OREGON BIRDS Volume 12 Number 4, Winter 1986

Bibliography of ID Articles Townsend's Sesquicentennial Christmas Bird Counts OBRC Report OREGON BIRDS is a quarterly publication of Oregon Field Ornithologists. Oregon Birds is printed at the University of Oregon Press. Articles apppearing in Oregon OREGON BIRDS Birds may be reprinted with permission of the author or the Editor, and must credit the source as Oregon Birds. Membership in Oregon Field Ornithologists is on an annual basis Volume 12 Number 4, Winter 1986 ISSN 0890-2313 and includes a subscription to Oregon Birds. ISSN 0890-2313

Editor Owen Schmidt NEWS BRIEFS 229

Assistant Editor Sharon K. Blair Associate Editor Jim Johnson SHORT NOTES OFO President's Message 239 Alan Contreras OREGON FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS OFO High Desert Weekend 239 President Alan Contreras, Eugene (1987) Editor Secretary Pam Neumann, Portland (1987) Bushtits Forage on River Bank 245 Treasurer Tom Mickel, Eugene (1987) ]im Johnson Directors Barb Bellin, Salem (1985-87) Taxonomy: Garbielson & Jewett Update 246 David Fix, Idleyld Park (1986-88) Range D. Bayer Roger Robb, Eugene (1985-87) Oregon Birding Trivia 247 Larry Thornburgh, North Bend (1986-88) ]im Johnson OREGON BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE David Bailey Information Wanted 248 Secretary Clarice Watson, Eugene (1986) Editor Studies in Oregon Ornithology 251 Members Jim Carlson, Eugene (1985-86) Tom Crabtree, Bend (1986-88) Range D. Bayer Jeff Gilligan, Portland (1984-86) Steve Heinl, Eugene (1986-88) David Irons, Portland (1984-86) ARTICLES Larry McQueen, Eugene (1985-87) John Kirk Townsend Sesquicentennial 253 Harry Nehls, Portland (1985-87) George A. Jobanek Owen Schmidt, Portland (1985-87) Bibliography of Bird Identification Articles 277 Steve Summers, Klamath Falls (1986-88) Clarice Watson Oregon Bird Records Committee Report 323 Alternates Joe Evanich, Portland Clarice Watson David Fix, Idleyld Park Rating Oregon's Listers 333 Matt Hunter, Roseburg Oregon Lister Rating Committee Ken Knittle, Glide Richard Smith, Portland Handicapping Oregon's Listers 335 Oregon Alternative Lister Rating Committee

OREGON FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS OREGON BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE P.O. Box 10373 OREGON BIRDS 12(4):227 Eugene, OR 97440 CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS CBC Odyssey Revisited Paul Sullivan NEWS BRIEFS Dates for the 87th CBC Editor

• This is your last issue of Oregon Birds unless you renew your HELDNOTES membership in Oregon Field Ornithologists. A handy pull-out sheet in the center of this issue — as in every issue — makes it easy to begin or Eastern Oregon, December 1985—May 1986 renew membership. Oregon Birds readers are urged to give OFO mem• Steve Summers Western Oregon, Winter/Spring 1985 —1986 berships this holiday season! Steve Heinl • The 1986 Oregon listing report form is due to Steve Summers by 31 January 1987. See the pull-out center page of this issue. A compilation SITE GUIDE of listing results is scheduled to appear in the next issue of Oregon Idlewild Park, Harney Co. Birds. Steve Heinl • Oregon Birds welcomes David A. Anderson as the new fieldnotes editor for eastern Oregon. David brings with him extensive birding CENTER experience in eastern Oregon, especially Hood River County. Steve Summers "retires" as fieldnotes editor with this issue. Oregon Birds OFO Bookcase & Membership Renewal 1986 Listing Report Form readers are indebted to Steve for accurate, concise, and timely field reports for many years.

COVER • Oregon Birds has an "ISSN number." See the inside front cover for Short-eared Owl. Photo by Owen Schmidt. ISSN 0890-2313. The International Standard Serial Number is an internationally accepted code for the identification of serials, like OB. The ISSN provides abstracting and indexing services, librarians, and others "a tool for economically communicating basic bibliographic information with a minimum of error." OB will be entered into a data base at the Paris headquarters of the International Serials Data System. The National Serials Data Program is part of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540.

• Corvallis birder Don Alan Hall has published a new book on bird watching titled A Bird in the Bush. "The 160-page book is directed at beginners to one of the fastest-growing pastimes in North America, but the book is equally enjoyable to veteran birders," says Hall. There are how-to sections on bird identification, picking field guides and optics, reporting bird sightings, dressing, and keeping score. There are sections on conservation and birding ethics, and cartoons by Salem birder Jack Hande. The book is available at select book stores or from the publisher by sending $7.95 (postpaid) to Words & Pictures Unlimited, 1257 N.W. Van Buren Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330. OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 228

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 229 ffl A number of Oregon Birds readers responded to the news item about • 1986 donations to the Oregon Nongame Wildlife Program neared the new book Birding Northern California, by Jean Richmond. See OB $324,000 through the state tax checkoff. $8,000 came from donors who 12(2): 66. In the future, OB readers should be aware that the price of did not have a refund coming. More than 59,000 Oregon taxpayers the book is $10 plus $1.35 postage and handling. For a copy of the book donated all or part of their state tax refund. The average contribution postpaid, send $11.35 to Mt Diablo Audubon Society, P.O. Box 53, was an all-time high $5.37 per return. Walnut Creek, CA 94596. • A new publication for birders — Birders World — is slated to appear • Eugene birder Larry McQueen is one of the illustrators for a new book soon. It will be issued 6 times a year and will feature a wide variety of now in preparation on the birds of Peru. Other contributors include Ted Parker and John O'Neill. This item appeared in the summer 1986 issue materials of interest to 'bird enthusiasts." The editor is Eldon D. Greij; of Vic Emanuel Nature Tours' Newsletter: You are probably aware that Ted . . . subscription is $25 per year. For more information, write to Birder's Larry and others are in the process of producing a book on the birds of Peru that will assist World, 52 West 19th Street, Holland, MI 49423. you in identifying the birds and learning about their natural history. This group of dedicated people is working without the aid of any grants or university money, but they • What is the most-wanted bird in North America? Ross' Gull, accord• cannot continue this huge project without additional private funding. Some of you have already helped in this project, but more support is needed to help see this book to its ing to the September issue of the NARBA Newsletter. This is the completion. Checks should be made out to LSU foundation and then For Peru Bird Book species for which the most birders have asked for the "we call you" Fund should be put in the "Memo" section at the bottom of the check. Donations should be service. For more information on the North American Rare Bird Alert, sent to Dr. fohn P. O'Neill, 119 Foster Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. All donations write to Bob O-Link, Inc., P.O. Box 1161, Jamestown, NC 27282. are totally tax deductible. . Approximately 45 of the plates have been done, but this is less than half of those to be included. Larry has almost finished the flycatchers and will soon start on the antbirds. * * * They want this book to be the best ever on Neotropical birds, • II you have or know of someone who has an automobile license plate but without funds the project will continue to be done on a calch-as-calch-can basis. Please with the common or scientific name of a bird—or a bird-related word— give this project a financial hand!" Send checks to the above address; write to you are asked to send your name, address, and the word on the plate to Vic Emanuel Nature Tours at P.O. Box 33008, Austin, TX 78764. James R. Hill III, P.O. Box 178, Edinboro, PA 16412.

• Birders enjoying and appreciating the facilities of the Malheur • Portland Audubon Society will host a series of "construction parties" Environmental Field Station should consider "joining." Membership in this winter for building bluebird and martin houses. Birders wishing to the Malheur Field Station allows discounts on lodging and meals, pur• become more involved should contact Mike Houck at Portland Audubon chases at the store, and members receive newsletters and special mail• (?«>? 6855), or Dave Fonts, Purple Martin Project, 1001 N.E. Thompson, ings. Membership starts at $10 for students and $15 for individuals. For Portland, < >R 97212 (282-9263), or Earl Gillis, Western Bluebird Project, more information write to the Field Station at P.O. Box 260 E, Rt, 5 Box 20, Newberg, OR 97132 (538-3844). Princeton, OR 97721. • Oregon birder Norman Barrett is interested in obtaining an original • A new monthly newsletter on issues of concern to the Oregon desert has copy of Birds of Oregon by Gabrielson and Jewett for research purposes. appeared. The Sage Advisor Volume 1 Issue 1 contains information on If you have a copy to sell, or know where there is a copy, write to BLM land swaps and other issues of public land management. Volume 1 Norman at 2554 "F" Street, Springfield, OR 97477. Issue 2 includes information on the Malheur Canal. For information, or to subscribe ($5 per year), write to the editor, Ellen Mendoza, 4005 • Seven species of birds of prey have increased in numbers from 1970 to Grant Ct, Portland, OR 97214. 1983, according to a study of Christmas Bird Count data conducted under a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant. Gyrfalcons (+500%), Prairie • Yaquina Birders & Naturalists holds monthly meetings and Falcons (+145%), Bald Eagles (+92%), Northern Goshawks (+68%), publishes The Sandpiper. Laimons Osis was recently re-elected Merlins (+43%), Red-tailed Hawks (+33%), and Peregrine Falcons president, and Bob Olson treasurer. Darrel Faxon is field notes editor. (+19%), all showed increases. A similar study of Black Ducks showed Membership is $4 per year for an individual and $6 for a family. For that in 1983 there were only 29 percent as many as there were in 1950. more information, write to Range D. Bayer, Sandpiper Editor, P.O. Box This item was reported in The Living Bird Quarterly 5(2):23, 1986, 1467, Newport, OR 97365. OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 231 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 230 services of an expert, write to the Ecological Society of America, 730 published by the Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University. 11 th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Christmas Bird Count data is important! • Birders travelling abroad and wanting to know about the medical • The Pan American Shorebird Program continues. A "Western problems they may encounter should know about the International Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network" is being formed. The Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT). International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the World Schistosomiasis and malaria charts, as well as World Climate Charts, Wildlife Fund—U.S., and the Philadelphia Academy of Natural are available. For membership information, write to IAMAT, 736 Sciences are collaborating. The lower estuary of Delaware Bay was the Center Street, Lewiston, NY 14098. first site on the Reserve Network. State wildlife agencies have been asked to evaluate sites within their boundaries, and the U.S. Fish and • Birders interested in the avifauna of Mexico should be aware of the Wildlife Service is making National Wildlife Refuges available. new Mexican Birding Association. Its purpose is to function as a Peru has nominated 5 sites. For more information, write to the Pan clearinghouse for the dissemination of useful information. For American Shorebird Program, The Academy of Natural Sciences, 19 th information and sample articles, send your name, address, and $1 to & The Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Rick Bowers, Secretary-Treasurer, Mexican Birding Association, 2925 North Cascada Circle, Tucson, AZ 85715. • The Sanderling Project continues. The spring 1986 census found 87 Sanderlings per kilometer of beach in central Oregon, 48 per kilometer • The Birding Book Society is coming back under Pathway Book Clubs. in southern Oregon, and 44 in northern Oregon. This compared to 140 per If you have a back-ordered book or unused bonus points from the Birding kilometer in Washington. Numbers were down from last year, Hook Society, you may be able to complete your transactions with according to Sanderling News, no. 19, 11 August 1986. Color-marked Pathway. For information and membership, write to Mike A. Tucker, Sanderlings banded in earlier years were seen. Of 28 marked birds seen President, Pathway Book Clubs, 382 Main Street, P.O. Box 1999, Salem, in Oregon, 26 had been banded at Clatsop Spit but 2 had been banded in NH 03079. Peru! A Sanderling marked in May 1984 at Clatsop Spit was seen again in south migration in the Oregon rJunes area in August 1984, and again • A new book on Ruffed Grouse to be published in 1988 is being compiled in March 1986 on the Galapagos Islands! Peak numbers of Sanderlings by Sliukpole Books. They are looking for scientists, writers, photo- moving north were found in mid-May. In October 1986, juvenile f,i.i|>hci-i, and illustrators who are doing or have done field research on Sanderlings were caught and banded. Some will be transported to the •|M(K-, ,iiul who are familiar with the species' daily routine. Bodega Bay, Pt. Reyes, Morro Bay, and San Diego, in an effort to see M.iii n.il should IK- detailed, thorough, and reliable. Write to Rene M. whether transplanted individuals are imprinted for life on the release Townsley, Assistant Editor, Stackpole Books, Cameron and Kelker site. A fall census was conducted 18-19 October. For more information, Streets, P.O. Box 1831, Harrisburg, PA 17105. write to The Sanderling Project at P.O. Box 247, Bodega Bay, CA 94923. • The 1986 Audubon Wildlife Report is available. The over-1000 page • Birders planning to visit Kirtland's Warbler nesting areas in upper report is a reference guide to wildlife management, including infor• Michigan are advised that nesting areas are closed and posted during mation on wildlife laws and legislative history, and current develop• the nesting season. Free guided tours are available from mid-May to 4 ments in wildlife and environmental issues. To order, send $34.95 plus July. Write to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Department $2.50 for shipping to The National Audubon Society, 950 3rd Avenue, of Natural Resources, Grayling Field Office, Grayling, MI 49738 New York, NY 10022. The Audubon report on the Northern Spotted (517)348-6371; or U.S. Forest Service, District Ranger, Huron National Owl is also available as Audubon Conservation Report #7. The report Forest, Mio, MI 48647 (517)826-3252. includes an assessment of the status of the Spotted Owl, specifies priorities for future research, and identifies management strategies for • A computerized data bank of experts who can provide scientific maintaining a viable population for the long term. To order, send $7.50 information has been developed by the Ecological Society of America. to The National Audubon Society, 115 Indiana Mound Trail, Tavernier, Experts are categorized by topic, ecosystem, and taxonomic group. FL 33070. Experts in overlapping categories can be requested. To obtain the OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 233 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 232 destroyed). For the name of an art gallery, call the print publishers in • Recordings of calls—not songs—of North American birds are solicited Eugene at (503)345-5032. for a new bird call record. Examples of calls are alarm, contact, flight, begging, and feeding. Especially wanted are calls given in a known • The 1986 Federal Duck Stamp is a Fulvous Whistling-Duck by artist context, such as hand-held birds and birds being held in or removed Burton Moore. Proceeds from the sale of duck stamps go to wetland from nets and traps. These calls are rarely if ever recorded in wild habitat acquisition and preservation. Recent emphasis has been placed birds. The ultimate goal is to publish a record. Write to J.W. Hardy, on preservation of key wintering and breeding habitats in each major Florida State Museum, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. waterfowl migratory flyway. Federal duck stamps may be purchased at most Post Offices for $7.50 or by mail for $8 by writing to U.S. Postal • Critical habitat for the "Least" Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii pusillus is Service, Philatelic Sales Division, Washington, D.C. 20265-9997. being studied by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The comment period for designation of critical habitat has been extended to 1 January • Peregrine Falcons have been reintroduced into the Columbia Gorge, 1987, according to a notice in the Federal Register of 31 July 1986, according to a news item in the September-October issue of Oregon 147(51): 27,429. This subspecies nests locally in riparian areas of Wildlife. The reintroduction is a cooperative project of the Oregon California and Baja California. "A final decision regarding Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service. The first designation of critical habitat will be made after all materials 5000 Red-legged Partridge will be released in spring 1987, according to received by the Service have been evaluated." Comments and the same issue of Oregon Wildlife. In 1988, 8500 will be released. materials should be sent to Wayne S. White, Chief, Division of Those wishing to donate to the partridge introduction project should Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1692 Lloyd 500 write to Oregon Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Upland Bird Fund, P.O. Building, 500 N.E. Multnomah Street, Portland, OR 97232. Box 8301, Portland, OR 97207.

• 'The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to supplement • The Roger Tory Peterson Institute for the Study of Natural History its 1975 programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) on the has been established in Jamestown, New York. Information about the issuance of Annual Regulations Permitting the Sport Hunting of Institute and its membership program may be obtained by writing Roger Migratory Birds. The Service seeks suggestions and comments on the Tory Peterson Institute, 525 Falconer Street, Jamestown, NY 14701. scope and substance of the supplemental EIS, and options or alternatives to be considered. Federal and state agencies and the public • Tori, the Japanese journal of ornithology, will change its name to The are invited to present their views on the subject in writing to the /u/xmr-.r join mil of Ornithology in 1986 beginning with volume 35. The Service." Federal Register 147(51): 27,429-30, 31 July 1986. Annual Northeastern itnd Handing Association, which publishes The journal regulations governing the season and limits for sport hunting of game of Held Ornithology, changed their name to The Association of Field birds in the families Anatidae, Gruidae, Rallidae, Scolopacidae, and Ornithologists. Columbidae are set by the Service. Write to Rollin D. Sparrowe, Chief, Office of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife • Running tally of the birds of the rare bird phone network: Service, Matomic Building, Room 536, Washington, D.C. 20240. - 12 September 1986 — Little Stint, juvenile, at Bandon Marsh N.W.R., byJeffGilligan. • The 1986 Oregon Duck Stamp depicts Black Brant by artist Michael Sieve. Oregon's first duck stamp in 1984 depicted Dusky Canada Goose, 17 September 1986 — Stilt Sandpiper, at Forest Grove Sewage in 1985 Lesser Snow Goose, and in 1987 will depict Greater White- Lagoons, by David Irons and Andy Silcocks. A number of others fronted Goose. This is the third year in a row that artist Sieve's were reported on Portland Audubon's rare bird tape. paintings have been chosen for the Oregon Duck Stamp. Sales of stamps, collectors' prints, and related art has added $1.2 million to - 17 September 1986 — Blackburnian Warbler (female type), Cape May Oregon's waterfowl management budget. Stamps may be purchased at Warbler (female type), and Red-eyed Vireo, at Malheur N.W.R. any hunting license dealer in Oregon. Prints are limited edition and headquarters, by David Paullin and CD. Littlefield. must be ordered before 1 January 1987 (all unordered copies will be

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 235 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 234 and 1 or 2 letters of recommendation to Les Beletsky, Department of - 23 September 1986 — Ruff (2, actually) and Curlew Sandpiper, at the Zoology, NJ-15, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. South Jetty of the Columbia River, off Parking Lot D, by Harry Nehls. • A continuing study of the effects of industrial development on nesting Prairie Falcons needs 7 research assistants. Applicants should be in - 30 September and 1 October, 1986 — Sharp-tailed Sandpipers at good physical condition (rock-climbing experience desired), able to Forest Grove sewage lagoons and various other places. maintain concentrated observation for 8-hour shifts in heat and cold, and able to operate motorcycles in rugged terrain. Send cover letter, - 19 October 1986 — Tropical Kingbird near Newport (south of the resume, and 2 letters of recommendation by 1 January 1987 to Leonard Marine Science Center), by Richard Smith. Young, Bureau of Land Management, 3948 Development Avenue, Boise, ID 83705. - 23 October 1986 — Pine Warbler at Harbor on Ocean View Drive (south of Brookings), by Alan Barron. • Field research assistants are needed from time-to-time on an ongoing 30-year study of Ruffed Grouse at 2 sites in Minnesota. A small stipend - 4 November 1986 — Tropical Kingbird in Nehalem Meadows by Harry and housing will be provided. Write to Gordon W. Gullion, Forest Nehls. Wildlife Project, 175 University Road, Cloquet, MN 55720.

GRANTS AND AWARDS MEETINGS

• The North American Loon Fund (NALF) announced the availability • The Pacific Seabird Group will meet 9-14 December 1986 at the of 2 grant programs for support of new or current projects that may yield Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja useful information for Common Loon conservation in North America. California. Proposals in the range of $500 to $3000 are most likely to be considered for funding. Deadline for submission of proposals is 31 January 1987, and • A symposium on the biology and conservation of northern forest owls funding awards will be announced by 15 March. Write to the NALF Of th« world will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba 3-7 February 1987. Grants Committee, North American Loon Fund, Main Street, Meredith, Paper! to be Included In the proceedings must be submitted by 15 January NH 03253. IM7 Wnic lo Spencer G. Sealy, Department of Zoology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T2N2.

POSITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES • The Second Internationa] Symposium on Breeding Birds in Captivity will be held 11-15 February 1987 at the Sheraton Premiere, Universal • A seabird ecology study in the Galapagos Islands needs field City, California. The late Jean Delacour will be honored. For more assistants from 25 January to 5 April 1987. Assistants will radio-track, information, write to the Symposium Coordinator, International Foun• handle, band, and observe behavior of boobies. All travel and living dation for the Conservation of Birds, 11300 Weddington Street, North expenses will be covered, but there is no stipend. Applicants should I lolIywood,CA 91601. have prior experience in a hot climate, experience with seabirds, and should know some Spanish. Send curriculum vitae, cover letter, and • The Third World Conference on Birds of Prey, sponsored by the World names of 2 references, to David J. Anderson, Department of Biology, Working Group on Birds of Prey, will be held in Israel 22-27 March University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19127. 1987. The conference will consist of 7 paper sessions on conservation, migration, population biology, education, and legislation. For informa• • A long-term study of blackbirds at the Columbia National Wildlife tion, write to Dr. Robin D. Chancellor, 15 Bolton Gardens, London SW5 Refuge in eastern Washington needs 2 field research assistants. Living OAL, U.K. expenses will be covered, depending on funding. Applicants with experience taking blood samples may be given preference. Send resume OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 237 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 236 • The 1987 Oregon Desert Conference will be held at the Malheur Field Station 24-26 April 1987. Desert wilderness will be the theme. For SHORT NOTES more information, write to Don Tryon, P.O. Box 848, Bend, OR 97709.

• The Wilson Ornithological Society will hold its 1987 meeting in Utica, NY 27-31 May and its 1988 meeting at Rosemont College (near OFO PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Philadelphia, PA) 9-12 June. Alan Contreras, 1441 E. 18th #6, Eugene, OR 97403 • A North American Atlas Conference will be held in conjunction with the AOU meeting in San Francisco in August 1987. For more information on breeding bird atlasing, write to Sally Sutcliffe, Cornell Laboratory This is a reminder to our members that it is time to pay 1987 dues — or of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850. miss the next great Oregon Birds'.

• The 105th Stated Meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union will Dues for 1987 are $12 for individuals, $15 for families (2 votes at annual be held 10-13 August 1987 in San Francisco, CA. meetings), and $20 or more for sustaining members. Extra income from sustaining members will be used to help OFO projects.

()l O membership is near 330 and rising. On behalf of the OFO Board of Directors, I thank Owen Schmidt for producing Oregon Birds, and Tom Mickcl and others who have helped tell people about OFO. Their work has helped our membership to nearly double in 9 months!

Show Oregon Birds to your friends. For the holidays, give a gift mem• bership when you renew. A handy tear-out sheet in the center of each Issue ol ()l! makes renewal and new memberships easy.

Ilesl wishes lot the ( luislmas Bird Count season. And, as always, Good Birding!

OFO HIGH DESERT WEEKEND 26-28 September 1986

OFO OR UFO?

Our birding experiences have yet to be without adventure, and our first OFO Convention was no exception. While debating the finer points of sandpiper identification, just below Wright's Point, we heard a faint tinkling of bells, the sound of something landing on top of our car, and

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 239 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 238 UK

LIST OF BIRDS Greater White-fronted Goose then an eerie silence. All we could see was a tangle of leather thongs Snow Goose Reported Sat. night and lines dangling over the windshield. Canada Goose Wood Duck We looked around, fully expecting to see someone we knew announcing Green-winged Teal Mallard their presence in a playful way, but there was no one within a hundred Picd-billed Grebe Northern Pintail yards of us. We were alone, at the side of the road, and there was Homed Grebe Blue-winged Teal something on the roof of our car. Kiircd Grebe Cinnamon Teal Western Grebe Northern Shovelcr Just as we began to roll down the window to reach out, a Prairie Falcon, ('lark's Grebe Gadwall jesses and all, flew off the car and landed on the ground just in front of American White Pelican American Wigeon us. We quickly identified and tallied it on our day list before it flew IXnible-crested Cormorant Canvasback out over the water. American Bittern Redhead Great Blue Heron Great Egret Ring-necked Duck With a beginning like this, our trip had to be a success! Lesser Scaup Snowy Egret Bufdchcad Him k crowned Night-Heron Common Merganser Maeve Lofton & Patty Olson, 3466 Continental Drive S.E., Turner, OR While laced Ibis Ruddy Duck 97392 I iiinijH'U-r Swan Turkey Vulture

OFO High Desert Weekenders at the Malheur N. W.R. headquarters huddle for a look a I an Ovenbird.

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 240 American Robin Chipping Sparrow Northern Saw-whet Owl Northern Harrier Varied Thrush Brewer's Sparrow Common Nighthawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Sage Thrasher Vesper Sparrow Cooper's Hawk Vaux's Swift Water Pipit Lark Sparrow Red-shouldered Hawk Rufous Hummingbird Cedar Waxwing Sage Sparrow Belted Kingfisher Red-tailed Hawk Loggerhead Shrike Savannah Sparrow ; Ferruginous Hawk Lewis' Woodpecker European Starling Fox Sparrow Rough-legged Hawk Red-naped Sapsucker Solitary Vireo Song Sparrow Warbling Vireo Golden Eagle Williamson's Sapsucker Lincoln's Sparrow Downy Woodpecker Orange-crowned Warbler American Kestrel Golden-crowned Sparrow Hairy Woodpecker Nashville Warbler Merlin White-crowned Sparrow Northern Flicker Yellow Warbler Prairie Falcon Dark-eyed Junco Olive-sided Flycatcher Yellow-rumped Warbler Chukar Red-winged Blackbird Western Wood-Pewee Black-throated Gray Warbler Ring-necked Pheasant Western Meadowlark Willow Flycatcher Townsend's Warbler California Quail Yellow-headed Blackbird Hammond's Flycatcher Blackpoll Warbler Virginia Rail Brewer's Blackbird Dusky Flycatcher American Redstart American Coot Brown-headed Cowbird ()venbird Sandhill Crane Gray Flycatcher Purple Finch Lesser Golden-Plover Western Flycatcher MmOillivray's Warbler Cassin's Finch Semipalmated Plover Say's Phoebe < fommon Yellowthroat House Finch Killdeer Horned Lark WII'.CIM'S Warbler Pine Siskin American Avocet Tree Swallow Yellow breasted Chat Lesser Goldfinch Greater Yellowlegs Violet-green Swallow Western Tanager American Goldfinch Lesser Yellowlegs Northern Rough-winged Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Spotted Sandpiper Bank Swallow Iji/uli Bunting House Sparrow Sanderling Cliff Swallow Unions sided Towhee Western Sandpiper Barn Swallow Least Sandpiper Clark's Nutcracker Baird's Sandpiper Black-billed Magpie Pectoral Sandpiper American Crow Short-billed Dowitcher Common Raven Long-billed Dowitcher Mountain Chickadee Common Snipe Bushtit Red-necked Phalarope Red-breasted Nuthatch Pomarine Jaeger Pygmy Nuthatch Parasitic Jaeger Rock Wren Ring-billed Gull Canyon Wren California Gull House Wren Herring Gull Winter Wren Forster's Tem Marsh Wren Rock Dove Golden-crowned Kinglet Mourning Dove Ruby-crowned Kinglet Black-billed Cuckoo Western Bluebird Common Barn-Owl Mountain Bluebird Flammulated Owl Townsend's Solitaire Swainson's Thrush Great Homed Owl llammulated Owland Blackpoll Warbler at Refuge headquarters on Short-eared Owl Hermit Thrush 27 September 1986. Both photos by fim Johnson.

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 243 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 242 I lermil Thrush and Sharp-shinned Hawk at Refuge headquarters during OFO High Desert Weekend.

BUSHTITS FORAGE ON RIVER BANK

I observed about 40 Bushtits (Psaltriparus minimus) forage along the bank of the Willamette River at Oaks Park in Portland, Multnomah Co., on the morning of 4 January 1986. The bank was made up of stones 1 to 2 inches in size. Bushtits are almost always seen foraging in shrubs and trees at varying heights, and I assume this foraging behavior was tlue to freezing temperatures that day. The weather was cloudy and (11 y, but very cold, 30-35° F. Insects may have been driven to the ground, or may have been available only in this near-aquatic habitat.

/;;// Johnson, 3244 N.E. Brazee, Portland, OR 97212.

OFO birders listing their first state Blackpoll Warbler! All photos by Owen Schmidt, unless otherwise noted. OREGON BIRDS 12(4):245

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 244 OREGON BIRDING TRIVIA TAXONOMY: GABRIELSON AND

JEWETT UPDATE lint Johnson, 3244 N.E. Brazee, Portland, OR 97212 I keoid Bailey, 2867 N.E. Hamblet, Portland, OR 97212 In my 1984 paper in Oregon Birds 10(3&4): 134-138, I translated Wright's Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) in Gabrielson and Jewett's 1. Which Oregon alcid only a few years ago was discovered to Birds of Oregon as today's Gray Flycatcher (E. wrightii). This was incorrect. Gabrielson and Jewett's Wright's Flycatcher is today's breed in holes in large trees? Dusky Flycatcher, and their Gray Flycatcher E. griseus is today's Gray Flycatcher E. wrightii. 2. In which Oregon counties has White-winged Dove occurred?

3. Which bird species has the longest known migration route? The confusion in the names of these flycatchers arose in 1939, when A.R. Phillips (The Type of Empidonax wrightii Baird, Auk 56: 311-312) 4. In what year was the last verified sighting of Sharp-tailed reported that the type specimen for the Wright's Flycatcher actually was a Gray Flycatcher, then named E. griseus. Because the name wrightii was used before griseus, it was appropriate that wrightii Grouse in Oregon? become the scientific name for the Gray Flycatcher. Because Wright's Flycatcher now needed a new scientific name and a new type specimen, 5. Which passerine family has the most species? Phillips provided both. The new name Phillips proposed was E. oberhokeri, which was named after Harry Oberholser, a colleague of 6. Name the 4 sandpiper species in which the male averages Phillips. Phillips recommended retention of the common name larger than the female? Wright's Hycatcher for E. oberholseri, but the AOU changed the com• 7. (a) Which species on the official Oregon state list has the mon name to Dusky Hycatcher in their 5th edition Check-list in 1957. longest wing-span? (b) Which is the heaviest? Gabrielson & Jewett (1940) AOU (1983) (c) Which is the tallest?

8. Which is the smallest hummingbird in Oregon? Wright's Hycatcher Dusky Hycatcher E. wrighti E. oberholseri 9. Which bird has never been recorded outside of California? Gray Hycatcher Gray Hycatcher 10. During which Oregon CBC was a first state record found? E. griseus E. wrightii

11. Which land bird, 300 years ago, was the most abundant bird in In my paper I also stated that Gabrielson and Jewett's Pacific Loon was now the Arctic Loon. This was true up to July 1985, when the AOU America and in the world? announced that this loon along our coast would again be known as the 12. Which North American bird species occur regularly only in Pacific Loon and would be distinct from Arctic Loons that occur Oregon and California? elsewhere. For a related article on this name change, see Crabtree, T., AOU Adds Three New Oregon Species, Oregon Birds 11(2&3): 95,97, I S< Which 2 bird species breeding south of Oregon occur regularly 1985. as post-breeding wanderers to Oregon?

I thank Tom Crabtree for helpful comments in preparation of this note. 14. What is the exact location of the first Oregon record of Tufted Duck? Range D. Bayer, P.O. Box 1467, Newport, OR 97365 Answers on page 250. OREGON BIRDS 12(4):247 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 246 nesting area in Harney Co. Information needed is good location data, INFORMATION WANTED date, time of day, and behavior — and your name, address, and phone number. The Canadian Wildlife Service has neck-collared Trumpeter Nesting birds. I am researching a book on nesting birds of Oregon. I Swans in British Columbia. Look for red collars with white alpha• would appreciate any nesting records from throughout the state that numeric markings. Include neck collar information. are not already a part of the Lane County Breeding Bird Atlas Project. / hvid Paullin, P.O. Box 113, Burns, OR 97720 Minimum information needed is species, date seen nesting, and location. Any additional information, such as dates of egg laying, hatching, fledging, etc., as well as nest description and location, habitat, alti• tude, nest success, and anything else of value would be greatly appre• Lesser Snow Geese. The small breeding population of Lesser Snow Geese in the Prudhoe Bay area of Alaska has been studied for the past ciated. 7 years. Several thousand birds have been tarsus-banded and neck- Norman M. Barrett, 2554 "F" Street, Springfield, OR 97477 collared with blue and white alpha-numeric bands.

Snowgoose Project, Attn.: DM. Troy, LGL Alaska Research Associates, Hood River County birds. I am compiling a Hood River County 505 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 501, Anchorage, AK 99503 checklist. I need records of the more uncommon species as well as all nesting records. Anyone who has birded in Hood River County is urged to send me their lists. Any and all information will be helpful. Coastal geese. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is attempting to determine Canada Goose use areas along the Oregon Coast. Obser• David A. Anderson, 6203 S.E. 92nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97266 vations of any subspecies of Canada Goose including the introduced Great Basin Canada Goose are needed, but especially of Aleutian and Dusky Canada Geese. Record date, location, time of day, and Albinistic birds. I would like to submit information on albinistic subspecies. Look for neck collars and leg bands. birds to an interested party. Please send date, place, species, and brief descriptions of sightings. As best I can ascertain, the last compre• Roy Lowe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Science Center, hensive list of albinism in North American birds was compiled by A.O. Newport, OR 97365,867-3011 ext. 270. Gross in 1965.

Elsie Eltzroth, 3595 N.W. Roosevelt Drive, Corvallis, OR 97330 Coastal sivans. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also attempt• ing to determine Tundra and Trumpeter Swan use areas on the Oregon coast. Information needed is good location data, date, time of day, Brown Pelicans. Brown Pelicans have been color-marked in Cali• behavior, and age if possible. Look for neck and leg bands. fornia. If you see a green, yellow, or orange plastic tag hanging off a Roy Lowe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Science Center, green leg band, note the date and location. Newport, OR 97365,867-3011 ext. 270. Roy Lowe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Science Center, Newport, OR 97365,867-3011 ext. 270. Sanderlings. The Sanderling Project has mist-netted and color- handed Sanderlings along the West Coast. The only colors used were Trumpeter Swans. The Trumpeter Swan Society is looking for green, orange, red, yellow, and white. No blue. Some juvenile Sander• lings have been transplanted to other parts of the coast in an attempt to sightings of Trumpeter Swans anywhere in Oregon outside the usual OREGON BIRDS 12(4):249 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 248 determine how a young bird selects a given site along the coast as its STUDIES IN OREGON winter home. Each transplanted bird carries a color combination of ORNITHOLOGY bands, and a green flag on its right leg. Please try to record the com• plete color combination.

Studies in Oregon Ornithology is a new series of consecutively numbered The Sanderling Project, P.O. Box 247, Bodega Bay, CA 94923 monographs that will appear at irregular intervals. Monographs will deal with ornithological research in Oregon and/or the history of ornithology in Oregon. Published by the independent Gahmken Press in Ruddy and Black Turnstones. Please send all inland records of Newport, all monographs will be standard quarto size, velobound, with both Ruddy Turnstone and Black Turnstone. Include good location data paper covers. Authors are not charged for publication costs. (including county), dates, observer's name, etc.

The purpose of the Studies in Oregon Ornithology is to make available David A. Anderson, 6203 S.E. 92nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97266 ornithological research or ornithological history that would not otherwise receive any attention and be lost. Journals such as The Auk, Condor, and Wilson Bulletin, or even regional journals such as Murrelet, Western Bluebirds. In 1983 and 1984 Western Bluebird nestlings on Northwest Science, Oregon Birds, and Western Birds have limited the Corvallis Bluebird Trail were marked with 2 color bands on the leg space and are interested only in publishing the distilled results of opposite the usual Fish and Wildlife band. A few hand-raised birds research. Studies in Oregon Ornithology is designed to fill this vacuum also have a white band above the FWS band. Please note the position and to provide a "home" for lengthy material that does not fit within of the bands, which leg they are on, sex of the bird, place and date of the scope of these journals. Monographs will not simply present reams sighting, and behavior of the bird when seen. of data. Each monograph will also include some data analysis so that a reader can grasp the meaning of the data. Elsie Eltzroth, 3595 N.W. Roosevelt Drive, Corvallis, OR 97330 Studies in Oregon Ornithology is citable in articles in scientific journals because each will be a available to researchers. Copies are donated to the Hatfield Marine Science Center Library (Newport), Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Library (Charleston), Oregon State Library (Salem), and Josselyn van Tyne Memorial Library (Wilson Ornitho• logical Society, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI). With these donations, each monograph is available BIRDING TRIVIA - Answers — From page 247. through the nationwide Online Computer Library Center interlibrary loan system, through Oregon university libraries, and through local 1. Marbled Murrelet. 2. Clatsop (1976) and Lincoln (1979). 3. Arctic Tem Oregon libraries via the Oregon State Library. Efforts are underway to (nearly 24,000 miles per year). 4. 1969. 5. Muscicapidae (thrushes and make these monographs available in other libraries and to individ• allies), about 1427 species. 6. Pectoral Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed uals. Sandpiper, Ruff, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. 7. (a) California Condor (b) Trumpeter Swan (c) Sandhill Crane. 8. Calliope Hummingbird. 9. Copies of Studies in Oregon Ornithology at the Josselyn van Tyne Yellow-billed Magpie. 10. 1981, Columbia Estuary CBC (Black-headed Memorial Library are available nationwide to Wilson Ornithological Gull). 11. Passenger Pigeon. 12. Wrentit and Tri-colored Blackbird. 13. Society members. For lending policies, see Wilson Bulletin 90: 673, Brown Pelican and Heerman's Gull. 14. Laurelhurst Park, Multnomah I978, and 97: 405, 1985. Ornithological journals such as journal of Field County (1960, in the middle of Portland). (hnilhology require that papers to be cited in their journal are avail• able in at least the Josselyn van Tyne Memorial Library.

OREGON BIRDS 12(4):251 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 250 Studies in Oregon Ornithology No. 1 is titled "1884-1923 Oregon Coast Bird Notes in Biological Survey Files," and lists individual reports that were sent to the Biological Survey, precursor to the U.S. Fish and ARTICLES Wildlife Service. Outdated bird names have been translated to current usage. It is indexed by bird species, county where the observations occurred, and by observer. Studies in Oregon Ornithology No. 2, titled "A Guide to the Bird Notes of Grace McCormac French of Yamhill County, Oregon," includes a brief biography of the "Bird Woman" of the Carlton and Dayton area from about 1925 until her death in 1957. She wrote articles for newspapers, gave talks on radio stations, and JOHN KIRK TOWNSEND IN THE spoke at many clubs about birds and conservation. The arrivals and/or NORTHWEST departures of 43 bird species she noted in Yamhill County are included as is a partially annotated listing of the 116 bird species she reported. (Imrge A. fobanek, 2730 Alder, Eugene, OR 97405 Both monographs are by Range D. Bayer and are available through him.

1986 marks the 150th anniversary of Townsend's work in Oregon. Range D. Bayer, Gahmken Press, P.O. Box 1467, Newport, OR 97365

(>n 30 November 1836, the ornithologist John Kirk Townsend stood on the deck of the bark Columbia and watched the Oregon coast recede into the distance. He was returning home after having spent 2 years in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest and felt a wistful sadness. "Much as I desire again to see home," he confided in the narrative of his journey, "much as I long to embrace those to whom I am attached by the strongest ties, I have felt something very like regret at leaving Vancouver and its kind and agreeable residents" (Townsend 1839a).

But Townsend must surely have also felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. He had devoted his 2 years' residence to studying and collecting the region's largely unknown birds and mammals. He now carried with him a collection of specimens which included numerous species not then known to science. Bound for his native Philadelphia by route of Hawaii and South America, he was sailing towards the respect and admiration of his peers.

One hundred fifty years later, John Kirk Townsend is still commem• orated in the names of species he discovered. His activities and travels are admired and appreciated by students of the history of western science. It is appropriate during this sesquicentennial of Townsend's residence in Oregon that we recall his journey westward and the 2 years he lived in the Pacific Northwest. My account of Townsend in Oregon is based largely on Townsend (1839a), and is supplemented by Hall (1937, 1938) and Graustein (1967).

OREGON BIRDS 12(4):253 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 252 Townsend's odyssey in the West began with the efforts of a dissatisfied New England ice merchant to tap the commercial possibilities of the salmon and fur trade in Oregon. Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth launched an overland expedition to the Pacific Northwest in 1832, but the desertion of many of his men and the wreck of his supply ship, which was to meet him in Oregon, dashed any chance of commercial success. Wyeth returned to New England in November 1833, but undaunted, immedi• ately began planning another expedition to Oregon. He asked a personal friend, the botanist and ornithologist Thomas Nuttall (then 48 years old) to accompany him to Oregon. A collection of plants Wyeth had made on his failed expedition and had given to Nuttall was more than enough enticement. Nuttall quickly agreed, resigning a position he held at Harvard University in order to join the expedition.

Nuttall in turn invited John Kirk Townsend to accompany him. Townsend, from Philadelphia, was only 24 years old but was certainly an accomplished naturalist. Bom to a cultivated Quaker family with an interest in natural history, he began in his youth to study and collect local birds. In May of 1833, he collected the type—in fact the only specimen—of a new species, the Townsend's Bunting Emberiza townsendi. Audubon named the species after Townsend for "his great attainments in ornithology" (Audubon 1834; for more on this unique specimen, see AOU 1983 and Deane 1909). In September 1833, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia elected Townsend to membership in its society. The Academy, along with the American Philosophical Society, in 1834 modestly sponsored Townsend's journey.

Townsend and Nuttall departed Philadelphia on 13 March 1834. In St. Louis less than 2 weeks later, Wyeth helped them outfit properly for the adventure ahead. "He accompanied us to a store in the town, and selected a number of articles for us, among which were several pairs of leathern pantaloons, enormous overcoats, made of green blankets, and white wool hats, with round crowns, fitting tightly to the head, brims five inches wide, and almost hard enough to resist a rifle ball." The 2 naturalists set off together to walk to Independence, Missouri, from where the expedition was to leave. They were in high spirits and were impressed with the bird life around them.

Townsend was particularly fascinated with the Carolina Parakeet. h'hn Kirk Townsend. Photo courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society; negative 'They flew around us in flocks, keeping a constant and loud screaming, iiiimhrrOrIH648.

OREGON BIRDS 12(4):255 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 254 as though they would chide us for invading their territory, and the gun, as the lovely tenants of the grove flew by dozens before us. I think splendid green and red of their plumage glancing in the sunshine, as I never before saw so great a variety of birds within the same space. they whirled and circled within a few feet of us, had a most All were beautiful, and many of them quite new to me; and after we had magnificent appearance. They seem entirely unsuspicious of danger, spent an hour amongst them, and my game bag was teeming with its and after being fired at, only huddle closer together, as if to obtain precious freight, I was still loath to leave the place, lest I should not protection from each other, and as their companions are falling around have procured specimens of the whole." them, they curve down their necks, and look at them fluttering upon the ground, as though perfectly at a loss to account for so unusual an Townsend was not, however, a one-dimensional man. The West was occurrence. It is a most inglorious sort of shooting; down right, cold• new to him, and he sampled of many of the adventures it offered. He blooded murder." On 14 April, Townsend and Nuttall arrived in marvelled at the herds of buffaloes and eagerly joined in a hunt. Independence. Having seen how easily the expedition's hunters downed the animals, he assumed the killing would be easy, a "mere moonshine matter." He On 28 April, Wyeth's expedition set off. The brigade must have been soon discovered that he had been "grievously mistaken" in his an impressive sight. Wyeth and the trapper Milton Sublette, with perception of his ability to approach the wary bison and, as he wrote, Nuttall and Townsend at their sides, headed 70 men and 250 horses. A "felt compelled to acknowledge my utter insufficiency." At last band of 5 Methodist missionaries, led by Jason and Daniel Lee, drove chancing upon a band within range of his rifle, he was overcome with their cattle along the group's flanks. Townsend was caught up in the 'bull fever" and only with great difficulty squeezed off his shot. exhilaration of the departure. "I frequently sallied out from my station When, somewhat to his astonishment, his target dropped, he met with to look at and admire the appearance of the cavalcade," he wrote in another disappointment. "When the first ebullition of my triumph his famous Narrative, "and as we rode out from the encampment, our had subsided, I perceived that my prize was so excessively lean as to be horses prancing, and neighing, and pawing the ground, it was worth nothing, and while I was exerting my whole strength in a vain altogether so exciting that I could scarcely contain myself." endeavor to raise the head from the ground for the purpose of removing the tongue, the two hunters joined me, and laughed heartily at my I will not describe in detail here the 4 months during which the achievement. Like all inexperienced hunters, I had been particular to expedition progressed from Independence to Oregon. Townsend and select the largest bull in the gang, supposing it to be the best, (and it Nuttall spent the time in collecting representative specimens of the proved, as usual, the poorest,) while more than a dozen fat cows were plant and animal life. Townsend was in his heaven. 'The little nearer me, either of which I might have killed with as little trouble." streams ... are fringed with a thick growth of pretty trees and bushes, and the buds are now swelling, and the leaves expanding, to 'welcome Association with trappers and hunters in the still largely lawless back the spring.' The birds, too, sing joyously amongst them, grosbeaks, western wilderness forced Townsend to confront scenes and situations he thrushes, and buntings, a merry and musical band." Later he wrote that would not have faced among proper Quaker society in Philadelphia. "the birds thus far have been very abundant. There is a considerable Abstemious himself, he was disgusted by the drunken riots of the variety, and many of them have not before been seen by naturalists." expedition's men. "All in camp were . . . allowed the free and uncontrolled use of liquor, and, as usual, the consequence was a scene of On the Nebraska plains, Townsend discovered the Chestnut-collared rioting, noise, and fighting, during the whole day; some became so Longspur. He was the first naturalist to encounter the Lark Bunting, the drunk that their senses fled them entirely, and they were therefore Mountain Plover, and the Sage Thrasher. Yellow-headed Blackbirds harmless; but by far the greater number were just sufficiently under the would alight upon the backs of the horses as the caravan passed. influence of the vile trash, to render them in their conduct disgusting Sandhill Cranes bugled and Long-billed Curlews flew over the prairie and tiger-like." On another occasion, confined to his tent by illness, he grass. At one point, near the Nebraska-Wyoming border, Townsend was "compelled all day to listen to the hiccoughing jargon of drunken reported that "in the morning, Mr. N. [Nuttall] and myself were up traders, the sacre and foutre of Frenchmen run wild, and the swearing before the dawn, strolling through the umbrageous forest, inhaling the unci screaming of our own men, who are scarcely less savage than the fresh, bracing air, and making the echoes ring with the report of our OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 257 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 256 hemmed it in." The ravines were often so narrow that "a biscuit might rest, being heated by the detestable liquor which circulates freely IH- thrown across." among them." On the 31st of August, the party reached the Grande Ronde Valley, an The hunters' novel solutions to problems shocked the naive and oasis of sorts on the trail to Oregon near the site of present-day La inexperienced Townsend. Suffering from excessive thirst while on a Crande. They met here Captain Benjamin Bonneville and his company hunt, the chief hunter sliced open a downed bison, cut into the stomach of trappers. Bonneville, a curious character in Oregon history whose cavity, and carefully strained into his tin cup the water that was exploits were made famous by Washington Irving, impressed Townsend. mixed with the stomach's "green and gelatinous juices." He politely "His manners were affable and pleasing, and he seemed possessed of a offered the cup first to Townsend and the missionary Jason Lee, but both large share of bold, adventurous, and to a certain extent, romantic responded with disgust. "He then drank it to the dregs, smacking his spirit." Bonneville expressed great satisfaction of his life in the lips, and drawing a long breath after it, with the satisfaction of a man mountains and remarked to Townsend that he "would not exchange his taking his wine after dinner." Just after refusing this water, Townsend homely, but wholesome mountain fare, and his buffalo lodge, for the completely forgot his Quaker deportment. The hunter persuaded him most piquant dishes of the French artiste, and the finest palace in the to "taste the blood which was still fluid in the heart, and immediately land." as it touched my lips, my burning thirst, aggravated by hunger, (for I had eaten nothing that day,) got the better of my abhorrence; I plunged Townsend, by now 4 months from Independence, the last reasonable my head into the reeking ventricles and drank until forced to stop for facsimile of Philadelphia civilization, was growing weary of the breath." explorer's life. "I could not altogether agree with him in sentiment," he wrote, "for I confess I had become somewhat weary of rough travelling and rough fare, and looked forward with no little pleasure to a long rest under a Christian roof, and a general participation in On 23 August 1834, the Wyeth expedition crossed the Snake River into Christian living." Oregon. The missionary party had earlier separated from Wyeth's group at Fort Hall in Idaho to drive their cattle by a different route to From the Grande Ronde Valley the expedition climbed the Blue Fort Walla Walla. The chief hunter left with a small band on a Mountains. Again travel was arduous and food still scarce, compounded trapping expedition. Wyeth's main group, comprised now of only 17 by a dearth of water. All of the party, including the horses, suffered men, continued north, crossed the Malheur River, the Burnt River, the considerably from fatigue and thirst. Only patches of grass were Powder River, and ascended the Elkhorn spur of the Blue Mountains. available for the poor animals. Anxious to find water, the group The terrain was very difficult to traverse and the group's progress marched well into the night, relying upon the horses to lead them in "necessarily slow and tedious." the darkness, for there were neither moon nor stars. When they finally reached water, the cry of discovery echoed along the length of the The food supply, since crossing into Oregon largely dried salmon and party. With spirits lifted, the expedition reached the next day, 2 chokecherries purchased from Indians, began to run out. Hunting August, the Umatilla River. prospects were not good. "Game has been exceedingly scarce," Townsend observed, "with the exception of a few grouse, pigeons, &c. We have ***** not seen a deer, antelope, or any other quadruped larger than a hare, since we left the confines of the buffalo country." The landscape only II was while camped here that one of the most often quoted incidents worsened as they marched northward. Their route now led through from Townsend's Narrative occurred. Thirst had been abated, but such jumbled masses of rocks and along such perilous ravines that hunger continued to gnaw at the explorers. Townsend became a Townsend feared the horses would not get through. "Sometimes, as we scavenger, gleaning what he could from the woods, but ravenous approached the verges of the cliffs, we could see the river winding its ippetites forced others to exploit novel opportunities. "Having nothing devious course many hundred feet below, rushing and foaming in eddies prepared for dinner to-day, I strolled along the stream above the and whirlpools, and fretting against the steep sides of the rocks, which

OREGON BIRDS 12(4):259 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 258 in the West. "He requested us to consider his house our home, provided camp," Townsend wrote, "and made a meal on rose buds, of which I a separate room for our use, a servant to wait upon us, and furnished us collected an abundance; and on returning, I was surprised to find Mr. N. with every convenience which we could possibly wish for. I shall never and Captain T. [Thing, Wyeth's subordinate] picking the last bones of a cease to feel grateful to him for his disinterested kindness to the poor bird which they had cooked. Upon inquiry, I ascertained that the homeless and travel-worn strangers." subject was an unfortunate owl which I had killed in the morning, and had intended to preserve as a specimen. The temptation was too great ***** to be resisted by the hungry Captain and naturalist, and the bird of wisdom lost the immortality which he might otherwise have from 16 September 1834 to 30 November 1836, except for 4 months in acquired." early 1835 when he was in Hawaii, John Kirk Townsend lived in the Pacific Northwest. In those 2 years, he collected several new species of The next day, the party struck the Walla Walla River and fortune birds and mammals. Fort Vancouver is the recognized type locality for changed. "The grouse and hares are very abundant here, and we have many of those, but Townsend's movements between Oregon and shot as many as we have wished." They found the camp of Jason Lee Washington preclude a definite assignment of collecting locality in and his small missionary band, who had taken a considerably easier many cases. Many of Townsend's specimens were labelled simply "the and less impoverished route from Fort Hall. woods of the Columbia river" or "on the Columbia river." A look at Townsend's activities in his 2 years in the Northwest suggests that an On 5 September 1834, Townsend and Nuttall, with most of the rest of arbitrarily assigned type locality might as easily, and perhaps more the expedition, left Fort Walla Walla on the last leg of their journey to accurately, have been Sauvie Island. Fort Vancouver. Wyeth preceded them down the Columbia River. Despite his weariness as a traveler, Townsend remained alert to the Despite the invitation by McLoughlin to stay at Fort Vancouver, region's natural history. "The mallard duck, the widgeon, and the Townsend and Nuttall were there only a short time before leaving with green-winged teal are tolerably abundant in the little estuaries of the Wyeth on an exploration of the Willamette River. Wyeth was looking Columbia River. Our men have killed several, but they are poor, and for a suitable location for a fur-trading fort. They left Fort Vancouver not good." on 29 September with a crew of Hawaiian Islanders. They drifted downstream from the fort and entered the Willamette at Sauvie The expedition reached the area of present-day The Dalles on 10 Island, known then as Wappatoo Island. September. A few miles downstream they caught up with Wyeth, who had leased from the Indians canoes and oarsmen for the remaining way The next day, their small group reached the Willamette Falls at to Fort Vancouver. The river was extremely turbulent, however, and the present-day Oregon City. Townsend was captivated by the sight of the explorers soon brought the canoes to shore to escape capsizing. Nu Hall's waterfalls. "I mounted the rocks and stood over the highest fall, and specimens of plants were thoroughly wetted by the rough water. although the roar of the cataract was almost deafening, and the rays of Immediately upon landing he began drying them. "In this task he the bright sun reflected from the white and glittering foam threatened exhibits a degree of patience and perseverance which is truly astonish• to deprive me of sight, yet I became so absorbed in the contemplation of ing; sitting on the ground, and steaming over the enormous fire, for hours the scene, and the reflections which were involuntarily excited, as to together, drying the papers, and re-arranging the whole collection, forget every thing else for the time, and was only aroused by Captain specimen by specimen, while the great drops of perspiration roll un• W. [Wyeth] tapping me on the shoulder, and telling me that every heeded from his brow." Townsend's own collection, his "bale of birds," thing was arranged for our return." was fortunately not damaged. Upon his return from the Willamette Falls, Townsend resided on On 13 September the group again departed and, by canoe and portage, Wyeth's supply ship, the brig May Dacre. The brig had arrived in late arrived at Fort Vancouver on the 16th of September. When he stepped Vptember from Boston by way of Cape Horn and moored at Warrior from the canoe onto the beach in front of the fort, Townsend was greeted Point, at the northern end of Sauvie Island. Though Townsend had by Dr. John McLoughlin, the chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company OREGON BIRDS 12(4):261 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 260 Kauai, where they spent a month. Their time in Hawaii they devoted, written that "on the 1st of November we arrived at the brig," he as always, to natural history investigations. Nuttall, certainly a perhaps meant 1 October, as this notation directly follows his account naturalist-of-all-fields, botanized and collected numerous new species of the trip to the Falls. Hall (1937) assumed Townsend meant October of shells. Townsend concentrated on birds, and collected, either on this rather than November while Graustein (1967) accepts the chronology visit or on his return to Hawaii in 1837, the type specimens of the as written. Under date of 5 November (5 October according to Hall), Hawaiian Hawk Buteo solitarius, the Hawaiian Crow Corvus Townsend remarked that "Mr. N. and myself are now residing on board hawaiiensis, and the Kauai Oo Moho braccatus (Stone 1899b). the brig, and pursuing with considerable success our scientific researches through the neighborhood. I have shot and prepared here several new ***** species of birds, and two or three undescribed quadrupeds, besides procuring a considerable number, which, though known to naturalists, The May Dacre left Oahu on 26 March 1835. On 16 April she crossed the are rare, and therefore valuable." treacherous bar of the Columbia River, and the next day moored again at Warrior Point. Despite Hall's (1937) claim that Townsend and One of those new species was the Oregon Junco (now considered a form of Nuttall immediately took up residence at Fort Vancouver, there is no the Dark-eyed Junco). Townsend collected the type specimen on 5 suggestion in Townsend's Narrative that this is true. On 12 May, October 1834. He described the locality as "the forests near the Townsend wrote that "the rainy season is not yet over; we have had Columbia river" (Townsend 1837), which the AOU Check-List (1957) almost constant showers since we arrived, but now the weather appears equated with Fort Vancouver, Washington. It is very possible, settled. Birds are numerous, particularly the warblers, (Sylvia.) Many however, that Townsend collected this specimen in Oregon, especially of these are migratory, remaining but a few weeks; others breed here, if he was then living on board ship and collecting on Sauvie Island. and reside during the greater part of the summer. I have already procured several new species." Townsend and Nuttall apparently divided their time between Fort Vancouver and the May Dacre. In mid-October Wyeth left on a One bird discovered near the brig was the Bushtit. Of this species, trapping expedition to the Snake River country; Hall (1937) suggested Nuttall wrote: "We first observed the arrival of this plain and that the naturalists returned to Vancouver during Wyeth's absence, and diminutive species on the bank of the Wahlamet, near its confluence collected in the vicinity of the fort until early December. This is not with the Columbia, about the middle of May" (Audubon 1838). clear from Townsend's Narrative nor from specimen dates. Townsend Townsend (1839a) wrote of the Bushtit that he "first observed this was at Fort Vancouver on 23 November (again, if Townsend was mis• little species on the Columbia River in May, 1835, and procured a pair. . taken in his dating, this might have been 23 October). .. Upon my return [from where?!, I found that Mr. Nuttall had observed the same birds a few hours previously in another place." The AOU By then Townsend and Nuttall, succumbing to the gray dreariness of an (heck-List (1983) gives the type locality as "probably near Fort Oregon winter, had decided to spend the season in Hawaii. Townsend Vancouver, Washington." Townsend also collected specimens of the confessed that they were "anxious to escape the wet and disagreeable MacGillivray's Warbler and the Townsend's Warbler in the spring of winter of the region, and visit some other portion of the country, where 1835, but in both instances listed the locality as simply the Columbia the inclemency of the season will not interfere with the prosecution of kiver (Townsend 1839a, 1839e). our respective pursuits." On 3 December, they returned from Fort Vancouver to the brig and on 11 December, in the May Dacre, crossed On 19 May, Wyeth returned from his journey to Fort Hall and Fort the Columbia River bar bound for the "Sandwich Islands." On the way Walla Walla. The next day, he and Townsend, in a large canoe manned to Hawaii, Townsend collected the type of the Black-footed Albatross. by 1 lawaiian Islanders, left on another trip to the Willamette Falls in order to purchase salmon from the Indians. They stopped to visit Townsend and Nuttall spent 4 months in Hawaii. On 4 January 1835, the Wyeth's fort on the way; he had chosen to build it on Sauvie Island. May Dacre anchored off the Diamond Head, Oahu. The next morning, According to Townsend, Fort William was "about fifteen miles from the the naturalists visited "the lovely sylvan village of Honoruru." They li >wor mouth of the Wallammet." explored other parts of the island as well, and later sailed also to OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 263 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 262 were Daniel Lee, nephew of Jason Lee, and Dr. Meredith Gairdner, the On 23 May 1835, Townsend collected the type of the Black-throated 11 nelson's Bay Company physician at Fort Vancouver. Gairdner was Gray Warbler, which was "not uncommon in the forests of oak on the suffering from tuberculosis and would be dead of it in a short time Columbia river" (Townsend 1839a). The AOU Check-List (1983) Oohnson 1943). With Gairdner's departure, Townsend, who had been a recognizes the type locality as "near Fort William, Portland, Oregon," physician in Philadelphia, took charge of the fort hospital. From late but it might have been farther up the Willamette River, for the next September 1835, to mid-March 1836, he resided at the fort and made day the group reached the Willamette Falls. The Indians there only infrequent trips to the brig or Fort William. unfortunately had no salmon to sell, so the explorers, disappointed, "decamped as soon as possible, to escape the fleas and other vermin In mid-October, the Reverend Samuel Parker, a missionary from with which the interior of their wretched habitations were plenti• Ithaca, New York, arrived at Vancouver. Townsend accompanied him fully supplied." on a trip to the May Dacre, which sailed the next day for Boston. Parker took the ship to Fort George (Astoria), while Townsend returned It is impossible to be certain of Townsend's daily whereabouts for much alone to Vancouver. Townsend gave to Parker information on the birds of the summer of 1835. In his Narrative, Townsend mentioned very few of "Oregon," which Parker included in his book, Journal of an Exploring dates, but he wrote of being on the brig on 4 July and seems also to have Tour Beyond the Rocky Mountains (1846; the pertinent passage is been there 19 August. Though Burns (1934b) stated that Townsend made reprinted in Gabrielson and Jewett 1940, pp. 51-52). the May Dacre his headquarters for the spring and summer of 1835, he apparently spent time near Vancouver as well. He wrote that he Townsend's duties as surgeon kept him tied to the fort and permitted collected a pair of Hermit Warblers "in a pine forest on the Columbia little time for collecting. He did, though, collect specimens of unde• river" on 28 May 1835. Audubon (1839) identified the locality as Fort scribed subspecies of the Hairy Woodpecker and the Fox Sparrow. On 1 Vancouver. Spencer's (1950) remark that Townsend spent 2 years on December, he observed that "the ducks and geese, which have survived Sauvie Island at Fort William is without basis in fact, although his throughout the country during the latter part of the autumn, are comment that many of Townsend's specimens came from the island is leaving us, and the swans are arriving in great number. These are here, plausible. as in all other places, very shy; it is difficult to approach them without cover; but the Indians have adopted a mode of killing them In late September 1835, Thomas Nuttall said good-bye to Townsend, his which is very successful; that of drifting upon the flocks at night, in a young friend and compatriot, and sailed from the Pacific Northwest for canoe, in the bow of which a large fire of pitch pine has been kindled. Hawaii on the bark Ganymede. He carried with him Townsend's 'bale Ihe swans are dazzled, and apparently stupefied by the bright light, of birds," which included specimens of numerous undescribed species. and fall easy victim to the craft of the sportsman." Nuttall stayed 4 months in the Hawaiian Islands, then sailed to Cali• fornia to further botanize and study birds.

On a San Diego beach, this curious naturalist encountered a former Throughout his stay in the Northwest, Townsend was interested in the student from Harvard, Richard Henry Dana. Dana, a seaman on the Indians (by whom he was called "bird chief"). Sometimes his curiosity Alert, was startled to see his old professor "strolling ... in sailor's pea- and bent for scientific collecting took foolish and dangerous turns, as on jacket, with a wide straw hat, and bare-footed, with his trousers rolled one occasion early in 1836. While visiting Fort William in late January, up to his knees, picking up stones and shells" (Dana 1978). He would he came upon a burial canoe in the branches of a tree in the forest. later immortalize Nuttall, already to live forever in the names of "Knowing that it contained the body of an Indian, I ascended to it for many birds, plants, and shells, in Two Years Before the Mast. Sailing the purpose of abstracting the skull; but upon examination, what was from San Diego on the Alert, Nuttall arrived in Boston Harbor on 20 my surprise to find a perfect, embalmed body of a young female, in a September 1836. Meeting him soon afterwards was John James Audubon, state of preservation equal to any which I had seen from the catacombs anxious to hear of Nuttall's and Townsend's new birds. of Thebes. I determined to obtain possession of it, but as this was not the proper time to carry it away, I returned to the fort, and said nothing of With Nuttall on the Ganymede as it crossed the Columbia River bar the discovery which I had made." OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 265 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 264 pine trees, we saw large flocks of the dusky grouse, (Tetrao obscurus,) a At midnight, Townsend returned and, with a rope, removed the body number of which we killed." Townsend lamented though the absence of from the canoe. Returning with it to Fort William, he placed the body oilier bird life, which he attributed to the lateness of the season. in the storehouse and disguised it as a bale of guns. Confiding with "Other birds were, however, very scarce. I am at least two months too Walker, the man in charge of the fort, he arranged for the body to be late, and I cannot too much regret the circumstance. Here is a rich field sent secretly by schooner to Vancouver, where he would be to receive it. for the ornithologist at the proper season. We returned to our lodge in When the schooner arrived several days later, instead of the coveted the evening loaded with grouse, but with very few specimens to mummy, Townsend found only a note from Walker. An Indian had increase my collection." arrived at Fort William, Walker wrote, and had demanded the body of his sister. Having made his annual pilgrimage to the burial canoe, Townsend returned to Fort Walla Walla, and was there to greet the he had discovered that someone had defiled the hallowed ground. arrival of missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and Henry and Eliza Spalding to the fort on 1 September 1836. Whitman surprised 'The canoe of his sister was tenantless," Townsend recorded in his Townsend by giving him a packet of letters from friends and relatives in Narrative, "and he knew the spoiler to have been a white man, by the Philadelphia. "I need not speak of the emotions excited by their tracks upon the beach, which did not incline inward like those of an reception, nor of the trembling anxiety with which I tore open the Indian." Walker did not continue the injustice done the poor man but envelope and devoured the contents. This is the first intelligence which returned the body to him, along with a present of several blankets "to I have received from them since I left the state of Missouri, and was as prevent the circumstance from operating upon his mind to the prejudice unexpected as it was delightful." On 3 September, perhaps stirred to of the white people. The poor Indian took the body of his sister upon activity by reawakened desires for home, Townsend left Walla Walla his shoulders, and as he walked away, grief got the better of his for Vancouver. Five days later he stepped again onto the beach in front stoicism, and the sound of his weeping was heard long after he had of the fort. entered the forest." Townsend's remaining time in the Northwest was now very short. On 24 * * * * * September, he traveled by canoe to Fort George, at the site of present- day Astoria. He continued his ethnological studies and demonstrated On 16 March 1836, Townsend was relieved of his duties as fort he had learned nothing from the unfortunate incident involving the physician. "Doctor W.F. Tolmie, one of the surgeons of the Hudson's Indian and his mummified sister. On the 30th of September, Townsend Bay Company, has . . . relieved me of the charge of the hospital, wrote that he had "visited to-day some cemeteries in the neighbor• which will afford me the opportunity of peregrinating again in pursuit hood of the fort, and obtained the skulls of four Indians." of specimens. The spring is just opening, the birds are arriving, the plants are starting from the ground, and in a few weeks, the wide Cultural respect was obviously not a concern but personal safety was. prairies of the Columbia will appear like the richest flower gardens." "Now suppose an Indian were to ... see me groping among the bones of The May Dacre having sailed in October 1835, Townsend lived at his fathers, and laying unhallowed hands upon the mouldering remains Vancouver, but continued to visit Fort William. of his people, what should I say? -1 know well what the Indian would do. He would instantly shoot me, unless I took the most effectual On 26 June he left Vancouver on a trip to Fort Walla Walla, measures to prevent it; but could I have time allowed me to temporize a accompanying the Hudson's Bay Company official and trapper Peter little, I could easily disarm his hostility and ensure his silence, by the Skene Ogden. In late July, Townsend, with a pack horse "to carry my offer of a shirt or a blanket; but the difficulty in most cases would be, little nick-nackeries," and an Indian guide, left Walla Walla for the that in a paroxysm of rage he would put a bullet through your head, Blue Mountains. At the Umatilla River, they found a large village of I nd then good bye to temporizing." Cayuse, who were preparing dried cakes from camas roots. The next day, 27 July, Townsend and his guide, with fresh horses provided by On 14 October, Townsend walked from Fort George to see the remains of the chief of the village, and accompanied by two Cayuse, headed to Port Clatsop, Lewis and Clark's winter residence in Oregon. "The logs of the mountains. "Immediately as we reached the upper land, and the OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 267 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 266 which it is composed are still perfect, but the roof of bark has disappeared, and the whole vicinity is overgrown with thorn and wild Townsend's Tubenoses currant bushes." He visited briefly in late October a Chinook village across the Columbia River in Washington, but most of his last two George A. Jobanek, 2730 Alder, Eugene, OR 97405 months were spent at Fort George. In addition to numerous western species, John Kirk Townsend's name is also associated with several controversial specimens of procellariids—or tubenoses—which he collected On 5 November he returned to Vancouver to pack his collection of birds. on the expedition. The issue in the debate waged in the Auk in the 1930s was where Townsend was when he collected the specimens: off the coast of Oregon or south of the His good-bye to McLoughlin was emotional. "I took leave of Doctor equator. The controversy, long ago resolved, is an interesting part of the story of Townsend McLoughlin with feelings akin to those with which I should bid adieu in Oregon. to an affectionate parent.... Words are inadequate to express my deep sense of the obligations which I feel under to this truly generous and When he returned to Philadelphia, Townsend had with him a collection of birds which Included several specimens of tubenoses. Audubon secured the collection and described the excellent man, and I fear I can only repay them by the sincerity with tubenoses in his Ornithological Biography (1839). The species were a surprising bunch. which I shall always cherish the recollection of his kindness, and the ardent prayers I shall breathe for his prosperity and happiness." On 30 Audubon recorded that Townsend collected the Gray-headed Albatross, Diomedea chrystorm, "not far from the Columbia River." The Light-mantled Albatross, Phoebetria November 1836, the bark Columbia, with Townsend aboard, crossed the palpebrata, was "procured near the mouth of the Columbia River." Townsend, according to bar bound for Hawaii. Audubon, shot the Antarctic Giant-Petrel, Macronectes giganteus, "at some distance from the mouth of the Columbia River," and the Southern Fulmar, Pulmonis glacialoides, "within a day's sail" from the river's mouth. ***** Townsend's collection as reported by Audubon also contained the expected Black-footed Albatross and Northern Fulmar (Stone 1930a). In his own list, Townsend (1939d) included Townsend again devoted himself to studying the Hawaiian bird life. as well the Leach's Storm-Petrel and the Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Oceanites oceanicus, as He deemed his efforts very successful and wrote on 15 January 1837 that occurring on "the North West Coast of America." These species found their way onto the he had already collected and prepared about 80 birds. Two months North American bird list. later, he noted that "my time has been employed chiefly in pursuing Townsend's Tubenoses continued on next page. my scientific avocations, collecting specimens, &c, in which I have been as successful as I anticipated." Stone (1930) remarked that Continued from page 268. Townsend's Hawaiian specimens are "of the greatest rarity," in light of had been eager to see Townsend's collection when Nuttall arrived home subsequent extinctions, but Henshaw (1902) lamented that Townsend's and had rushed to Philadelphia, where the Academy of Natural visits to Hawaii resulted in a gain of knowledge that was Sciences had placed it with their holdings. "comparatively little." Audubon, completing his monumental Birds of America, needed to see On 8 March, Townsend sailed from Oahu and made Tahiti 3 weeks the new birds Townsend had discovered. "I turned over and over the later. By June he was off the Chilean coast and on 13 June, landed in new and rare species," he wrote in the Ornithobgical Biography Valparaiso. He became ill there and was bedridden for several weeks; (1838), 'but [Townsend] was absent at Fort Vancouver, on the shores of a Philadelphia physician, Dr. Thomas Page, nursed him back to the Columbia River; Thomas Nuttall had not yet come from Boston, and health. On 22 August, Townsend left Valparaiso, on 7 September loud murmurs were uttered by the soi-disant friends of science, who rounded the Cape, and on 14 November 1837, arrived home at objected to my seeing, much less portraying, those valuable relics of Philadelphia. He had been gone 3 years and 8 months. birds, many of which had not yet been introduced into our Fauna."

***** Ihe Academy eventually permitted Audubon to purchase duplicates I torn Townsend's collection. To assure fairness to Townsend, he and Just as some persons' reputations precede them, a large part of Nuttall prepared a paper in Townsend's name describing several of the Townsend's collection, under the care of Thomas Nuttall, had preceded new species. It was in this way that Townsend is credited with naming him to Philadelphia, and had assured his own reputation. Audubon Ihe Townsend's Warbler, seemingly after himself (Townsend 1837).

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 269 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 268 Sparrow to Oregon, Burns blamed on Audubon. "1 believe there can bo no doubt," he By the 1920s, the fact that Townsend had collected in South American oceans began to •ciimmed up, "that this modest, sport-loving Quaker ornithologist was the most arouse skepticism of those records. Witmer Stone (1923), reviewing A.C. Bent's Life conscientious of collectors, and that his time-dimmed records, with the corroboration of Histories volume on pelagic birds, remarked upon "the number of species whose North Ills older associate, Thomas Nuttall, leave little to be desired by way of substantiation." American status rests upon Townsend specimens alleged to have been taken off the coast of Oregon. As is well known, Townsend returned by way of Cape Horn and collected To this, Stone (1931) replied that he too held Townsend in the "greatest regard" but he specimens off the coast of Chile and at other points in the southern seas, several of these was not convinced that the controversial species belonged on the North American list. If were described as from Oregon and the probability that these specimens of Tubinares came blame had to be assigned, Audubon was at fault "for not ascertaining more exactly the from more southern regions has always seemed to us very strong." history of the specimens in question."

Stone (1930a) repeated those charges several years later. Townsend, Stone pointed out, Burns (1934a) pursued the issue. He presented a quote from Townsend, originally wrote the species notes, which Audubon published, long after he had left Oregon. Also, published in 1847, that again suggested that the Light-mantled Albatross occurred off the although in one list Townsend (1839d) included all the species of tubenoses described by ()regon coast. Stone (1934) once more pointed out in reply that Townsend confused the Audubon as from Oregon, in the scientific appendix to his Narrative (1839a) he listed only Light-mantled Albatross with the Black-footed Albatross, having made no mention in the Light-mantled Albatross. That he did not list the others which were in the Ihe quote published by Burns of that common Oregon species. Ornithological Biography indicated to Stone that he was not entirely sure of their occurrence off Oregon. Also clear was that Townsend confused the Light-mantled Stone's arguments were well presented; Townsend's tubenoses remain on the hypothetical Albatross with the Black-footed Albatross. list. The debate was over long before Frank Burns, Townsend's loyal defender, died in 1946. In 1965, Harvey I. Fisher again raised the possibility that Townsend had collected Further evidence cited by Stone (1930a) that Townsend had confused collecting localities the Antarctic Giant-Petrel in Oregon waters but the species remains relegated to an was that he had also sent Audubon a specimen of the Rufous-collared Sparrow, appendix of the AOU Check-List. Zonotrichia capensis, a Chilean species, as from Oregon. This confusion Stone attributed to Townsend's serious illness while in Chile. Stone, then chairman of the AOU s check-list Controversial in the 1930s, Townsend's tubenoses are now merely footnotes to the career of committee, recommended that Townsend's tubenoses be either dropped from the North John Kirk Townsend in the Northwest. American list altogether or removed to the hypothetical list; the fourth edition of the AOU Check-List (1931) followed the latter course

Stone's reasonable suggestions met opposition from Frank Burns. Burns (1931) thought it entirely likely that Townsend had collected the southern tubenoses in Oregon. The He became shortly after his return a curator at the Academy of Natural problems raised by Stone (1930a) Burns considered simply a result of Townsend waiting for Sciences in Philadelphia. William Baird, in a letter to his brother Audubon to publish spedes descriptions in the Ornithological Biography before he too Spencer Fullerton Baird, remarked that 'Townsend can skin, stuff and listed the species. Publication chronology, according to Burns, vindicated the "intrepid pioneer ornithologist of the great Northwest." The assigning of the Rufous-collared sew up a bird, so as to make it look far superior to any 1 have ever seen, in five minutes ..." (Dall 1915). He worked in 1842 with the bird collection of the National Institute in Washington, D.C., but Audubon still named several new species from Townsend's specimens. controversies arising in relation to the United States Exploring When Townsend returned to Philadelphia in 1837, Audubon was eager Expedition led to his discharge. to see the second collection also. Townsend was now able, however, to publish his new species without Audubon's or Nuttall's help (Townsend I le returned to Philadelphia and studied dentistry. In 1851, his health 1839a, 1839b, 1839c; for a more detailed discussion of Audubon's began failing. His family suspected arsenic as the cause, though relationship with the Townsend collection, see Hall 1938, Herrick William Baird had assured his brother Spencer that Townsend's 1917, and Stone 1899a). arsenical powder, used in preparing bird skins, was safe (Dall 1915). Townsend's brother-in-law wrote to Witmer Stone that he "often saw Townsend's last years of his life were less eventful. He seems to have John when employed by the government to mount specimens in failed to fulfill the great promise he had earlier shown. His account of Washington, bending over a big tray of arsenic,. .. enveloped in a cloud the journey, the famous Narrative, quickly sold out after its release in of the dust, which being a cumulative poison, destroyed his health and 1839. A British publisher brought out another edition in 1840. In that ended in his premature death" (Stone 1930b). Townsend had hoped to year also, Townsend published the first part of his planned Ornithol• join a government expedition to Africa but his continuing poor health ogy of the United States of America. This competed poorly with the would not permit it. He died on 6 February 1851. He was 42 years old. small edition of Audubon's Birds of America, so he abandoned the project. Townsend's Ornithology is now "one of the rarest brochures on ***** American ornithology" (Stone 1930b).

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 271 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 270 land Birds, second edition (1840), in which he included observations His premature death deprived American ornithology of a dedicated made in Oregon and Washington. Nor have I been able to see Town• scientist and the world of a fine individual. Spencer Fullerton Baird send's Ornithology. I have been able to only cursorily examine considered him one of "the cleverest people" of his acquaintance (Dall Audubon's Ornithological Biography. A careful scrutiny of these might 1915). Witmer Stone (1916) admired his high character and ability and answer questions of proper type localities for many of Townsend's birds. wrote that Townsend "was evidently a genius whom force of circum• stances prevented from reaching his proper place in ornithological annals." Theodore S. Palmer (1928) called him "a brilliant young Literature Cited ornithologist who lived in advance of his time ..." His brother-in-law eulogized that "his personality was most attractive. His courtesy, American Ornithologists' Union. 1931. Check-list of North American kindness of heart, and his brilliant conversational powers, fortified Birds, fourth edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Lancaster, with a vivacious intellect and a fund of knowledge covering almost all Pa. subjects, made him a delightful companion and endeared him to every one who came within his influence" (Stone 1930b). • 1957. Check-list of North American Birds, fifth edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Baltimore. One hundred fifty years after John Kirk Townsend left Oregon, it is worthwhile to pause and consider his life. He came to Oregon a young • 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, sixth edition. and energetic man, unafraid of adventure and keen to the natural world. American Ornithologists' Union, Lawrence, Kansas. On his journey west, Townsend evinced the greenhorn's naivete, the adventurer's excitement, the scientist's "delight amounting to ecstasy," Audubon, John James. 1834. Ornithological biography, vol. 2. Edin• along with an honest sense of curiosity and wonderment with the burgh. wilderness he explored. • 1838. Ornithological biography, vol. 4. Edinburgh. He accomplished a great deal in a short period and left us numerous reminders of his presence. Vaux's Swifts, Townsend's Warblers, Sage • 1839. Ornithological biography, vol. 5. Edinburgh. Thrashers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees—all speak for his zest for life. His legacy survives in the woods and fields. Bums, Frank L. 1931. In re 'Townsend's Oregon Tubinares." Auk 48:106- 108.

A Note on the Sources • 1934a. Townsend's Sooty Albatross. Auk 51:225. Townsend's delightful Narrative is a classic of western travel. The • 1934b. Type localities of Townsend's "Columbia River" original is quite rare but fortunately has been reprinted by Reuben Gold birds. Auk 51:403-404. Thwaites in his Early Western Travels, 1748-1846, volume 21 (Cleve• land: Arthur H. Clark Co., 1905). Thwaites deleted sections dealing Dall, William Healey. 1915. Spencer Fullerton Baird: A biography, with Hawaii and South America, as well as the scientific appendix. including selections from his correspondence with Audubon, Bison Books, of the University of Nebraska Press, has reprinted a Agassiz, Dana, and others. J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia. facsimile of Thwaites' edition (Lincoln: Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1978). The scientific appendix, in which Townsend discussed the birds and I )ana, Richard Henry. 1978. Two years before the mast. Dent, London. mammals he encountered, has been reprinted in Early Nineteenth- Century Studies and Surveys (New York: Arno Press, 1974). I >cane, Ruthven. 1909. Some original manuscript relating to the history of Townsend's Bunting. Auk 26:269-272. I have been handicapped by not being able to consult Nuttall's A Manual of the Ornithobgy of the United States and of Canada: The OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 273 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 272 Fisher, Harvey I. 1965. Bird records from Midway Atoll, Pacific Ocea Stone, Witmer. 1899a. Some Philadelphia ornithological collections Condor 67:355-357. and collectors, 1784-1850. Auk 16:166-177.

Gabrielson, Ira N., and Stanley G. Jewett. 1940. Birds of Oregon. Oregon . 1899b. A study of the type specimens of birds in the State Monographs no. 2. Oregon State College, Corvallis. collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, with a brief history of the collection. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Graustein, Jeannette E. 1967. Thomas Nuttall, naturalist: Explorations 1899:5-62. in America, 1808-1841. Harvard University Press, Cambridge. . 1916. Philadelphia to the coast in early days, and the Hall, F.S. 1937. Studies in the history of ornithology in the state of development of western ornithology prior to 1850. Condor 18:3-14. Washington (1792-1932) with special reference to the discovery of new species. Part IV. The overland journey of the naturalists . 1923. [Review of] Bent's 'Life Histories of North Thomas Nuttall and John Kirk Townsend and their discoveries on American Petrels and Pelicans and their Allies.' Auk 40:149-150. the Columbia River -1834-1836. (Part 1). Murrelet 18:3-13. . 1930a. Townsend's Oregon tubinares. Auk 47:414-415. . 1938. Studies in the history of ornithology in the state of Washington (1792-1932) with special reference to the discovery of . 1930b. Townsend's bird studies in Oregon, 1834-36. Oregon new species. Part IV. The overland journey of the naturalists Historical Quarterly3151-54. Thomas Nuttall and John Kirk Townsend and their discoveries on the Columbia River -1834-1836. (Part 2). Murrelet 19:3-7. . 1931. [A reply to Frank L. Burns', "In Re 'Townsend's Oregon Tubinares.'"] Auk 48:108-109. Henshaw, H.W. 1902. Birds of the Hawaiian Islands, being a complete list of the birds of the Hawaiian possessions with notes on their . 1934. [A reply to Frank L. Bums', 'Townsend's Sooty habits. Thos. G. Thrum, Honolulu. Albatross."] Auk 51:225-226.

Herrick, Frances Hobart. 1917. Audubon the naturalist: A history of his Townsend, John Kirk. 1837. Description of twelve new species of birds, life and time. 2 volumes. D. Appleton and Co., New York. chiefly from the vicinity of the Columbia River. Journal Acad. Nat.Sd.Phila.7:\?,7-m. Johnson, Murray L. 1943. Early medical men in the Northwest who were naturalists. Western Journal of Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology . 1839a. Narrative of a journey across the Rocky Mountains 51:210-221. to the Columbia River, and a visit to the Sandwich Islands, Chili, &c, with a scientific appendix. Henry Perkins, Philadelphia. Palmer, T.S. 1928. Notes on persons whose names appear in the nomenclature of California birds: A contribution to the history of • 1839b. Description of a new species of Cypcelus, from the west coast ornithology. Condor 30:261-307. Columbia River. Journal Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 8:148.

Parker, Samuel. 1846. Journal of an exploring tour beyond the Rocky . 1839c. Description of a new species of Sylvia, from the Mountains under the direction of the A. B. C. F. M., fifth edition. Columbia River. Journal Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 8:149-150. J.C. Derby, Auburn. . 1839d. List of the birds inhabiting the region of the Spencer, Omar C. 1950. The story of Sauvie Island. Binfords and Mort, Rocky Mountains, the Territory of the Oregon, and the north west Portland, Oregon. coast of America. Journal Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 8:151-158.

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 275 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 274 A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BIRD 1839e. Note on Sylvia Tolmoei [sic]. Journal Acad. Nat. IDENTIFICATION ARTICLES IN Sci. Phila. 8:159. FIVE JOURNALS, WITH CROSS- REFERENCES TO A LIST OF OVER 580 SPECIES

Clarice Watson, Secretary, Oregon Bird Records Committee, 3787 Wilshire Lane, Eugene, OR 97405

This bibliography was compiled to aid birders and researchers in locating identification information on birds which has been published in five journals. The five journals chosen were those most likely to be accessible to Oregon birders. Some journals are available in public libraries; for others it may be necessary to contact birders holding long• time subscriptions.

The journals, initials used in the text, their addresses, and the dates included are:

• American Birds (AB), v. 25,1971 to v. 40(2), 1986; 950 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 Published by National Audubon Society.

• Birding (Bd), v. 1,1969 to v. 18(3), 1986; P.O. Box 4335 Austin, TX 78765 Published by American Birding Association.

• California Birds (CB), v. 1,1970 to v. 4,1973; Now Western Birds, below.

• Continental Bird Life (CBL), v. 1,1979 to v. 2,1981; P.O. Box 43294 Tucson, AZ 85733 ('cased publication in 1981.

OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 277 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 276 _, et al. 1974. Three Records of Interest. AB 28(5): 881- • Oregon Birds (OB), v. 3,1977 to v. 12(3), 1986; and 882. P.O. Box 10373 4. Altman, A., & C. Parrish. 1978. Sight records of Wilson's Eugene, OR 97440 Phalarope, Ruff and other shorebirds from Venezuela. AB 32(3): Published by Oregon Field Ornithologists. 309-310 5. Amadon, D. (Chairman). 1976. Sticky Problems of Hawk • Western Birds (WB), v. 5,1974 to v. 16(4), 1985. Identification: A Panel Discussion. Bd 8(6): 386-404. [Reprinted 17 Camino Lenada from the Proceedings of the North American Hawk Migration Orinda,CA 94563 Conference. 1974.] Published by Western Field Ornithologists. 6. Amos, E.J.R., & D.B. Wingate. 1983. First record of the Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola from Bermuda. AB 37(1): 115-116. 7. Arbib, R. 1981. Eighth in the Fuertes print series. AB 35(1): 14-15. The references are listed in alphabetical order in Part I by author. In 8. Atherton, L.S. & B.H. Atherton. 1981. "S.A." in Florida Region. order to include as many recent articles as possible, a section with AB 35(2): 174. additional references from 1986 publications (with a few exceptions) follows the main list. Each reference has a unique number which is used 9. Anonymous. 1973. Brown Jays at Falcon Dam in Texas. Bd 5(1): 10- 11. in the phylogenetic cross-reference list of the bird species in Part II to refer the user to the appropriate articles. The phylogenetic listing of 10. . 1973. Terek Sandpiper at Churchill, Manitoba. Bd the species and the nomenclature follows the American Ornithologists' 5(1): 11-12. Union Check-list of North American Birds (Sixth Edition), 1983, and 11. . 1977. It was a Kirtland's. Bd 9(6): 262. the Thirty-fifth Supplement to the AOU Checklist, July 1985. 12. . 1978. Identification Notes. Bd 10(1): 34. [Reprinted from the CFO Journal No. 29, Winter 1977.] The quality of the identification information has not been evaluated 13. . 1979. Answer to Snap Judgment No. 1. CBL 1(2): 44- for accuracy or usefulness. Those determinations are left to the user. 45. The compiler tried to include any references which might be of some 14. . 1979. Pinning down the Blue Ross'. CBL 1(5): 112- value, realizing that the smallest bit of information could be what the 115. user is searching for. There are undoubtedly articles which will prove 15. . 1979. Female "Blue-winged" Teal. WB 10(2): 96. of little value, but most should have some relevant information. The 16. . 1979. Skua Identification Note. Bd 11(2): 78. "S.A." articles refer to those "Special Attention" boxes in American 17. . 1980. Answer to the October Photo Quiz. Bd 12(6): Birds. Due to time and energy constraints, this is the only information 235-236. that could be compiled from the regional reports. 18. . 1980. Sixth in the Fuertes print series. AB 34(5): 726- 727. It is hoped this bibliography will prove useful to persons wishing identification 19. . 1980. Seventh in the Fuertes print series. AB 34(6): information beyond the present field guides. The compiler is indebted to Tom Crabtree for 846-847. suggesting this bibliography after spending 4 hours searching his journals for information on redpolls, to Jim Johnson for painstaking word processing, and to Owen Schmidt for many 20. . 1982. Fifteenth in the Fuertes print series. AB 36(3): helpful suggestions and making additions at the last possible moment. 248-249. 21. . 1982. Sixteenth in the Fuertes print series. AB 36(5): 804-805. PART I - List of journal articles. ?2. . 1983. Eighteenth in the Fuertes print series. AB 37(1): 14-15. 1. Abbott, D.J., III, & D.W. Finch. 1978. First Variegated Flycatcher |3, . 1983. Nineteenth in the Fuertes print series. AB (Empidonomus varius) record for the United States. AB 32(2): 161- 37(2): 138-139. 163. M. Bailey, S.F. 1977. "Ornithological Mystery Story" revisited - the 2. Abramson, I.J. 1976. The Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) in plot thickens. AB 31 (5): 1051,1054-1056. South Florida. AB 30(3): 661-662. OREGON BIRDS 12(4):279 OREGON BIRDS 12(4): 278 Oregon Field Ornithologists Non-ProSt Organization U.S. Postage Paid REGON BIRDS Eugene, OR 97401 P.O. Box 10373 Permit #516 Eugene, OR 97440

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