^^<e?& THERE ARE THOSE WHO DO. AND THOSE WHO WOULDACOULDASHOULDA. Which one are you? If you're the kind of person who's willing to put it all on the line to pursue your goal, there's AIG. The organization with more ways to manage risk and more financial solutions than anyone else. Everything from business insurance for growing companies to travel-accident coverage to retirement savings plans. All to help you act boldly in business and in life. So the next time you're facing an uphill challenge, contact AIG. THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE: AIG INSURANCE, FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE FREEDOM TO DARE. Insurance and services provided by members of American International Group, Inc.. 70 Pine Street, Dept. A, New York, NY 10270. vww.aig.com TODAY TOMORROW TOYOTA Each year Toyota builds more than one million vehicles in North America. This means that we use a lot of resources — steel, aluminum, and plastics, for instance. But at Toyota, large scale manufacturing doesn't mean large scale waste. In 1992 we introduced our Global Earth Charter to promote environmental responsibility throughout our operations. And in North America it is already reaping significant benefits. We recycle 376 million pounds of steel annually, and aggressive recycling programs keep 18 million pounds of other scrap materials from landfills. Of course, no one ever said that looking after the Earth's resources is easy. But as we continue to strive for greener ways to do business, there's one thing we're definitely not wasting. And that's time. www.toyota.com/tomorrow ©2001 JUNE 2002 VOLUME 111 NUMBER 5 FEATURES AVIAN QUICK-CHANGE ARTISTS How do house finches thrive in so many environments? By reshaping themselves. Literally. BY ALEXANDER V. BADYAEV AND GEOFFREY E. HILL A Hudson River school painter met liis greatest challenge in the Tropics. BY ROB NICHOLSON DEPARTMENTS 6 UP FRONT Fast Forward 8 LETTERS 9 CONTRIBUTORS 10 AT THE MUSEUM Cold Storage HENRY S.F. COOPER JR. 14 MUSEUM EVENTS IN JUNE 16 SAMPLINGS STEPHAN REEBS 20 FINDINGS Cheaters and Chumps ROBERT M. SAPOLSKY 26 UNIVERSE HoIl)'^vood Nights NEIL deGRASSE TYSON 32 THE EVOLUTIONARY FRONT The PJse and Fall ot the Nasal Empire CARL ZIMMER 36 IN THE FIELD Jamming Cicadas PETER 3. MARCHAND 40 THIS LAND Where Forests Meet ROBERT H. MOHLENBROCK 66 NATURALIST AT LARGE Hitchin' a Ride DAVE GRANT 70 OUT THERE A Pulsar on the Move CHARLES LIU 71 THE SKY IN JUNE JOE RAO 72 BIOMECHANICS A Weighrs,' Matter ADAM SUMMERS 76 REVIEW So Near and Yet So Far MEREDITH F. SMALL 77 nature.net All Ears and Eyes ROBERT ANDERSON 78 BOOKSHELF 80 THE NATURAL MOMENT Trained Eve PHOTOGRAPH BY YVA MOMATIUK AND JOHN EASTCOTT 82 ENDPAPER Cultivated Wilderness ELIZABETH S. EUSTIS I Isi! our Web site at inini'.naturalhistoi^'.com. DISTILLERS fi VINTNERS AMSTERDAM B,V. IMPORTED ENGLISH GIN 47.3% ALCJVOL. IOOSS GRAIN NEUTRAL SPIRITS, SCHIEFFELIN S SOMERSET CO., NEW YORK, N,Y. S 2002 GUINNESS UNITED — — UP FRONT Fast Forward The magazine of the American Museum of Natural History Ellen Goldensohn Editor in Chief HOUSE FINCH. Abundant in bottomlands, canyons, suburbs, and ranches in the Rebecca B. Finnell Maire Crowe West; uncommon but increasing and spreading in the East. Executive Editor Managing Editor —Chandler S. Robbins et al., Birds of North America (1966) Thomas Page Designer Board of Editors T. Kelleher. Lawrence, Vittorio Maestro, guides get such rough treatment in my household that I have to buy J, Jenny Field Richard Milner (on leave), copies I replacement every few years. Recently, when went out and Judy Rice, Kay Zakariasen (Pictures) purchased yet another Birds of North America by Robbins, Bruun, and Michel DeMatteis, Avis Lang Associate Managing Editors Zim, I discovered that after thirty-five years in print, it had been revised and Thomas Rosinski Assistant Designer updated. So far, the most dramatic difference I've noticed in the new edition is Flora Rodriguez Picture Coordinator the range map for the house finch, a.k.a. Carpodacus mexicanus. In the old book Carol Barnette Editorial Coordinator Merle Okada Assistant to the Editor (originally published in 1966), this small bird was described as "uncommon but Kirsten L. Weir Contributing Editor increasing" in the East, where its local range was denoted on a tiny map by a AUison Devers, Erin M. Espehe, Judy Jacobson, purple spot somewhat above the midpoint of the U.S. Atlantic coast. The new Brittain Phillips, Laura Schmitz Interns edition says the house fmch is "becoming common" in the East, and the new Mark A. Furlong Publisher range map is purple from Maine to Florida. In Gale Page Consumer Marketing Director other words, a bird once known mainly in Mexico Judy Lee-Buller General Manager and the Far West is now a familiar sight east of the Denise Clappi Director of Manufacturing Mississippi. Susie Chien Associate General Manager Such a rapid expansion of range is unprecedented for a native vertebrate (though invaders from Edg.-ir L. Harrison National Advertising Manager Sonia Paratore Senior Account Manager Europe, such as the house sparrow and the Norway W Donna M. Lemmon Advertising Production Manager rat, have managed similar feats). For nature lovers, Ramon E. Alvarez Circulation Manager the house fmch explosion has been quite a bit of Michael Shectman Fulfillment Manager fun. They're pretty birds, great songsters Maria Volpe Promotion and Graphics Director delivering what to my ear is a deeper, huskier Gladys Rivera Assistant to the Publisher version of a goldfinch's melody—and therefore Monique Berkley Advertising Coordinator welcome additions to the backyard fauna. To some evolutionary biologists, Advertising Sales Representatives Netr K)r(;—Mettocorp Marketing (212) 972-1157 however, the expansion represented something else: a scientific opportunity. aiiM^i^erry Greco & Assoc. (847) 925-9300 Drtroif—John Kennedy & Assoc. (313) 886-4399 Ornithologists Alexander V. Badyaev and Geoffrey E. Hill saw in the rapid West Co<i.«—Auerbach Media (818) 716-9613 spread of the house finch a chance to gather empirical evidence on adaptation Toronto—American Publishers Representatives Ltd. (416) 363-1388 Atlanta and Main;—Rjckles and Co. (770) 664-4567 in progress ("Avian Quick-Change Artists," page 58). National Direa Response—Smyrfi Media Group (646) 638-4985 By carefuUy observing house finches at the northern and southern extremes For subscription information, call (800) 234-5252 (vvddiin U.S.) of (515) 247-7631 (from outside U.S.). their that physical of new range, Badyaev and Hill found not only measurable For advertising information, call (212) 769-5555. differences had already appeared between the populations but also that the male and female birds seemed to respond differently to the same environmental American Museum pressures. The big surprise was the finding that females play a major role in OF Natural History An INSTITUTION DED1CATEI5 TO UNDERSTANDING AND I'R^EIWING producing optimally adapted young. BIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL DlVEW.SiTy The painting of a house finch in the revised edition oi Birds of North America Lewis W Bernard Chairmati, Board of Trustees is the same as the one in my original field guide, despite the alterations to the Ellen V Futter President later text and map. But if Badyaev and Hill are right, the birds that I first Noliiral History (ISSN 0028-0712) is published inontlily, except for combined issues in July/August .ind Deceinbcr/Jinuarj', by the American Museum of Natural History. Ccnoal learned to recognize thirty years ago in the dry hills of central California and Park West at 79th Street, New York. NY 10024, E-nuil: [email protected]. Subscriptions: the birds that now sing from my eleventh-floor window ledge in Manhattan S30.01) a j-ear; for Canada and all other countries; S40.()0 a yi;ar. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2002 by American Mu- seum of Natural History'. All rights reserved. No part of ihu periodical may be reproduced may be evolving in different directions. Ellen Goldensohn without written consent of NiUumI Hisior): Send subscription orders and undeliveruble copies to the address below. For subscription information, call (800) 234-5252 or. from out- side U.S., (515) 247-7631, Postmaster: Send addn-s ckingcs to Mmim/ Hufury, R Q Box 5000. Harlan. lA 51537-5000. CanadLin GST Registration a!28426574. Canadian Publications Agreement #4(Xt30827. Printed in tlie U.S.A. NATURAL HISTORY 6/02 LETTERS Of Mice and Men Lagrangian points (L2 and In "A Mouse's Tale" (4/02), L3) also He on the Earth- Steven N. Austad writes: "It Moon line, but L2 Hes far is more than a simple oddity beyond the Moon, while L3 that laboratory mice have Hes far beyond Earth in the smaller eyes and brams . opposite direction." But in larger bodies . weaker the Olustrarion accompanying muscles and chromosomes, the article, the positions ot and longer telomeres than L2 and L3 appear to be their wild relatives." reversed. Which is correct, Indeed, it is not the least the text or the iQustration? bit odd. As a result of David L. Tlioiiipsoii spending the past fifteen Ann Arbor, Michigan years in warrens of office cubicles (not entirely unlike rjeply: The Earth, M__..,, The editors _ cheese mazes), I can attest text is right. The illustration five points of Lag that my eyes are smaller, my had been corrected to match muscles weaker, my body it, but an earHer version was larger. 1 should not be printed by mistake. The what one wotdd expect to of this issue of Natural History surprised to learn that my picture at right is accurate. result from evolution by could be sent to ever}' school brain and telomeres had mutation and selection.