BULLETIN

- OF THE - COOPERORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB.

A BI-MONTHLY EXPONENT OF CAIJFORNIAN .

- --___-

Vol. I. K-0. I. : Santa Clara, Cal., January-February,1899. $1.00 a Year. = Dr. JAMES G. COOPER.

A SKETCH.

[By W. 0. EMERSON. President of the Cooper Ornithological Club.]

T is proper, and in accordance with wrought, yet in memory he is again giving his the wish of the Club, that the initial first field lesson, taking the Rock Wren for an I number of the BULLETIN should con- object study as it sits on a huge tain a brief sketch of lhe life of him, in whose blue-gray rock singing to us its. song of wel- honor our Club is named,-Dr. James G. come. Here he talked to us of Nature in all Cooper. of her varied forms; told of the birds, their The fact that Dr. Cooper, though very songs, their flights, plumage and their home- feeble, is yet alive, precludes us from entering life; of their loves and hates, joys and sor- upon any detailed view of his private life, even rows! All of this was told in common lan- though it be that phase with which his friends guage, without scientific nomenclature, and most delight. We must, therefore, confine thus we saw Nature and her works through ourselves to the scientific aspect of his life, as the eyes of one who loved and had long ques- it is in this relation that he is best known to tioned and learned many of her secrets, thousands who have never met him. and who until the setting sun found us yet worshiping will be pained to learn that it is almost im- in Natures’ temple, and the student gaining possible for him to receive visitors, as it is dif- his first glimpse into that grand arcana. ficult and painful for him to speak. This was our teachers’ manner; thus he When it became necessary for us to visit gathered around him the young ornithologists him to verify certain portions of this sketch, and in the field taught them the lessons of we noticed his evident pleasure when he bird-life, and it was from the incentives of learned that the Club intended to publish its these field studies that our Club was formed, own BUI.I,ETIN, and he expressed the wish to and in his honor named, and at the Club meet- do all that he could to further its interests. ing held December 5, 1896, he was by To us this meeting was at once a promise and unanimous vote placed on our roll as an Hon- a benediction. For many years he had been to orary Life Member. us a friend and a guide, and necessarily our The Secretary of the Club, Mr. C. Barlow, mind reverted to the time when we learned of fully expressed the sentiments of all when, in bird-life at his feet. As we looked on his kindly advising Dr. Cooper of the action, he wrote: face and listened to the almost inarticulate “The Club which .was named in your honor words, in memory we traveled backward to the was organized June 22, 1893. * * * As an time of our first lesson in bird-life; he sitting on organization of comparatively young workers, a rock in the shadow of the trees, and the we all feel indebted to yourself and the few student watching the birds which he noted as remaining veteran ornithologists for the ex- they flew about us or jumped from stone to cellent and valuable material which you have stone, making the air vibrate with their prepared in the years past.” music. James G. Cooper was born June 19, 1830, in Eighteen years ago! What a vista of time is New York, being the eldest of a family of six here unrolled. What changes this period has children. In the spring of 1837, his father, Wil- .-. 2 BULT.ETIN OF THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL CT,UB. liam Cooper, moved to New Jersey and settled at ing among the first in our country to engage Slongha, near Hobokcn, where James com- in this science. He beeante the warm friend of menced his school life, but it was not until he Schoolcraft who afterwards made for himself a was ten years of age that his school life really name as a historian of the Indian races. began, as prior to this time he was subject to William Cooper was the friend, correspond- many and severe spells of illness. As he was ent and co-laborer of I,ucian Bonaparte, and obliged to walk a mile or more through the edited the last two &lumes of Bonapartes’ fields, he took many of the side paths for the works, who showed his appreciation or purpose of hunting birds, shells, snakes and the assistance by dedicating to Cooper other objects of , thus early one of the finest of his new species, Fulco showing the tendency which has marked his cooperi, the type specimen of which was shot later years. During this period and the snccecd- by Cooper in Hudson County, N. Y. and, an- ing years, he was largely indebted to his father other type specimen, &Lodvovmns cooperi, for his education and real preparation for his was also taken by him, and it is unique in the after career. It may be proper that we devote a fact that no second specimen has been secured. few words to the father who exerted so great The result of William Coopers’ ornithologi- an influence in the son. cal work is largely incorporated in Bonapartes’ His father, William Cooper, was born in the works. He was the friend of Audubon, and Nut- year 1798, and was the son of James Cooper, tall, and gave them the use of his specimens an English merchant, who, coming to New and notes, and assisted them in their works. He York shortly after the Revolutionary War, ac- died April 20, 1864, and at this time, he and cumulated a comfortable fortune, and died in his life long friend, John Torrey, were the only 1801. William gave up all ideas of business and surviving members of the original Lyceum, devoted his life to the study of Nature, in- Mr. Cooper having been a member forty-seven heriting these tastes from his mother, who was years. Miss Frances Graham. At the age of nineteen Nurtured by such influences, his education William Cooper united with a number of others superintended by such a father, his earliest and established the Lyceum of Natural History memory being of the conversations of such of New York, which became the school of many men, it would be impossible for the subject of of our noted scientists. Senator Samuel L. our sketch to be other than that which he has Mitchell, _M. D., was the first President, who been,-an authority in his own field of study. with Cooper laid the foundation of its magnifi- In 1851 James G. Cooper graduated from the cent museum. Nathaniel Paulding, the poet, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New was its first Secretary, and William Cooper was York, and henceforth will be known to us as Secretary in 1818 when it was incorporated. Dr. Cooper. The succeeding two years were For many years Dr. John Torrey, who was the spent in the City hospitals, when at the begin- educator of many of our noted botanists, was ning of the year 1853 we find him taking the in- the curator of the museum, and the intimate itiatory step that to him was the turning point personal friend of Mr. Cooper, and to him of his life; a period in which hope and ambition Dr. Torrey dedicated his first real botani- as regards certain directions became ruling cal work, The BotarLy of the Northern and factors and decided his course. Middle Stafes. At this time Prof. Eaton was, We ’ may be pardoned for dwelling a mxnent under the direction of Courtland Van Rens- on a period that strengthened his tendencies, selaer, making geological surveys. These and decided the course of his ambitions future. old records of the Lyceum, which are At this time the Government had determined before us as we write. vividly recall the early to take some action in regard to a trans-cbnti- struggling days of science in the United States. nental railroad, and was making arrange- What a list of scientific workers, do these old ments for a preliminary survey for a route be- files of proceedings recall. Mark the time, tween St. Paul and Puget Sound, and, on April 1818 to 1854. 27, 1853, Dr. Cooper signed a contract with In 1821 William Cooper departed for Europe Gov. I. I. Stevens, (who had lately been ap- in order to perfect himself in , and was pointed Governor of the Territory of Wash- the first American member of the Zoological ington, and placed in charge of the surveyj as Society of . He attended the lectures one of the physicians to the survey. This ap- of Cuvier and those master minds of the Jardin pointment meant more to him than the mere des Plantes, and on his return to the United $70.00 a month that he received, as it brought States took up the study of Palzeontology, he him into direct contact with those bright and ktUT,l,IYIIX’ OF THE COOI%R ~RNII’ HOI,OGIC_~I.‘ CI,UR. 3

able minds whose after acts became a large and these observations had a profound in- portion of the history of our country, and of fluence on his futnre work. The survey was science. What a galaxy of bright names have disbanded April I, 1854, and McClellan or- been clustered around this survey. These dered our friend to report to Gov. Stevens at were the men with whom our friend lived, Fort Vancouver. His specimens were trans- thought and acted. mitted to Prof. Baird at Washington, to which To the Eastern division Dr. Suckley was as- place he soon went for the purpose of prepar- signed, while Dr. Cooper was assigned tz the ing his report. Returning to the coast he Western under the direct superintendence of spent the entire year of 1855 in collecting Brevet Captain Geo. B. McClellan of the En- specimens of natural history, and it was at this gineer Corps, to whom he reported June 14, time that his attention was so strongly fixed 1853. upon that line of thought in which probably At this point we must digress to note the he is best known-that of Conchology. His names here associated, which in a few years report on the ornithology of the survey has were to stand as the supporters of principles become a model, and is marked by deep, whose final disposition was made the basis searching and comprehensive observations. of our Civil War. Jefferson C. Davis Dr. Snckley was a joint author with Cooper, wrote and issued Dr. Coopers’ instructions; and reported on a separate section. Geo. B. McClellan was his immediate c3m- Late in the fall of 1855 Dr. Cooper went up mander; U. S. Grant was the Regimental the coast to Grays’ Harbor, joining the Indian Quartermaster that issued his supplies; A. J. Treaty Commission Llnder Gov. Stevens, in- Donelson was in cxnmand of the escort and tending to accompany the Governor to the Hardiein’ command of the Division of the Blackfoot Council at Fort Benton, bnt in this Pacific. As we read the orders and documents he was disappointed. In the meantime he si,ncd by these men, what memories are made a voyage to the Straits of Fuca and spent awakened ’ a month on Whitbys’ Island, collecting speci- Connected with this survey was Mullen, who mens, returning to Shoalwater Bay in July afterwards became the roadmaker. There were where he remained until Oct. 4, when he John Torrey, Asa Gray, F. V. Hayden, Gibbs, sailed in the Coast Survey steamer Active, by Meek, Baird, 1,e Conte, Lesqueraus, Warren, invitation of Capt. Allen, to San Francisco. Suckley and others who were CD-laborers with He spent six weeks collecting specimens in Dr. Cooper, and who have written their names the Santa Clara Valley, then proceeding south- cm the scroll of the world of science. From ward to Panama he collected shells for his June 14, 1853 to April 1, 1854, Dr. Cooper was en- father. whose last icientific writing was a re- gaged in making botanical and zoological col- port on West Coast shells, PaciJc /Z. R. Re- lections and meteorological observations. po?-t. This large collection passed into the This latter work was the peculiar duty hands of the Chicago Academy of Sciences that was always assigned to the surgeons and was destroyed in the great fire. Dr. Suck- of the army, but until this time it had not ley was not with him at this time, he having been productive of any tangible results, al- returned to the East. Altogether Dr. Cooper though Blodgett had attempted to formulate spent two years and three months in Wash- some of the laws regarding climatic conditions, ington Territory, and this was really his school and was busy in reduc;ng the accumulated ob- of preparation. From April I, 1854, until servatlons, and Redficld had propounded his 1557, all of the work that he did was by his theory of storms. While engaged in the study own private enterprise and in obedience to of the forest growth of the Northwest, Dr. his love for science, and it is at this point that Coopers’ attention was directly called to the we bid farewell to the botanist and welcome correspondence between the forest distribution the ornithologist and conchologist. and climatic influences, which largely deter- On April 22, 18j7, Dr. Cooper was by the mined the environment. The result of this Secretary of the Interior, appointed Surgeon to study was communicated to the public through the Wagon Road from Fort Kearney to the the Smithsonian Institute, and was the first South Pass and Honey Lake. However, when systematic slaten:ent regarding the forest the expedition reached the Rocky Mountains, growth that was issued by the Goverument. it became necessary to disband it, and the While Dr. Cooper can not be regarded as a Doctor went on a collecting trip through the professional meteorologist, yet the reductions Mojave desert. The results of this trip are con- of the observations of this survey are models. tained in his various reports on the fauna of 4 BUI.T,ETIN OF THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB.

Montana, Wyoming and the Mojave, and Thus far we have carried a brief, running. are scattered through his later writings. On itinerary, as it were, of his scientific life, re- April 16, 1860, Gel]. W. S. Scott issued special counting @is movements uutil the time that order No. .47, directing Dr. J. G. Cooper as he moved to Haywards, at which it is our pur- Contract Surgeon, to report at New York, pose to leave this view of his life, and take up and to proceed thence to Fort Columbus, the purely scientific portion and his publica- Department of , accompanying a de- tions. In 1856: Dr. Cooper was made a mem- tachment‘ of recruits. This duty termi- ber of the New York Lyceum, now New York nated Oct. 19, 1860, but his contract was con- Academy of Sciences. Although not one of tinued to Dec. I of that year. Again as a the charter members of the California Academy student we find him collecting along the of Sciences, he is one of its early members, coast from San Francisco to San Diego. From and until failing health prevented, one of its now henceforward we view the ener- earnest and active workers, holding for sev- getic, thoughtful, scientific mind. From 1861 eral years the office of Vice President and one to 1874 was one COl~titiUOuS series of field term as Second Vice President. During the observations and studies, the results of which time of the auxilliary clubs he was the Presi- are embraced in his numerous publications dent of the Zoological Club. Much of his until the year 1890. This period will again be active work in connection with the Academy examined when we speak of his publications. has been in palazontology, and he was for some The gigantic struggle of the Civil War found time curator of this section. A large number him a student and an active worker in the field of his works were first published in the Pro- of science. Watching this struggle, listening ceedings of the Academy. He did copsider- to the roll-calls of the dead, sick and wounded, able work on the Geological Survey of Cali- he again sought service in the army, and ou fornia under Whitney, a portion of this being May 24, 1864, Gov. F. F. Law commissioned in pure geologv and a portion in palazon- him as Assistant Surgeon, 2d Cavalry, Cali- tology. He compiled the catalogue of Cali- fornia Volunteers, and he served with this fornia Fossils for the Mining Bureau. regiment until its muster out. Even during Our first impulse was to give a full cata- this period he did not relinquish his scientific logue of his publications, but having arranged work, which was that of identification of in- a full list of titles, we have thought it would dividual‘ specimens, of reference, and in, pub- meet the requirements of this sketch in a bet- lishing his observations. He was now a sys- ter manner if a synopsis by subjects were tematist and not a collectoy. January 9, 1866, given in lieu of the catalogae: On Conchol- he was married to Miss Rosa-M. Wells at Oak- ogy, 43 papers, Botany, 6 papers, Ornithology, land, California. 12 papers, Mammals, 8 papers, other scientific It is not our purpose to draw aside the cur- subjects, 7 papers. Total, 76. While his tain that separates his scientific and public life scientific work has been a varied one, it is his from the sanctity of his home-life. At present ornithological work that particularly interests we feel that we have no right to enter the our Club, and it may be inappropriate for the home and to paint the picture of the peace BULLETIN to present any other phase. yet be- and happiness of that home circle, where, sur- fore examining his ornithological contributions rounded by wife and children, he, in perfect we cannot refrain from mentioning other security and the loving trust of a well spent work for the reason that it bears so directly life, calmly awaits the summons that shall bid on certain phases of his purely ornithological him move to another home. Sometime it work. Necessarily we must omit any refer- may be our duty and pleasure to draw the pic- ence to conchology and palaeontology, as the ture of his home life and to write more fully scope of the RI:T,I,ETIN will not admit of such of his scientific iife, but the time is not yet discussion, Nor is it our present purpose to come, and it may be that other and better peus critically examine his ornithological writings, than ours may perform this duty, but none but rather to draw attention to the fact that would bring to its accomplishment more loyal Dr. Cooper is one of our best ornithologists, labor. Until 1871 Dr. Cooper was in the act- because, to many, the conchologist has over- ive practice of his profession, when his health shadowed the ornithologist in his work. We failing, he moved to Ventura County, Cali- wish now to refer directly to the work that in fornia, and remained there engaged in collect- reality was the result of his meteorological ing until in 1875 he moved to Hayward, Cali-‘ observations and directed his attention to the fornia where he now resides. question of the geographical distribution of BULLETIN OF THE COOPER ~RNITHOI+OGI~~I, CLUB. 5 -.. __ plants and animals. This subject has been known its zoology. The exploration of Maj. distinctive of all of his later work, and if we Long in 1870, of which Dr. Edwin James was are not in error, he was the first to note the the scientist, reached to the south and west particular laws governing the environment of of the territory covered by Lewis and Clark, bird-life. but did not to any great extent enlarge our .4t the time he presented his essay on the knowledge of its zoology, as James was a bet- geographical distribution of plants, no one in ter botanist than zoologist. To a certain ex- the United States, and only De Candalle, Rich- tent the same may be remarked respecting the ard and Humboldt in Europe, had critically explorations of Fremont, The botany of these examined this subject, and Michaux, on the ba- several surveys and explorations was particu- sis of the forest growth of a portion of the larly elaborated by Torrey, Gray, James and United States had noted it. While Purrsh, Bar- Eaton, while the zoology was not so thorough- tram, Nnttall, Barton and Torrey had preceded ly elaborated. him, they are silent on the laws or conditions In 1831 Sir John Richardson published the governing the distribution, and while Douglas results of his observations of a portion and Eschscholtz preceded him on the West of the territory covfred by the Hudson Bay Coast and noted cases of geographical distri- Company, but none of these, however, explored bution, they w&e from the very paucity of , Arizona, Nevada and California, systematic observations unable to formulate although the work of Eschscholtz covered a any scientific generalizations. Then we re- portion, and it was not until the Geological gard this essay as the first systematic presenta- Survey of California under Whitney that this tion of this subject in the United States. territory really became known to science. From the plants he carried this question into Thus this survey becomes a starting point the life history of the ~ol~usc~?, and thence he and a scientific epoch, as it were. To this laid the foundation of his generalizations re- survey Dr. Cooper was assigned as zoologist garding the distribution of bird-life. There and by mutual consent between he and Whit- can be no doubt that this question of geo- ney, the notes and specimens were to be placed graphical distribution has marked and modi- in the hands of Prof. Baird for elaboration at fied our views of the life history of birds, and the Smithsonian Institute, and to be finally from the mere descriptive technology of or- published as a portion of the work on The Land and Wafer Birds of North America by nithology, we have opened a new and varied Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. This arrange- field of ornithological study. In this particu- ment, however, was not practically carried lar field he has been a pioneer, and it is a por- out, and a large portion of this work was pub- tion of the special work of this Club. To the lished by Whitney as a part of the California Reports. A portion of the bird skins were scientist the work of Dr. Cooper is of special deposited at the State University at Berkeley. value, and this is ackuowledged and empha- Thus it was the zoological work of Dr. sized by Prof. Baird, who says: “By far the Cooper in connection with this survey that most valuable contribution to the biography has so enlarged our real knowledge of the zoology of this section. .Thus, from December of Smerican birds that has appeared since the 1860 until April 1862, and a considerable por- time of Audubon, is that written by Dr. J. 0. tion of 1X63 he was collecting in the Colorado Cooper in the Geological Survey of Califor- Valley near Fort Mojave. This included the nia,“--(BaIRD Nor-fh American Land Birds. vicinity of San Diego, San Pedro, Santa Bar- bara and the islands of the coast. In 1864 he Preface page r .) explored a portion of the coast from Bolinas While the number of his publicatious on Bay to Santa Cruz, and during a portion of conchology exceeds those on ornithology, in this time (1862) was assisted by Dr. Edward the latter they have taken- the form of finished Palmer. During this period he did a large amount of gratuitous work, in the way of works or monographs, which have snch a elaborating the material in various branches value as attaches to the works of Audubon, of the zoology of the Pacific Coast. In 1565 Baird, Wilson and Bendire. During his work he prepared his series of reports on the higher on the Pacific Coast Dr. Cooper discovered and classes of animals. We hope that this pre- liminary sketch will call attention to Dr. established ten forms, which will be made the Coopers’ ornithological work, and while it is subject of a paper in our next issue. not intended to be critical, we have attempted Lewis ’ and Clarkes’ explorations to the head to do him justice as an original observer and waters of the Missouri River made known to us as an author. In a subsequent issue of the BUI,I.ETIN we will give a detailed catalogue that vast expanse of territory known as the of his ornithological publications expressly Northwest and Audubon, Nnttall and Town- prepared for studeuts who wish to examine send were the first to describe and make them.