Records of Naturalists on 1836 Trip on View

In 1836, the French frigate Venus sailed on a diplomatic voyage around Cape Horn and north to the West Coast of North America. Along the way, the crew documented the natural history of the region, collecting birds, shells, plants and mammals.

An exhibit at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, “Animalia Personalities,” includes the sometimes whimsical engravings and hand-colored prints of animals observed during that voyage. Call (805) 682-4711.

ARCHEOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY

* “Royal Tombs of Sipan,” an exhibition of tombs discovered in Peru, will be the focus of a daylong UCLA Extension symposium at 9 a.m. Saturday. Archeologists and anthropologists who worked on the excavation of the tombs will discuss their work. Call (310) 206-8456.

ENVIRONMENT

* The strategies used by plants and animals to survive in the desert will be examined in a weekend course by the California State University Desert Studies Center in Zzyzx, near Baker. Field trips, laboratory experiments and lectures will highlight the conference, scheduled for Friday through Sunday. Call (909) 880-5981.

* The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History on Friday will offer a tour of Zaca Lake and its environment, which was ravaged by fire in September. Museum naturalists will discuss the natural history of the area, focusing on the role of fire in the environment. Reservations are required. Call (805) 682-4711, ext. 315.

MARINE SCIENCE

* The endangered leatherback turtle and its diminishing environment will be discussed by Michael Rugge of the Grass Valley Turtle Center on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Reservations are advised. Call (310) 548-7563.

HEALTH/MEDICINE

* The Beach Cities Health District and South Bay Hospital Seniority Plus program will present the last in a series of lectures, “Take Charge of Your Health,” for seniors, ages 60 and older, on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the hospital. Call (310) 318-2273 or (310) 318-4069.

* Dr. Peter Boasberg, an oncologist with the John Wayne Cancer Center at St. John’s Hospital, will discuss “New Approaches to Breast Cancer Treatment,” at the Breast Cancer Recovery Plus meeting on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Center for Women’s Health, adjacent to Brotman Medical Center in Culver City. Call (310) 391-0068 or (310) 479-3846.

SCIENCE POLICY

* Jared Diamond of the UCLA Medical School will discuss “Evolution of Human Creativity and Language,” at Caltech’s Baxter Auditorium on Sunday at 2 p.m. His remarks are sponsored by the Skeptics Society, (818) 794-3119.

ORNITHOLOGY

* The “Past, Future and Bird Life of Mono Lake” will be discussed by Betsy Reifsnider, associate director of the Mono Lake Committee, at the monthly meeting of the Whittier Audubon Society on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Whittier Community Center. Call (310) 699-2021.

ASTRONOMY

* The constellations of the autumn sky will be examined at the Valley College Astronomy Club planetarium on Friday at 8 p.m. at Los Angeles Valley College. Call (818) 781-1200, Ext. 335.

* The life and death of dinosaurs will be discussed in “Dinosaurs: Evolution and Extinction,” as part of Santa Monica College’s astronomy program Friday at 8 p.m. in Room 105 of the Business Building on campus. The lecture follows the weekly Night Sky program. Call (310) 452-9396 for tickets, (310) 452-9223 for information.