several books on Australian flora.
One example is Emily Harriet Pelloe's Wildflowers of Western Australia, published in 1921.
Pelloe was a botanical illustrator who collaborated with Western Australia's state botanist in producing her books. Another well known title by her is West Australian Orchids, published in 1930, a copy of which was also held by Hayes. While these publications included the scientific names and descriptions, they were aimed at amateurs and enthusiasts, so more subjective descriptions were included.
Rather than being divided into chapters by plant type, the book is organised by the month in which the flowers appear, with a section in the back on families and genera.
Image from Emily Harriet Pelloe's Wildflowers of Western Australia, 1921
When he visited the staff of the Bulletin in 1947, Hayes was asked about his training as a geologist, and said:
"How did I become a geologist? Well, when I went to Ipswich as a young priest I told the bishop I'd like to study geology.
'What for?' he asked me. 'What good will it do you?'
I told him I didn't know, but I wanted to study it.
He said 'Go ahead,' so I went ahead and qualified at Brisbane University. It's a fascinating study. I have a nice little collection of specimens back home."
Father Hayes being presented with the Thomson Medal, 1942
1937 Expedition to Carnarvon Gorge
Marlong Arch, Mount Moffat, Carnarvon National Park
Fr Hayes and Mr E.D. Wells (Early Storms Station) examine a specimen
Here also is the list of personnel of the Carnarvon Range Expeditions of 1937, 1938 and 1940, from one of the many copies of Carnarvon Pictorial in the collection.
Pictured are some plates from the Hayes collection copy, click to view full image
