DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS THE FORTUNATE OF A MUSEUM LIFE NATURALIST: ALFRED M. BAILEY DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS

NUMBER 12, MARCH 1, 2019

WWW.DMNS.ORG/SCIENCE/MUSEUM-PUBLICATIONS Denver Museum of Nature & Science Reports 2001 Colorado Boulevard (Print) ISSN 2374-7730 Denver, CO 80205, U.S.A. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Reports (Online) ISSN 2374-7749

Frank Krell, PhD, Editor and Production VOL. 1 DENVER MUSEUM DENVER OF NATURE & SCIENCE Cover photo: A.M. Bailey at Laysan Albatross nesting colony, Laysan Island, Hawaii, December 1912. Photograph by George Willett. DMNS No. IV.BA13-072.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science Reports (ISSN 2374-7730 [print], ISSN 2374-7749 [online]) is an open- access, non peer-reviewed scientifi c journal publishing papers about DMNS research, collections, or other Museum related topics, generally authored or co-authored The Fortunate Life of a Museum Naturalist: by Museum staff or associates. Peer review will only be arranged on request of the authors. REPORTS Alfred M. Bailey

The journal is available online at www.dmns.org/Science/ • NUMBER 12 MARCH 1, 2019 Volume 1—Boyhood to 1919 Museum-Publications free of charge. Paper copies are exchanged via the DMNS Library exchange program ([email protected]) or are available for purchase from our print-on-demand publisher Lulu (www.lulu.com). Kristine A. Haglund, Elizabeth H. Clancy DMNS owns the copyright of the works published in the & Katherine B. Gully (Eds) Reports, which are published under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license. For commercial use of published material contact the Alfred M. Bailey Library &

Archives at [email protected]. WWW.DMNS.ORG/SCIENCE/MUSEUM-PUBLICATIONS

A.M. Bailey hunting, Iowa, 1914. Photograph by Fred W. Kent. DMNS No. IV.2002-10-12. DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS NUMBER 12, MARCH 1, 2019

The Fortunate Life of a Museum Naturalist: Alfred M. Bailey

Volume 1—Boyhood to 1919

Edited by CONTENTS Kristine A. Haglund,1 Elizabeth H. Clancy1 & Foreword by Kristine A. Haglund 2 Katherine B. Gully1 Alfred M. Bailey photography by Elizabeth H. Clancy 3 Alfred M. Bailey chronology 5 The Fortunate Life of a Museum Naturalist by Alfred M. Bailey 6 Preface 6 Boyhood to early career 9 Boyhood Memories 9 High School to University, 1907–1911 20 Laysan Island Expedition, 1912–1913 23 Iowa, 1913–1916 41 Indian Summer Canoeing, Theme Paper, 1914 41 The “Egg” 42 Louisiana, 1916–1919 43

1916 43 Chenier au Tigre, 1918 53 Seabird Colonies, 1918 57 Bear Hunt, 1918 59 Down the Atchafalaya, 1918 60 1919 62 References 71 1Alfred M. Bailey Libary and Archives Denver Museum of Nature & Science 2001 Colorado Boulevard Denver, Colorado 80205-5798, U.S.A. [email protected] Bailey

Foreword

Born on February 18, 1894, and raised in educating people through his film lectures and Iowa City, Iowa, Alfred Marshall Bailey would exhibits. The Denver Museum’s dioramas, in become widely known as an ornithologist, many ways, are Bailey’s way of inviting the author, photographer, lecturer, nature popular- visitor to stand where he had stood and see izer, and museum director. His career, which what he had seen. spanned 56 years, brought him national and These volumes, eight in all, will not only international recognition. He was an enthusi- function as a narrative of Bailey’s life but also astic fieldman, always looking forward to his of the history of natural history museums and next outing. The results of his work include his the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in publications, correspondence, and photogra- particular. Additionally, they will serve as phy, most of which are preserved by the Alfred an entrée and finding aid to portions of the M. Bailey Library & Archives. In addition, he DMNS archives, library, and zoological col- acquired the funding, participated in most lections and provide backstories for many of of the field work, and oversaw the installa- the dioramas. tion of the majority of the Denver Museum of At the urging of the Museum’s board of Nature & Science’s1 nature dioramas during trustees, Bailey began writing, in longhand, his tenure as the Museum’s second Director his life’s story around the end of his time (1936-1969). Those “windows on nature” still as Director of the Museum. He was able to intrigue and stimulate wonder, excitement, complete it to a logical end, including pre- and learning conversations between parents, liminary image selection, prior to his death on teachers, and children. The Bailey-era diora- February 25, 1978. His secretary, Margaret mas also inspired the addition of others such (Maggie) Denny, was the one most capable as those in the Museum’s Prehistoric Journey of translating his scribbled handwriting into and Space Odyssey halls. a typescript. She continued the transcription This autobiographical publication covers until her own death in 1980. Bailey’s childhood through the end of his Bailey’s autobiographical manuscript career. His working title was Field Work of remained on a shelf in the Museum’s a Museum Naturalist, but he already had archives until about 2010 when I began a publication by that name that describes to contemplate my own retirement from the his 1919–1922 work in Alaska. To avoid Museum and realized that if I didn’t publish confusion, we have changed the title to The it, probably no one would. This was a task Fortunate Life of a Museum Naturalist: Alfred larger than initially envisioned. The process M. Bailey. Bailey always considered himself of taking a handwritten document to a typed to be one of the most fortunate people he version and then to an electronic version knew, fortunate because he was able to do is time-consuming, meticulous work. This for a living everything he loved: traveling project couldn’t have been done without the to exotic, challenging, and distant locales; technological advancements unknown during meeting fascinating people; observing and Bailey’s lifetime: sophisticated word process- photographing wildlife, especially birds; and ing software, scanners and photo editing software, and the resources of the World- 1 The Denver Museum of Nature & Science was known during his time as the Colorado Museum of Natural wide Web. Also valuable in establishing and History and the Denver Museum of Natural History.

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Alfred M. Bailey Photography correcting dates, spelling, and questionable Bailey already understood the importance wording were Bailey’s journals. But most of documenting his field work when he was valuable were the volunteers, without whom invited on his very first field trip to Laysan this project would have been impossible and Island in 1912. He kept a daily record in his to whom I am extremely grateful: Dr. Jean field journal and he took along a camera bor- Saul, Marjorie Pries, and Martha Gray trans- rowed from a college friend in order to make ferred the text into electronic format; Saul a photographic record as well. He continued assisted Liz Clancy (the Museum's Image to combine detailed journal entries with pho- Archivist Emerita and Image Editor for this tographs throughout his 56-year career and publication) with image selection; and Kath- they served him well in the numerous and erine Gully, the Museum's Librarian Emerita, varied publications he wrote over the years. compiled the list of Bailey’s publications Taking copious notes, he documented images and the bibliographies for each of the eight with stories of the unusual and the important. volumes. A large thank-you goes to Jean And he found and recorded a great deal of Saul for her financial support. The Museum’s the humorous along the way. Archivist Sam Schiller and Image Archivist In working with Bailey's photographic René O’Connell patiently provided their valu- collection, I have been continually impressed able assistance whenever requested, which with the clarity and near perfect focus of most was frequently. Last, but never least, I am of his pictures—especially when seen under thankful to Dr. Frank Krell for his patience extreme magnification. and ongoing support for this publication. One has only to read his autobiography Many thanks to everyone who joined me in to understand many of the problems wildlife this memorial to one of the Museum’s most photographers must endure while obtaining influential individuals. good wildlife photographs. In the early 1920s, Bailey spent 16 months above the Arctic Circle Kristine A. Haglund collecting specimens in Alaska and Siberia. Archivist Emerita He photographed his experiences as he went. Alfred M. Bailey Library & Archives Photographic equipment of that period was large, bulky, and heavy. Cameras, lenses, tripods, film, and other photographic accesso- ries had to be carried along in addition to the normal equipment needed to collect specimens and survive in freezing temperatures. Over the years, photographic technology improved and camera equipment got smaller and lighter, but the convenience of the digital world was never available to Bailey as it didn’t exist at all during his lifetime. Bailey traveled all over the world to study and obtain photographs of a huge variety of birds and mammals which he used for

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museum exhibits, publications, and lectures. from the motion picture film to use as "still" He worked in many obscure and difficult loca- images suitable for publication. Fairly early tions in order to be where unique, rare, and on, Bailey also began taking color images in even endangered wildlife can be found. He 35mm slide and 4”x5” formats. He frequently built photographic blinds and waited in them converted some of his color images to black for hours. He hung off cliffs and climbed tall and white, knowing that black and white is trees. He battled insects and snakes and bad a more permanent medium and it was more weather, always hoping wildlife would appear useful in publications of the day. on "schedule" and "pose" for a good picture. Although he didn't consider himself a por- On one particularly memorable occasion in trait photographer, he showed his quality with 1947, he even got the engineer of a railroad portraits of native peoples in Alaska and Abys- train to allow him to ride the cowcatcher sinia particularly. He also recorded images of across the highest trestle on the route! fellow researchers, helpers, and colleagues At some point, probably in the late 1920s along the way. In combination with his field or early 1930s, Bailey began using a motion journals, his body of photographic work contin- picture camera in the field. He used motion ues to be of interest and useful for scholars and pictures for his research, and also for the researchers even these many decades later. lectures that he gave annually all around the country. He frequently cut out individual frames Liz Clancy Image Archivist Emerita Alfred M. Bailey Library & Archives

Note: All images in this publication not otherwise credited were taken by Dr. Bailey.

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Alfred M. Bailey Chronology

1894 (February 18): Born in Iowa City, Iowa. Honors and awards: 1912–1913: Member and camp cook U.S. 1929–1932: Served on editorial board of the Biological Survey expedition to Laysan Wilson Bulletin. Island. Purpose of expedition to exter- 1941: Elected Fellow of American Ornitholo- minate rabbit population which was gists’ Union. competing for rare birds’ food supply 1944: Received Honorary Doctor of Science and threatening their extinction. Bailey degree, Norwich University, Norwich, collected some now extinct birds, later Connecticut. donating some of them to the Denver 1954: Received Honorary Doctor of Public Museum of Natural History for Laysan Service degree, University of Denver, exhibit. Denver, Colorado. 1916: Awarded Bachelor of Arts from the 1961: Received second annual Malcolm G. University of Iowa. Wyer Award for distinguished service in 1916–1919: Curator of Birds and Mammals, adult education, Denver, Colorado. Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans, 1967: Received Civis Princeps award, Regis Louisiana. College, Denver, Colorado. 1917 (June 16): Married Muriel Eggenberg, 1967: Received Detroit Audubon Society Iowa City, Iowa. Honors award, Detroit, Michigan. 1919–1921: First representative of the U.S. 1971: Alfred M. Bailey Bird Nesting Area Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Biologi- dedicated, Eagles Nest Wilderness cal Survey) in Alaska, based in Juneau. Area, Colorado. Mrs. Bailey accompanied her husband to Juneau, where their first baby (Beth) was born. 1921–1926: Curator of Birds and Mammals, Colorado Museum of Natural History, Denver, Colorado. 1921–1922: Headed expedition to Arctic Alaska for the Colorado Museum of Natural History. 1926–1927: Biologist, Field Museum of Natural History expedition to Abyssinia (Ethiopia). 1927–1936: Director, Chicago Academy of Sciences, Chicago, Illinois. 1936 (May)–1969 (Dec.): Director, Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, Colorado. 1978 (February 25): Died, Denver, Colorado.

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The Fortunate Life of a Museum Naturalist by Alfred M. Bailey

Preface

Looking back through the years, I realize that there was regret the choice of my life work. It has been my privi- a more or less orderly sequence of events which led to lege to have visited all continents except Antarctica, my my becoming a museum naturalist, although there was work adjacent being on Subantarctic Campbell Island, nothing in my family background to have aroused an 400 miles south of New Zealand, noted for its wealth of interest in nature. My father, W.H. Bailey, was an attorney animal life, including five species of albatrosses; fur, in Iowa City, Iowa, with little time to pay attention to leopard, and elephant seals; and sea lions. his growing boys—my older brothers John and Lee and My first expedition, while a sophomore at the Uni- my younger brother Ralph. Probably Lee, six years older versity of Iowa, was with a party from the U.S. Biological than I, influenced me greatly, for he liked to fish and Survey to spend three months on remote Laysan Island camp and often he took me with him. in the Leeward Chain of the Hawaiians, in 1912–1913, to That there was an excellent museum at the Univer- eliminate rabbits which were destroying the vegetation sity of Iowa is undoubtedly responsible to a great extent of that bird island. After college days, my wife and I spent for the direction I was to follow, and yet only one other three wonderful years (1916–1919) with headquarters Iowa City boy of my generation showed a like interest — in New Orleans, where I served as Curator of Birds and Wesley Kubichek, the son of a Bohemian gunsmith and Mammals in the Louisiana State Museum and had many Old World taxidermist, and probably Wes received his opportunities for fieldwork in the “Cajun” country along stimulus through the work of his father. In later years, the bayous and the marshes and the bird islands of the Wes was the head of the motion picture division of the Gulf of Mexico. Fish and Wildlife Service and made many remarkable The next three years (1919–1922) were spent in photographs of animals. Alaska, the first half as representative of the U.S. Bio- As a small youngster, my interests were definitely logical Survey with headquarters in Juneau, where our in the out-of-doors. I dreamed of trapping in the Maine daughter Beth was born. In December 1919, I took a sled woods, of following in Hornaday’s footsteps in India, and journey up the Copper River into the interior, and in being another Frank Russell in Arctic Canada. I visited 1920 and the early months of 1921, often accompanied the museum and gazed with admiration at the trophies by my wife, I worked the main islands of the southeastern assembled there. I hunted and fished along the Iowa archipelago. River with my older brother Lee at every spare moment. The next year and a half were spent in the Far North My ambition turned to being a taxidermist, and my collecting habitat groups of polar bear, barren ground patient stepmother encouraged me—and remonstrated bear, caribou, and walrus, and three large ecological bird with my father when he protested I was wasting my time. displays for the Colorado Museum of Natural History. My Eventually, I met Professor H.R. Dill, Director associate Russell W. Hendee and I secured specimens of the University of Iowa museum and, through him, on the islands of the Bering Sea and the east coast of received encouragement and help. Consequently, after Siberia, traveling on the famous Coast Guard Cutter high school, I enrolled in the University in 1911, special- Bear, and then when ice conditions were favorable, we izing in museum training, and I have not had cause to continued on up the Arctic Coast past Point Barrow—on

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Figure F.01. William C. Bradbury, A.M. Bailey, Frederick C. Lincoln, and Jesse D. Figgins, Colorado, Summer 1919. DMNS No. IV.00-2862.1. to Demarcation Point, the International Boundary line mouth of the Saint Lawrence River, to the Bahamas, and between Alaska and Canada—and then back to spend throughout Colorado and Utah. the winter at the Eskimo village of Wainwright, 100 miles In 1926 I became a staff member of the Field down the coast from Barrow. Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois, and Wainwright, far north of the Arctic Circle, was was privileged to make a 2,000-mile, mule-back journey an ideal base for our fall and winter work, and Hendee through then little-known Abyssinia—one of a party remained in that vicinity in the spring of 1922 to hunt of five with Dr. Wilfred Osgood the leader. Others were with the Eskimos, while I made the approximately Jack Baum, a writer for the Chicago Daily News; Suydam 700-mile dogsled journey down the coast to Wales, the Cutting; and the world-famous bird artist Louis Fuertes. westernmost village on the mainland of Alaska, on the We were the first Americans to travel in some of the shores of the Bering Strait, to collect walrus with the remote areas, and I was the first American to collect the Eskimos. Our work in skin umiaks, in the stormy waters Abyssinian ibex (walia) in the high Simien Mountains separating Alaska from Siberia, resulted in securing the of the northern part of the country—and we were privi- walruses now on display in the museum. leged to become acquainted with noted chieftains—and The following years (late 1922 to early 1926) we the ruler of the country, Ras Tafari, later (1930) to lived in Denver where, as Curator of Birds and Mammals become Emperor Haile Selassie. at the Colorado Museum of Natural History (now called After seven months in the country, we made our the Denver Museum), I worked with the talented staff exit across the desert of the Sudan to Khartoum and members in preparing the Alaskan exhibits (Fig. F.01). down the Nile to Cairo and back to Chicago late in Field trips were made to Bonaventure Island at the May 1927.

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During the next ten years, I served as Director of Zealand and one in the Galapagos Islands, and thousands the Chicago Academy of Sciences—with field trips, when of feet of motion film were obtained on the islands of the time allowed, to Canada, Labrador, Mexico, Florida, Pacific from Wake, Midway, Canton, the Fijis, Australia, Louisiana, and the western states. During this time, we and New Zealand. Other fieldwork took me to Canada, built an extensive motion film library, which resulted “Down North” along the Labrador with the great explorer in my starting in 1929 to give illustrated lectures, and I Donald B. MacMillan, Bermuda, the Bahamas, to all the continued to do so until 1968. states of the Union, and twice to Africa. In 1936, I returned to Denver as director of the fine In the following narrative of this publication, I natural history museum, a position I held for 34 years, have endeavored to record the sequence of events chron- retiring as Director Emeritus January 1, 1970. During ologically from my earliest recollections, as a youngster, that time four additions were added to the museum on down through the years. Events up to college days are building and, after the reinstallation of old exhibits in vague in memory, but fortunately, starting with my field new electrically lighted cases, I planned expeditions to trip to Laysan and the Hawaiian Islands in 1912–1913, I many interesting parts of the world, the museum policy endeavored to make daily journal entries of field activi- being not to duplicate the exhibit work of other museums. ties, with accounts of the many interesting forms of life As a consequence, numerous trips were made to Alaska encountered, and I continued to do so on all journeys, to secure ecological displays of fine big game animals. my last extensive one being to Rhodesia, South Africa, Four expeditions to Australia resulted in the collecting and Botswana in 1969, where talented members of the of geographic exhibits from tropical Queensland, the museum staff collected exhibits to be placed in the Red Centre, and the Tree Fern Forests of Victoria. Two Museum’s Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Botswana large habitat groups were collected in Subantarctic New Africa Hall.

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Boyhood to Early Career Often I was parked out with the two other tolerant relatives previously mentioned, cousins George and Ida, Boyhood Memories in Williamsburg, Iowa, and one terror-filled afternoon is I have been cursed with a poor memory. Unless I keep still vivid. I had been coasting down a small hill on my notes, I’m likely to forget details of interesting experiences, little wagon when a horse and buggy came to the inter- and consequently, the events of my boyhood are very vague. section at the same time my cart made its appearance. Apparently, I tried to express myself at an early The horse bolted, while the frantic lady driver tugged at age, for I’ve been told of how strenuously I objected the lines. Too short a turn upset the buggy, the woman, to returning home with my father, who had placed me fortunately, being thrown clear, while the frightened with cousins Ida and George Wagoner while Mother horse galloped up the street, the buggy disintegrating was awaiting the arrival of my little brother Ralph. at every jump. All that afternoon I hid in the haymow Cousin Ida, who was childless, mothered me (then a of cousin George’s livery stable, while worried relatives two-year-old) through many visits. My behavior on searched the near vicinity. I can still recall George’s arriving back at the parental fireside was not that of gentle voice as he talked to me when hunger and fear a lovable child, I fear, for when the new little baby was finally forced me from my place of refuge. held cuddled in my mother’s arms for my approval, Probably I should have been spared my most vivid I (according to Ida) looked at the uptilted nose of memory, the death of my mother. I can recall various the new arrival and then hauled off in an attempt to relatives being at the house, the unusual quiet tones flatten it with a well-aimed smash. of conversation, and my father admonishing me to go My earliest recollections seem to merge around my up to the Calkins’ on the corner to play but be sure to mother. She was seriously ill, and as a consequence, I keep my little brother Ralph in sight, so we could both often was sent to the farm of my Aunt Ella and Uncle come home immediately when called. Mrs. Calkins was George McKee near West Liberty, Iowa, so as not to be friendly (unusually so, it seemed to me), and later in in the way. A few pictures stand out in memory: the gilt- the afternoon, she told me to hurry home. With Ralph edged dishes of oatmeal with sifted nutmeg (a favorite holding my hand, I ran down the street past the Carnegie seasoning to this day); an old mother hen (with a brood Library, a sense of urgency spurring me on. of small chicks) that put a terrified boy into flight; and, I regret that my only memory of Mother, except a with special vividness, Christmas Eve at my grandpar- rather dim picture of a beautiful, brown-eyed woman ents’ farm two miles away. seen hazily as I was being sent on one of my numerous My bearded grandfather was sitting in his easy trips to relatives, was that afternoon as she reclined half chair, the reading lamp throwing a rather dim light propped up on her pillows. Father and my older broth- across the room. He told me that Santa Claus would ers Jack and Lee were there, and many others, but all I be down the chimney, and when I was not watching, can recall is the picture of my mother lying quietly, her Grandad would flip pennies into the fireplace, making eyes gradually becoming glassy—and then the sudden me believe good old Saint Nick was dropping them realization of a small boy that here was something he down the flue. Grandad, as a correspondent for the didn’t understand—and the sympathetic soothing voice Muscatine, Iowa newspaper, would send in local items, of brother Jack as he gently led me from the room. and one Thanksgiving time he dressed me up in one It is strange how some things stick in memory. It of his shirts, my arms and legs through the sleeves must have been the next day that Ralph and I wandered and a bunch of turkey feathers placed on my elevated two blocks away to the business district and were gazing posterior. And so, in that undignified position, I posed into a store window filled with shoes when one of the for my first publicity picture, the photographic result neighbors came along and turned us back, saying, “You being published in the “City” paper. kids ought to be at home at a time like this.”

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My memory of the funeral—in the little English individualist that delighted in reaching around and Lutheran Church where later I was to pump the pipe biting his rider on the kneecap, until I broke him of organ—comes back vividly, especially when, with tears the habit with a couple of well-aimed swipes across the in his eyes, Dad told us, “This is the last time we will see nose with a whip. A rented barn about 100 yards away Mother on this earth.” became the rendezvous of the rather tough gang of kids I The next couple of years were rather hectic, with was associating with at the time, my little brother Ralph numerous housekeepers attempting to keep control usually tagging along. We were distinguished as Big and over two small boys. About this time I first heard about Little Bailey, the “Big” being merely a matter of compari- animals having a choice of environment. Rabbits, I was son, for I was always a scrawny youngster, too small to told, laid their eggs at Easter time, and when I searched play football on the school teams. We had many experi- our yard early one Easter morning, I was excited to find ences with Pedro; being tough-mouthed and mean, he three nests with five brightly colored eggs in each. What was difficult to handle. Full of pep, he would take the bit I could not understand, however, was that, although I in his mouth and bolt on the slightest provocation, his looked in all the neighbors’ yards, the only nests were in cleverest trick to unseat the rider being to make sudden ours. My brother Lee solved the problem to my complete right-angle turns, the surprised boy going one way and satisfaction: each form of life chooses a special place, the pony another. He would always run away on his and our yard was the only one containing lilac bushes. return to the barn, and I learned to pile the straw and The purchase of Pedro, a beautiful little stallion manure in such a manner that, when Pedro made the pony, was the highlight of my life at the age of eight or turn from the alley, both of us would have a soft landing nine (Fig. 1.01). A pretty little animal, Pedro was an place when he lost his footing.

Figure 1.01. A.M. Bailey with Pedro, Iowa City, Iowa, 1902–1903. Photographer unknown. DMNS No. IV.2002-10-14.

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About that time I had my first and only theatrical a little one-room board house for us to use to change experience. We lived in a two-story house on Linn Street our clothes that was elevated on poles so it would be just south of the Carnegie Library, and there were three above high water, and there was a 2-by-4-inch railing bedrooms above, one often being rented to university on which we could hang our “swimming pants” to dry. students. I remember that our roomers were in a uni- Swimming was forbidden on Sunday mornings, so these versity play in the Opera House. A boy was needed, and I stolen pleasures were always especially enjoyable. On was chosen. The name of the play and details escape me, this occasion, a half-dozen of us, naked as the day we except that my appearance before the audience involved were born, were lounging about the porch and enjoying a violent shaking from one of the participants so that I the warmth of the morning sun. Suddenly, from the edge was dizzy as I staggered to the footlights and mournfully of the boathouse, appeared a little girl, and she darted spoke my lines: “Master kicks Fagg—Fagg kicks me. I’m up to the steps as the six of us stood petrified. Then the going home and kick the cat.” unabashed little miss pointed to one cringing culprit, Among my friends was Edgar Poland, who lived who was endeavoring to cover himself with outstretched two blocks away, and I recall playing in his backyard on hands, and shouted triumphantly, “Yo, ho! Willie. Your the day his mother called out to us, with tears in her eyes, hair is wet. You’ll get it when you get home!” saying that President William McKinley had been shot Another swimming experience remains in my (September 6, 1901). memory. I used to spend several weeks in summer on the The Iowa River, which meandered between wooded farm of my cousin near Oxford, Iowa, a delightful spot hills, was a constant magnet. My first catfish came out with a meandering creek and fine swimming hole down of it, a six-inch fellow that I proudly carried home on in the forest a mile from the house. I was sternly told a string that all might see, and the river banks were the by my cousin Ed not to take his son near the water, but favorite retreat of the older boys wishing to swim on hot Bert and I could not resist the temptation. He was larger summer days. Learning to swim seemed natural enough, but could not swim as well as I. I dived off the bank and and I assumed it was also easy. My older brothers were crossed the creek by sheer momentum, but Bert came up experts, and I often accompanied them. One of my in the middle and began to flounder, waving his arms early trips nearly proved the last, for my brothers had wildly as he sank. I plunged back, grabbed him, and crossed the river to the springboard, leaving me to my between the two of us, we managed to reach the bank own resources. Growing lonesome, I attempted to follow little the worse for wear. Hardly were we on our feet, and was soon under water and being carried down by the however, than my big cousin arrived on the scene; he current. Rough hands seemed to grab hold, and I can grabbed me by my hair, turned me over his knee, and still hear a voice saying, as though in explanation, “I gave me a thrashing I’ve never forgotten. It was a long saw bubbles coming up.” With no one to check on my time before I stopped wishing we both had drowned. activities, I used to tag along after other boys who were I was much on my own and used to prowl the river, bound for the river. I would paddle around in the shal- often with my brother Lee (nicknamed Bill from the song lows or hang onto a plank, and one day, gaining courage, “Old Bill Bailey”).2 By the time I was 10 and he 16, we let go, and down I went, only to be fished out and rolled often went camping and set lines for catfish and carp. We over a log until breathing became normal again. But not would start the end of a great log smoldering near our tent long after, I mastered the technique and was soon able to and put on a five-gallon can of mulligan stew which, with swim for hours without effort. continuous additions of corn and tomatoes and an occa- One of the pleasant early recollections of the sional chunk of beef, kept us going for a week at a time. old swimming hole was of the Sunday morning when 2 Although his brother Lee acquired the nickname “Bill” we skipped out before church and had a pleasant dip first, Dr. Bailey later acquired that nickname for himself and is along the wooded shores of the Iowa. The city had built referred to as “Bill” later in this publication.

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These summer evenings along the Iowa were marvel- report of his experiences in the University Auditorium. ous. On dark nights we would raise our line over the bow He told of the marvelous concentrations of birdlife—the of the boat and work across the river from the shadows of thousands of albatrosses, terns, Man-o’-war birds, and the timber along the bank out into the bright path thrown other species on the little island of Laysan, 850 miles by the moon. We could feel the fish swinging on the line northwest of Honolulu, and he showed hand-colored long before we reached them, and then when we lifted the slides. The program made such a great impression upon struggling creatures over the gunwale, we would free them me that I dreamed of the strange seabirds that night. from the hook, re-bait, and go on to the next. The tops Was it merely coincidence, or is there something of the trees of the woods on the opposite side were black that guides one’s destiny, that my first long field trip against a lighter sky, and the stars shone like gleaming should have been to that same little island of Laysan coals in the distant void. The silence of the night on the less than ten years later? Just what chance would a river always impressed me, for though there were many boy in Iowa back in those days have of visiting such a night voices, they always seemed subdued. remote spot? It was on one of those night excursions across That same year, when I was ten, Dad bought me moonlit Iowa that I had a painful experience. I was a shotgun, a 12-gauge Winchester pump, and I became running the setline over the bow of my boat, baiting skillful with both the shotgun and a .22 rifle. Brother Lee, hooks as they passed over. There was a surging on the an expert with the latter, taught me to shoot small clay line that indicated a good-sized fish coming alongside, balls thrown 25 feet into the air. Soon I could hit three and I gave a flip of the line that brought an eight-pound out of four with dust shot, and one memorable afternoon, catfish into the boat. Unfortunately, as it flew into the when hunting along the Iowa River and using the same air, it shook the hook, and the descending fish struck load in my .22, I collected two bobwhite quail in flight. back down—the sharp, saw-toothed dorsal spine going I lost my shotgun that first summer. I was camping entirely through my bare foot. It was a most painful along the Iowa with one of my friends, and we wanted wound but not sufficiently so to call an end to the trip. to market some of the fish we had caught, so early one The following day, however, I stepped on a broken bottle morning we took a number from the live box and dressed which took me out of circulation for a couple of weeks them and, before starting to town, I hid my gun under a and resulted in a lifetime scar across my instep. pile of driftwood. On our return, the gun was gone, and Somewhere about this time, Lee took me to the I felt that my companion’s father was responsible, for he museum at the University of Iowa in our hometown and, was reputed to be a worthless character. covering my eyes, led me to a case holding a black bear. Certainly, I had an experience with him on one The fright I received should have been sufficient to have occasion that made me realize that breaking the law has erased any desire for wildlife adventures, but possibly it its hazards. I was pole fishing from the bank when this was this experience that caused me to dream about trap- amiable, if worthless, individual came rowing along with ping and hunting in the Maine woods, and later I read all his flatboat and, seeing me perched on the bank, shoved the outdoor books which were children’s favorites at the the stern in and said, “Jump in! I want you to row for time. Stories of Indians and pioneer days were available me a bit.” I took the oars, and he directed, “Back her at the library and, for a while, I read so much that Dad up to the eddy,” pointing to a swirling place at the base insisted I spend more time at play. of a half-submerged snag. “There ought to be some big It was in 1904 that I saw my first lantern slides of flatheads in that hole,” he said. birds and heard a lecture on far-off places. Professor C.C. As I backed, he took a stick of dynamite, cut it in Nutting of the University of Iowa had been on a cruise in two, put the caps with a fuse on, and then wrapped some the Pacific on the exploring fisheries ship USS Albatross oiled paper about it. He weighted his charge, struck a in 1902 and, on his return, presented the illustrated match, and lighted the fuse, holding the sputtering bomb

12 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 for a while to assure himself that all was well. Then he was constantly being imposed upon. gave it a toss. His finger caught in the string, and this The best deal Dad ever put over was when he yanked the whole thing back into the boat! induced Mrs. Wachenfeld to marry him (March 15, 1906). My startled companion half jumped to his feet as My brother Jack, a senior medic at Iowa, had been “going though to go overboard and then, probably realizing steady” with her daughter Lilly, and the long-drawn tele- that the exploding dynamite would be disastrous if he phone conversations between the two were my first insight was in the water, made a grab and heaved the explosive into how silly people in love could sound. When Jack over the side, where it went off with a fountain of spray. was ready to graduate from the College of Medicine and The several fish which came belly-up aroused no interest decided to get married, Dad had an inspiration and con- —my friend was green and, as I look back through the vinced the wonderful lady to make it a double wedding. years, I believe he had reason to be. That was the most fortunate day of my life for “Mother,” as Dad took me to St. Louis on one of his numerous we always called her, was truly more sympathetic than a business trips when I was 11. The only memory I have of real parent could have been. So Lilly became my stepsister the journey is breakfast in the dining room of the railway and sister-in-law at the same time I obtained a mother terminal hotel. It was the first time I recall of having seen and her son Carl, my stepbrother. Carl soon went away to Negroes—the waiters all dressed in black—and there was St. Louis where he secured his medical degree, and as he an array of glittering silver on the tables. The great chande- was much older than I, our paths rarely crossed. liers deeply impressed me. Prices on the bill of fare seemed Looking back, I realize my childhood days were terrific, and I tried to save my father money by ordering wonderful, in the days before the automobiles became so bacon at 15 cents. I well remember my consternation when numerous as to complicate and make hectic the survival five strips were brought me—at 15 cents each! of the fittest. With a tolerant mother, I was free to roam After my return from St. Louis, I spent a couple of and yet had a home instead of just a place to sleep. weeks in late summer on the Hasty farm near Kalona, It was three months later, June 1906, that Mother, Iowa. There were several boys, and Raymond was about younger brother Ralph, and I accompanied my father on my own age. I recall our wandering one afternoon, with a trip to New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado. There was a our slingshots, through the orchard and finding a huge land boom on, and we were in a special car with prospec- hornet nest hanging from a low branch of an apple tree, tive buyers. I was impressed with the rolling Yucca-dotted beneath which were several hogs busily eating fallen fruit. plains of Colorado and with towering Fisher’s Peak near There must have been a streak of orneriness in both of us Trinidad. We traveled by horse and buggy into the dry for, with well-aimed shots at the nest, we caused the angry farming areas near Las Vegas, New Mexico, where there insects to descend upon the innocently feeding porkers, were occasional acreages of ripening wheat, and I recall the latter rushing away with tails erect and grunts of that, on a narrow road into nearby mountains, our frisky displeasure to escape the painful stings. horses tried to back the buggy over the side of a cliff as My father was often irritable, and in later years he one of the newfangled automobiles chugged toward us. A reminded me of the character in the cartoon strip The visit to grain fields near Amarillo on the Texas Panhandle Terrible Tempered Mr. Bang. Dad would fly off the handle resulted in lantern slides in memory, just isolated pho- at the slightest excuse, and I well remember the time he tographs of numerous places and kindly people, without threatened to thrash the mailman for walking on the connecting film to make a continuous story. grass. The sickly little plot of green in front of our house From Texas we traveled to Colorado Springs and was Dad’s pride and joy, and anyone trampling upon it drove out to the Garden of the Gods in a surrey with a did so at his peril. My father was a good businessman fringed top, the horse kicking up a cloud of dust as we and was always making a “deal”; he had a keen business rambled over the narrow road to the Balanced Rock, sense but none whatsoever of human cussedness, so he among other interesting formations.

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The next stop was Denver where we stayed in the old equally distant off to the left—that imposing mass American House where many notable people had made we had seen the day before when touring the Garden their headquarters, including Prince Alexis and Buffalo of the Gods. One of the comments of the driver, as we Bill. We made a conducted tour of the city with a dozen drove through the nearby residential section, remains other people, our van being pulled by two spirited horses. in memory. He pointed to a small house as he asked his Out on the eastern edge of town was City Park, where a attentive listeners, “You wouldn’t believe that the roof few trees dotted the original prairie, and to the westward of that house covers two acres, would you?” And after a was the Front Range with majestic Mount Evans still with pause to allow his question to sink in, he added—“Mr. a touch of snow upon its crest. At the far, east end of and Mrs. Acres.” the expanse of the park was a newly erected museum of One of the tourist delights in those days was the natural history, and we were disappointed that it had not rail journey into the mountains, the long train winding yet been opened to the public. (Thirty years later I was upward through forested slopes and over shaky trestles; appointed director of the museum.) the engine with its trailing cars of the Moffat Road Our genial guide pulled his horses to a stop in climbed skyward to timberline and then snaked its way front of the museum building (Fig. 1.02) and pointed through long snow sheds to Corona Station (11,660 feet). toward the distant range, explaining that Longs Peak Our journey was made on one of those brilliant days so was up to the right some 60 miles and Pikes Peak characteristic of early fall when the aspens were just

Figure 1.02. Colorado Museum of Natural History prior to opening in July 1908. Photographer unknown. Courtesy of Denver Public Library. DPL No. PMS469.

14 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 beginning to be tinged with gold, and we hung over the cleared away, we saw one of the birds floating lifeless. It railing of the observation car and watched the puffing was one of the finest of shorebirds, a Wilson’s Phalarope, engine curving ahead. and Al and I hurried home to prepare it. The skin came A walk out on the tundra a few hundred yards from off nicely. We put copper wire in the legs and filled the the station gave us a chance to imagine that the high body with cotton—and my first bird was mounted. altitude caused us to be short of breath, and also to see My taxidermy efforts during these grade school days small birds among the boulders, including some of a had been restricted to birds. One day the telephone rang, rosy color, and others brown with flicking tails bordered and a woman’s voice said, “I want to speak to the boy who with white. There was a band of a dozen brown birds that stuffs things,” and when I modestly admitted I was the looked like bantam chickens and a mammal scurrying expert, she breathlessly announced, “Buttons is dead!” for cover that resembled our groundhogs back home. Cautious inquiry brought the information that And the greatest thrill was to hold the skin of a bobcat Buttons was her black cat and, that with the death of the that a couple of bearded individuals carried aboard the cat, life was no longer worth living for its mistress. I was train. They called it lynx, and it remained in memory commissioned, for a fee of three dollars, to make Buttons until years later when I was privileged to see the common appear as lifelike as possible. I should hate to come face to wildcat in its native haunts. face with that mounted cat, for my first effort must have It was hard to return home after such an expedition been frightful to behold. I stuffed the skin with cotton and, to the Far West. In the early fall, my friend Wesley Kubi- not having the proper kind of eyes, put in round yellow chek brought to school two male Red-winged Blackbirds ones made for Screech Owls. In two days’ time, the job that his father had stuffed. The glossy birds with the red was done, and the finished specimen was delivered with chevrons were the most beautiful things I had ever seen, cardboards still pinned to the ears; I needed the money and I resolved that I’d fix some of my own trophies. and couldn’t wait for the skin to dry. In those days, the five-cent, paperback magazines The cat, covered with a cloth, was deposited on the devoted to the adventures of Nick Carter, Diamond Dick, piano stool and then, like an artist unveiling a painting, Buffalo Bill, and Frank Merriwell were popular, and I had I slowly drew the cloth aside. There was studied silence as excellent a library as the next youngster. In the back for a moment, and then an anguished voice protested, of a Tip Top Weekly I ran across an article with the title “Oh, no! That’s not my Buttons!” How to Stuff a Bird, and so it was not long before I was I became a capitalist that year, for a few brief experimenting in the art of taxidermy. My first victim was hours of tragedy elsewhere made it possible for me to a coot, and what a strange bird a coot is! I well remem- make $3.95, a tremendous sum in those days. The great ber canoeing among the willows alone on the river and San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a front page flash, seeing the slate-colored bird with white, pointed beak and on the afternoon that the news broke across the swimming and diving. I finally, after many attempts, country, the local Iowa City Republican published an succeeded in collecting it, but my efforts were doomed to “extra.” With many other youngsters, I yelled, “Read all failure, for the neck was so small I couldn’t get the skin about it!” and collected five cents each from eager Iowa over the head. City residents. No doubt inspired by such quick profit, I My second attempt at taxidermy was more acquired a paper route that fall but soon lost interest, successful. Al Scales and I, armed with his father’s dou- probably because there was no need to work when my ble-barreled, muzzle-loading shotgun, were wandering Dad was so generous as to supply my meager needs. along some ponds near Coralville when we saw a couple It was about this period that I became conscious of little birds swimming and whirling about along the of girls and would go a long way to keep from meeting edge of a little waterway. A blast of black powder obscured them. There was an unusually good-looking young lady all from view for a short time, and then, when the smoke across the street whom I admired from afar, but the most

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interesting was a little country girl, Muriel Eggenberg, taken up. There was a ring in the chain over the peg that who used to come to town driving an old horse hitched to stuck in the ground, so I cautiously slipped the ring over a surrey “with a fringe on top.” I rarely saw her, and the my forefinger, straightened up and pulled. Unfortunately, first time we talked was years later in high school—when just as I swung the animal in the air, the top of the tunnel I certainly made an impression. I rounded the corner of gave way. I lost my balance, and when I fell, the skunk a hallway with my usual hurried gait, and we collided landed with all four feet on my leg. He didn’t bite—it violently, her books flying in all directions. I picked them wasn’t necessary. A fine spray filled the air as Quack up and retreated in confusion, little realizing that she rushed in and finished the little animal with a stick. was to be my life’s companion. We were two woebegone boys with mud-stained By now, at mid-grammar school age, I was a con- and, we suspicioned, rather smelly clothing; we couldn’t firmed woodsman. One memorable Indian summer day tell, however, for, after the first sickening onslaught of stands out most vividly. It all happened because Quack the yellowish mist, all sense of smell seemed to disappear. Poland had wanted to get back to nature. The afternoon Quack had a pocket knife, so while I held the skunk by before, on a Sunday, Quack, my bulldog Spurgyns, and the hind legs, he made a “Y” cut, and we soon had the I had gone on the trail. We had found a couple of rusty skin off. We realized that if we were going to get to school traps in the alley back of a blacksmith shop, and we on time, we’d better hurry, so after wrapping the skin in decided to set them along the Iowa River. an old paper, we set off at a dogtrot for the Black Springs A flock of quail was flushed in Mandeville’s woods, station of the interurban which ran between Cedar Rapids the biggest we’d seen all fall, and Spurgyns surprised a and Iowa City. Our timing was perfect for we arrived just woodchuck, which lost no time in scurrying to his burrow. as the car pulled to a stop. Quack and I jumped on the We trekked across the field to where the river flowed rear platform and decided to stay outside, as we feared we between steep, wooded banks; the leaves were brightly might be carrying a slight odor. As the motorman started colored and were beginning to fall with every little breeze, ahead, the conductor motioned for us to come in. I shook and from the damp earth came the fragrance of autumn. my head, and as he came out to claim our five cents for Along the brush-filled valleys were many holes, and at one the two-mile ride to town, he had a startled expression. place there were six or seven burrows with brown patches “Let me off at Front Street, please,” I requested. of newly disturbed soil where both traps were set. Backing into the half-open door, he gasped, “Boy, It was still rather dark when we neared the traps you can get off anywhere you want.” The car stopped the following morning, for the sun had not climbed when across the Iowa River bridge, and we headed up the high enough to clear the top of the hill. We cautiously hill toward the university campus, and I had a brilliant approached and found the ground scuffed, but the first thought. “Quack,” I suggested, “Maybe we smell a bit. Let’s trap un-sprung. The second held a victim, however—a stop at Hank Lewis’ drugstore and get some perfume.” striped fellow! We backed away and held a council of war It was on the way to school, on the corner across from on how to get the skunk out of the trap. where the Jefferson Hotel was to be located. “Quack,” I suggested, “I’ll make a noise down here The druggist was a friendly man, a good friend of to keep his interest and you crawl up above the hole. You my father and a neighbor of ours, living just down the grab the chain and snap him in the air. Yank him up street. “Mr. Lewis,” I said in my politest manner, “I’d like a quick and hit him.” little perfume. Please charge it to Dad. I haven’t a cent on “You show me,” said Quack. He had more sense me.” To which the startled druggist responded, “Boy, if the than I. scents you have made dollars, you’re a millionaire!” When I was above the hole, the skunk couldn’t see I put the small vial of perfume in my hip pocket, me. In fact, I couldn’t see the skunk either. It was easy to and we hurried to school. The kids were inside when we get my hand on the chain because the slack hadn’t been arrived, and I waved “so long” to Quack as he dashed off

16 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 for his class. All was quiet as I entered my room. The old succession of Spurgynses. One, of a general bulldog clock was going “tick-tock, tick-tock,” and I glanced up type, was my steady hunting companion. I used a single- to assure myself I was on time. It seemed that everyone barreled shotgun, the successor to the stolen pump gun, was eyeing me as I walked rapidly down the aisle and and we would comb the corn fields for rabbits. In those flopped heavily into my seat. There was a crunch as the days, it was legal (and the usual thing) to hunt with perfume bottle broke under the impact and, at the same ferrets, and I carried a trained one in my coat. Spurgyns time, a buzz from all the kids roundabout, some of them would usually put a rabbit in a hole; the ferret would holding their noses. chase it out. Just then I was grabbed by the shoulder and yanked If a rabbit was at home when the ferret was put out of my seat. Looking up, I saw Miss Quinlan as she gave into the hole, bunny usually scooted out so fast that he me a start toward the door—and there was Quack being did not touch the ground within five feet of his burrow, propelled by Miss Startsman. The teachers shoved us both and he landed running with Spurgyns in hot pursuit. If I out, saying, “Go home!—And don’t come back!” could get in a shot in front of the plunging dog and suc- School days merged one into another. I must have ceeded in hitting my game, then it was a toss-up whether been too busy hunting to get into trouble for, now, I spent Spurg got it or I did. He had no idea of retrieving and all my spare hours wandering along the Iowa River, gun apparently felt I was helping. It was his rabbit, and the in hand. We had a succession of dogs; some were hunters only way I could take game away was to grab him by the and others were just four-legged canines. I remember hind legs and start to whirl. Eventually, he would let go, Princess especially. She was a little hound-like tyke with and I would throw him in the direction opposite to the big brown eyes, and she made her headquarters in the mauled rabbit. manger in front of Pedro. The two got along beautifully, One day, Spurgyns and I were separated, and he and the sleek little dog thoroughly enjoyed a run with the tried to go home by way of the interurban bridge, with swift-legged pony. fatal results, for he was caught by the trolley. When I My brother Jack was just finishing medical school, arrived home that evening, I was met at the door by a and my new stepbrother Carl was a beginner. They tearful little brother Ralph, who reproached me, “You decided that Princess was having too many admirers of couldn’t even take care of a dog.” And then he dra- the opposite sex. So, while Carl administered the chloro- matically hit himself upon the chest and cried, “Oh, why form, Jack performed the operation intended to keep the couldn’t it have been me?” And there was no question dog population within reasonable bounds. that the grief-stricken boy was sincere. Whenever I have Poor Princess! A little later, while the incision was passed the west end of that bridge, through all the years still unhealed, she had the misfortune to get in the way that have elapsed, I think of my boyhood companion that of one of those newfangled motor cars, and she came was buried along the rail right of way. trailing home a very sick dog. Jack gave her emergency Another Spurgyns was a slathering-mouthed aid, sewed up the wound, and some months later, when bulldog with an out-shot jaw—a good-natured, bow- I was feeding Pedro, I happened to look into the manger. legged fellow, so clumsy as a pup that he could hardly There was Princess with 13 of the most beautiful pups I walk. The boy down the street had a bull terrier that had ever seen! delighted in jumping the pup and giving it a fearful Tragedy struck, however. We felt sure we knew who mauling, and I always had to wade to the rescue. We gave Princess poison but, of course, could not prove it. The sent our Spurg to the country for a few months, and he poor little mother dragged herself back to the manger, the continued to grow. Then one day I had him on a leash pups nursed on the poisoned milk, and all died. in front of our home. He was now a powerful animal, The family name for most of our dogs has been but he looked the same to the neighbor’s bull terrier. My “Spurgyns,” and through the years there has been a friend started up the street with his pup, and the latter

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made a beeline for mine. I grabbed Spurgyns by the loose sometime between 1906 and 1910, barnstormer Ivy skin of his back and lifted him as high as I could, but the Baldwin brought the first airplane to Iowa City. other dog made a leap and grabbed Spurg by the jowls. My memory of Baldwin is of his making short I couldn’t hold both, so I dropped them. Spurgyns rolled flights from the Johnson County Fair Grounds at Iowa over, broke the hold, and then caught the surprised City. He drew fine crowds, and I recall his takeoff as aggressor in a vice-like grip that required the combined he headed east. All in attendance shouted as the plane efforts of several onlookers to break. slowly gained altitude—too slowly, for he failed to clear Spurg became too active to handle, so we gave the apple trees at the east end of the field—and crashed. him to a truck driver who delighted to go around town It was one of many that he walked away from during with the powerful-looking creature sitting alongside. his long adventurous career. Many of us gathered at the The dog was peaceful enough ordinarily, but he was crash site and found his plane was not badly damaged. I death on cats. On one occasion, he saw a huge Angora recall him as a rather short man and his cheerfulness as on a porch, and he jumped off the moving truck and he talked to newspapermen covering the event. took after. The cat darted into the house, with Spurg in I graduated from grammar school in the fall of 1907 pursuit. Puss climbed onto the piano, and the dog tried. when I was 13, and the following spring, early on a Saturday Chaos followed, and the new owner of Spurgyns had a morning, Possum Withers and I took my rowboat on a duck considerable bill of damages to pay. hunt down the Iowa. It was the height of migration, many Brother Lee liked to fish, and I continued to wildfowl winging their way northward. We worked down- accompany him occasionally. They were wonderful, stream for two days, pulling the oars in leisurely fashion, carefree excursions when we would find good snags and occasionally taking toll from a passing flock. The first fish in the current for channel cats. Kingfishers worked night’s camp was on a little island, and the next afternoon, noisily up and down the river, giving their rattling cry, a Sunday, we stopped along a nicely wooded bank, where sometimes posing momentarily on fast-moving wing, there was plenty of firewood, intending an early start the and then diving head foremost into the water to emerge following morning so we could reach Columbus Junction, from the flying spray with a dangling shiny minnow. ship our boat back by freight, and return home by train. Rather hazy in memory were visits to Iowa City It was one of those mild spring days, but late in the of two famous men: President Theodore Roosevelt, who afternoon a slight drizzle set in, and by evening we were spoke to the assembled crowd from the rear of his Rock wet to the skin. A glowing fire was built and our soggy Island Railway special train (probably in 1903 when he shoes placed as close as possible to dry. Meals were easily was running for election), and about the same time or prepared—coffee, a can of baked beans, and bread. I earlier, the famed Buffalo Bill, who had brought his Wild took my half of the beans, leaving the rest in the frying West circus to town. The tents were erected on a vacant pan. Possum put them back on the coals and then added lot on the corner of Linn Street within two blocks of my several whopping spoonfuls of lard to simmer. To my home, and I marveled as Buffalo Bill, from the back of a astonished query as to why such a mess, Possum picked beautiful horse, broke with his rifle the balls which were up the can, pointed to the label, and explained, “It says tossed in the air by another rider. ‘Pork and Beans’ and there ain’t no pork.” Also back in the dim past is a remembrance of About the time the meal was finished, lightning the time some affluent citizen of my hometown drove began flaring to the south. Gradually the slight breeze an automobile past our house—a single-seater without intensified and came from the west, the storm circling a top, guided by stick rather than a wheel—and of my to the north. Soon a small gale was blowing, with drift- running alongside the car shouting, “Automobile!” at ing snow. We took shelter under blankets in the tent, the top of my voice. I was barefooted, for I remember the snow melted from the heat of our bodies, and two how the pebbles in the street hurt my feet. And also, uncomfortable boys spent a miserable night.

18 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1

Morning was ushered in by scurrying clouds and I was usually to be found down along the river, and great numbers of hurrying wildfowl. Our shoes were it was late that same summer after school had started frozen with snow, and so canvas strips substituted. The that the city fire alarm bell started to toll, indicating skiff was launched, and we pulled for three hours to someone had drowned. As was the custom in those days, Columbus Junction, arranged the return of our boat by everyone headed for the river bank. My brother Bill saw freight, and then huddled against the depot stove waiting Sam Tanner hurrying his horses down the street and, for the train, both vowing we had had enough of the waving him down, asked, “Who’s drowned?” “Young outdoors. Bailey,” Tanner replied. Such experiences are soon forgotten, however, Bill jumped into the buggy, and they lashed and that summer my friend Don Luscombe and I took the horses to a gallop. When they reached the bank, a my rowboat on another expedition. My stepmother throng of people crowded about the drowned boy, and had gone to St. Louis to visit her son, and I was lone- brother Bill thrust his way through, fully expecting to see some to see her. I suggested to Don that we go down me stretched out on the sand. Instead, it was a college the Iowa about a hundred miles to the mouth, and student named Dailey. then down the Mississippi. We set out without telling When Bill was telling his story, with gestures, to a our fathers. It was easy going, and where the water breathless family that evening, Mother asked, “Well, Lee, was shallow we’d get out and walk, pulling the canoe. what did you think when you saw it was not Alfred?” And Naturally, whenever we came to a bridge with deep my beloved brother replied, “Gosh, Mom, I thought all water beneath, we always jumped from the highest that running for nothing.” span. Unfortunately, we did not have the sense to put When I returned from hunting trips, I usually on shirts during the heat of the day, so by the time brought home some form of wildlife and endeavored to we reached the Mississippi, we were so sunburned that mount it in as lifelike a position as possible. The collec- our skin cracked and bled. tion grew, and I had a young museum of my own by the The night we spent on an island just below the time I entered high school. One spring day in 1909, I was mouth of the Iowa, in the Father of Waters, was a miser- down on the McCollister farm five miles south of town. It able one. We were so burned we could not keep a blanket was late for migrant ducks, the majority having passed over us, but the mosquitoes were so numerous that we to the northward, but as I was walking along the shore of had to keep covered. It was a night of torture, and by the “the big pond,” a flock of large birds passed overhead— time Burlington was reached the following day, we were black fellows—and I brought one down with an audible glad to end our expedition. thud upon the sands. It was as large as a goose and had a As both of us were ardent fishermen, we hooked bill and webbed feet. It must be a goose I decided, carried a quart of the best bait possible for catch- and proudly carried it home, announcing to my patient ing catfish—sour clams. The evil-smelling mixture mother that I had succeeded in bagging a goose and had was prepared by covering fresh clams with milk and taken the skin for my collection; the body would be ideal cornmeal, soon to become so strong that a catfish for Sunday dinner. How was I to know it was a cormorant, within 100 yards would be able to find it. At journey’s the rankest of fish-eating birds? end, we had our boat hauled to the freight depot, and That bird smelled to heaven as it was being cooked, we gave the truckman our remaining provisions— but Mother did not want to disappoint me. In due time, it and the sour clams. A few hours later we dropped was placed upon the table. She gingerly tasted a portion around at the livery stable to pay our bill and asked and then asked, “What did you say this bird is, Alfred?” “A him if he was able to use the stuff we had left in the wild goose, Mother,” I replied. ”Well,” said Mother gently, boat. He replied, “Yes, but, boys, how in hell do you “It does taste wild.” eat those clams?”

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High School to University, 1907–1911 We dropped to the ground with hearts pounding School days are vague. Going to classes was just a neces- against our ribs, and we hugged the earth as we discussed sary evil, and in the fall of 1907, when 13 years of age, I how we could get upon them. The decision was not ours, successfully passed from grammar school into high and, for in a few moments there was a great clamor as the for four years, went through the necessary routine with geese beat the water with their strong wings and climbed a minimum of effort, with Latin proving the stumbling into the air against the breeze coming down the river. block. Being shy and inclined to spend all my spare time And then they turned, and the whole gang sailed over the in the woods along the Iowa, I made few friends, Wesley woods—directly toward us. Two breathless boys waited, Kubichek and Wilbur Cannon two kindred nimrods, and when the fast-moving birds were overhead we each being the exception. I was too small and light to take picked one, and our victims came rolling from the air part in athletics in competition with brawny and older and struck the hard earth with two audible thumps. boys, so my high school days were marked with few Without attempting to fire second shots, we dropped our incidents of note. guns and raced to our prizes; mine weighed 16 pounds. During that first year in high school, Wilbur Yes, hunting is a cruel sport, but there never is a second Cannon and I were down along the Iowa River. The ice thrill for a boy equal to the taking of his first goose. was going out of the creeks and river, and the banks Long before this time, I had been dreaming of were flooded, and in the gray sky above was a continu- roaming the West, possibly with a taxidermy shop estab- ous flight of wildfowl on their northward trek. It was a lished somewhere in Wyoming. My mother suggested that glorious, gray, chill day, with the grinding of ice along I talk to H.R. Dill, who was in charge of the preparation the shores, and the migration of birds indicating that of exhibits in the University of Iowa museum. I was sur- winter was on the way out. Wib and I were along a prised to find that I knew him as a kindly man I had met creek, and I shot a small waterbird on the opposite side, a couple of years before who had seemed amused when I which lodged among the willows. It was a kind I did not had told him that I was going to “stuff” the big carp I was have in my collection—a strange looking creature to carrying. He suggested that if I wanted to do museum me. So I pulled off my clothes and gingerly waded into work, it would be well to finish high school and then the ice-filled creek, took the plunge, thrashed my way go to college. I was anxious to improve my mounting across, grabbed the bird between cakes of floating ice, methods, and he agreed to give me a private lesson for a and floundered back as fast as my numbed arms could dollar and a half an hour. So one day I secured a beauti- flail the water. ful little Green Heron, and Professor Dill demonstrated My bird was common enough, but it was a prize the correct way of preparing the bird. It came out nicely to me, the first hell-diver (Pied-billed Grebe) I had ever and was the choice specimen of my collection which secured, and the fact that Wib had to pull my clothes began to overflow my room. As I look back, I realize what on for me, and that my fingers could not close the but- a patient mother I had. tonholes made not the slightest difference. My summers—vacation time—were pretty much That day was the greatest of my career as a hunter. my own. There was no pressure to get jobs, and the winding Although I have bagged game of many sizes, in various Iowa River was always a sufficient enticement for an parts of the world, there was never anything to equal the outdoor-minded youngster. For some reason, when about experience that noontime. Wilbur and I were walking 14, however, I took a summer job driving the milk wagon, through McCollister’s woods about 100 yards from the dispensing milk from large cans to customers of the dairy. river when suddenly there were resonant calls of the The milk company was a small establishment which was honking of geese, and in the river, we saw a band of 30 to develop into one of the important business concerns of or more of the great black-headed Canadas bucking the the city, certainly through no effort of mine. The propri- current in midstream. etor first showed me the ice cream department with the

20 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 huge cans of the frozen mixture and advised me to eat It was a happy year, 1910, the last one before all I wanted. It was surprising how soon I lost interest in college, when Halley’s Comet, on starlit nights, was con- the frozen delicacies. One job was to wash the five-gallon spicuous high in the sky over the Iowa River. The tops of milk cans in water as hot as I could endure, and my boss the trees of the woods on the opposite side usually were instructed me to use my hands and fingers as much as black against a lighter sky, and the stars were gleaming possible and so save wear and tear on the brushes. He was coals in the distant void, with the trailing comet another a thrifty soul, and deserved to succeed, for another of his Milky Way. I spent the summer fishing and wandering admonitions was in the technique of washing windows. the shores of the Iowa. Often I would take the train down The well-known Bon Ami was the cleanser, and I was given to Hills and walk the 10 or 15 miles back, stopping to see a small moist rag and advised to apply it to the end of the my farmer acquaintances along the way and, late in the cake rather than the middle, and so keep from breaking season, to sample their melon patches. down the bar in the center. With such a beginning in the There were many species of birds to be seen in the ways of economy, there is no wonder that I have been a woods bordering the Iowa. Barred Owls roosted in cavities frugal individual ever since. of large trees; Little Green Herons flushed from along the shores; Kingfishers sent their rattling challenges echoing from bank to bank. All in all, it was a satisfying life for a growing boy. Probably I studied somewhere along the line, but there are no recollections. My grades must have been satisfactory, for there was no difficulty about enter- ing the University of Iowa in the fall of 1911. My interests were in the university museum and the remarkable collection assembled by Dr. C.C. Nutting and earlier naturalists. Many noted men had gone to Iowa and traveled to far places, among them being Frank Russell, who spent two years in the wilds of Arctic Canada and collected musk oxen and caribou upon the Barren Grounds. Rudolph Anderson and Vilhjalmur Stefansson, who were to become famous through their explorations along the Arctic coast in the early 1900s, had been students at Iowa, and Nutting had led expedi- tions to semitropical areas where great collections of invertebrate materials were secured. H.R. Dill (Fig. 1.03) had recently been placed in charge of the museum and was busily engaged in modernizing the displays, and he established a training course for museum workers in 1910, his first student being C.J. Albrecht, who was to become a leader of expeditions to many parts of the world. Through the years, many of Dill’s students held important positions in leading natural history museums of the country (Fig. 1.04). Figure 1.03. Homer R. Dill, University of Dr. Nutting, as a result of his experiences on Laysan Iowa, 1914. Photographer unknown. DMNS Island in 1902, visualized a museum cyclorama showing No. IV.BA13-129. the great seabird colonies, the spectators to stand on

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Figure 1.04. University of Iowa students learning the art of taxidermy, ca. 1910. Photographer unknown. DMNS No. IV.BA13-131.

a platform in the center of the group. As a result, a I was greatly impressed with his Ia camera with a focal cooperative expedition was arranged by Dr. Nutting plane shutter which would take pictures up to a 1,000th between the University of Iowa and the U.S. Department of a second. He had bought the camera on time, and soon of Agriculture to gather information on the condition of afterward he photographed a barnstorming aviator at the the Laysan bird colonies, with Professor Dill in charge local fairgrounds, just as the pilot fell from his seat. Kent of the field party. He, the noted Chicago artist Charles sold enough postcards showing the plane and the unfortu- A. Corwin, and assistants C.J. Albrecht and H.C. Young nate man in midair to pay for the camera. sailed from Honolulu April 17, 1911, on the Revenue On his return from Laysan in the summer of 1911, Cutter Thetis and landed on Laysan seven days later. Professor Dill reported at length on the killing of more During their six weeks on the island, outstanding collec- than a quarter of a million seabirds by the Japanese tions were made, and in the next four years, the famous poachers in 1908 and noted that there was a more serious Laysan cyclorama was installed in the museum, artist problem. Rabbits, which had been introduced in 1903, Corwin painting the unique background. As a freshman had increased to such an extent they were destroying the in the College of Liberal Arts at the university that fall of vegetation. He recommended that a field party be sent 1911, I was the second student enrolled in the museum to Laysan to eliminate the rabbits. As a result, the U.S. training course under Professor Dill and, naturally, was Biological Survey planned a trip for late 1912 with Com- greatly impressed when the collection of strange seabirds modore G.R. Salisbury of the U.S. Navy in charge. William from the far-off Pacific island was unpacked. Wallace of Stanford University and ornithologist George One of my first acquaintances among fellow fresh- Willett were the other two members. After all arrange- men was a boy of my own age, Fred W. Kent from DeWitt, ments were made, Chief H.W. Henshaw of the Survey Iowa, who was working his way through school by doing suggested that possibly Dill had a student who would like photographic work and was destined to be a lifelong friend. to go along as cook, and the professor—who had hunted

22 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 rabbits with me and, no doubt, had noted that I knew how trade. Fortunately, the men were interrupted by the to warm a can of beans on a campfire without exploding officers of the Revenue Cutter Thetis and were hauled to the contents over the nearby scenery—recommended Honolulu with their plunder. me. I took light work (mostly in the museum laboratory) during the first three months of my sophomore year in Laysan Island Expedition, 1912–1913 1912 and planned for the expedition. Memory fails me in recalling the days of preparation for The history of Laysan was of interest, the island my field trip to Laysan. Fred Kent loaned me his camera, being discovered in May 1857 and annexed to the Hawai- and I had a trunk full of supplies (my 15-year-old grand- ian Kingdom and leased in 1892 for the digging of guano son Jack Murphy used the same trunk in 1958 on his first deposits. Professor Dill showed me photographs made expedition—to Subantarctic Campbell Island, 400 miles the following year in 1893 by J.J. Williams of Honolulu of south of New Zealand). I bought 12 rolls of film of 12 the thousands of Laysan Albatrosses nesting on the inner exposures each, as well as chemicals so the films could slopes of Laysan, and one of the trucks and wheelbarrows be developed at night, Fred cautioning me to be sure and of the guano diggers filled with albatross eggs intended wash out all the hypo. for the Honolulu market (Fig. 1.05). The train trip westward is vague, but I recall early The island and the other Leeward Islands had the morning of December 1, 1912, at Helper, Utah, where been set aside as a Hawaiian reservation by President an extra engine was attached to the train to help pull the Theodore Roosevelt by executive order on February 3, heavy load over steep grades. The name “Helper” seemed 1909—and a few months later Japanese poachers raided especially appropriate as a stop was made at the station Laysan, slaughtering thousands of albatrosses, terns, and to allow passengers to get their breakfast, and a swarm of other species for their feathers to be used in the millinery waitresses was on hand to load the plates of the customers.

Figure 1.05. Collecting albatross eggs on Laysan Island, 1891. Photograph by J.J. Williams, Honolulu. DMNS No. IV.BA13-130.

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I began keeping a journal of field experiences at that which came aboard. The Sherman arrived off Honolulu time and have continued through the years, concluding the morning of December 13, and I will always remember my field notes December 5, 1972. The first couple lines my first near view of Oahu: people on the dock shouting under date of December 2, 1912, record my arrival in greetings to friends gathered at the railing, rooftops of “Frisco,” going to the Hotel Stewart, and my impression the town, and the Punchbowl crater beyond with char- of the scenery in Utah, Nevada, and California. Commo- acteristic, low-hung clouds massing in valleys and dark dore Salisbury, retired from the U.S. Navy and, as former shadows of the mountains beyond. Naval Governor of Guam, proved to be a kindly man. He The Commodore checked in at the Royal Hawaiian signed me on as a member of the expedition with pay at Hotel, then a sprawling wooden building with wide veran- one dollar a day plus four dollars a day expenses when in das situated in the center of town, while we three registered San Francisco and Honolulu. George Willett arrived that at the Alexander Young Hotel. I was a bit perturbed because afternoon, a powerful fellow, 6’3” tall, weighing over 200 I thought I’d save money on my four-dollar per diem pounds, wearing a wide-brimmed Stetson hat, and I still expense account, but the tariff took the whole four dollars can visualize the surprised look when he first met me, a for my single room and three meals a day! youngster of 18 years. It was the beginning of a friend- I recall breakfast the next morning. As per custom ship which was to be renewed in Alaska, on interesting through the years, I was up early. In the dining room trips and elsewhere, and continued until his death in were many ahead of me, and in addition to pancakes, Los Angeles, where he had for years served as Curator of I ordered cantaloupe. The bewildered waiter shook his Birds in the Los Angeles County Museum. head, and I pointed to the people at the next table with Willett had served during the war in the Philippine the most delicious melons I had ever seen—my intro- Islands and had a good knowledge of Spanish, German, duction to papayas. and Chinese, the latter gained when he was a detective on After we checked in, Willett and I visited the the Los Angeles police force with special duties in China- Revenue Cutter Thetis at anchor half a mile offshore town. He was recognized as one of the leading amateur and met Captain C.S. Cochran, Lieutenant Todd, and ornithologists of the West and had recently joined the other officers and arranged to send out our baggage— Biological Survey, with the Laysan Island expedition his personal gear and food supplies for our three months’ first assignment. stay on Laysan. One of our first tasks, after putting the He took me to see the sights of Chinatown, and we expedition supplies aboard the Thetis December 14, was met one of his Chinese friends, who invited us to attend to destroy the bird plumage which had been seized on a banquet the next night to celebrate the opening of a Laysan two years previously from the 23 Japanese poach- tong house. We accepted, and as we were leaving the ers (Fig. 1.06). We hauled 11 wagonloads of wings and hotel the following evening, Dr. Joseph Grinnell, the feathers to the dump and burned them, nearly all that famous ornithologist at Berkeley, dropped by to say “so remained of the nearly 300,000 birds which the Japanese long,” and he joined us. My journal entry for Decem- had killed and packed for shipment in their few short ber 5 states: “Got back from Chinese blowout at 4:30 months on the island. this morning. Had some strange experiences. Leave on In the afternoon, we talked to William Alanson transport Sherman at noon.” Bryan at the Bishop Museum, a noted authority on Hawai- The other member of the party, William Seward ian birds who had visited Laysan for a week in 1911 with Wallace (Bill), a graduate student from Stanford, arrived Dill’s party, being picked up by the Thetis on its return at 10:00, and we all headed for the dock. The journey from Midway Island en route back to Honolulu. to Honolulu was of interest because of the numerous He showed us a map of the Hawaiian group (Fig. seabirds observed—my first Black-footed Albatrosses, 1.07) with the Leeward Islands extending 1,200 or more sailing circles around the vessel, and occasional petrels, miles to the northwest between latitudes 23° and 29° N

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Figure 1.06. Albatross wings piled in old guano shed, Laysan Island, 1911. Photograph by Homer R. Dill. DMNS No. IV.BA13-124.

Figure 1.07. Sketch map of Hawaiian Islands chain. Drawing by Arminta P. Neal, July 15, 1952. DMNS No. IV.BA54-112.

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and longitudes 160° and 180° W—a series of volcanic and on the highest point of land, surrounded by a colony rocks, shoals, reefs, and low-lying coral islets, the latter of Laysan Albatrosses, Blue-faced Boobies, and graceful less than 50 feet above the sea. All were uninhabited terns, was a little excavation; four pegs with tattered except for representatives of a cable company on Midway. canvas flapping listlessly marked the remains of a shelter, The Thetis sailed at 4:00 p.m. December 15 with and the numerous bleaching turtle bones told plainly the Governor G.F. Freer, Attorney General Judge Lindsay, and main source of food of the castaways. A half-rotted turtle entomologist D.T. Fullaway as additional passengers. We shell turned bottom to the sky seemed to ask for rain, and were in sight of Kauai all the next day and off Nihoa (Bird a broken oar blade lay half buried in the sand—mute Island) the following morning, where many frigatebirds testimony of a possible tragedy. (Man-o’-wars) and Fairy Terns were seen near the vessel It was on this remote little sand island that I saw and both Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses sailing low my first nesting seabirds—the albatrosses, boobies, and over the water. terns mentioned above. Bristle-thighed Curlew, golden- The seven passengers had their meals in the cap- plover, and turnstones, and an occasional Wandering tain’s cabin. The sea was rough as we headed northwest Tattler worked along the shoreline, so the time allowed at noontime the second day, so it was necessary, sitting ashore was all too brief. An impatient blast of the horn at the dining table, to keep one foot in front and the from the Thetis hastened all hands back to the cutter. other behind to balance with the rolling of the vessel. The Thetis headed for Laysan at dusk and traveled Unfortunately, a wave caught Judge Lindsay unprepared, all the next day out of sight of land, the many seabirds and as he fell backward, he grabbed the rack which held —albatrosses, frigatebirds, and Sooty Terns—indicat- the dishes in place, pulling all cutlery, dishes, and food ing the proximity of nesting islands. About 3:00 in the on top of him as he sprawled over the floor. afternoon of the next day, the sailor in the crow’s nest Necker Island, a distant mass against the skyline, called out that he had sighted the island, and within an was observed ahead at sunup December 18, and a couple hour, we were anchored a mile offshore. Through the of hours later a cutter was launched and Willett and I, binoculars, we could see the little bungalow framed with with Lieutenant Todd and a crew, approached the wall two coconut palms, the former home of Max Schlemmer, of igneous rock, its red veins conspicuous against darker the leader of the Honolulu firm which leased the island formations. We attempted a landing, but there was such a at the turn of the century from the Hawaiian Kingdom surge of waves against the seawall, each crashing white, for the digging of guano. Several other buildings were to that we were unable to back the boat close enough so we the right. There was a narrow entrance through the outer could leap ashore. Numerous common seabirds circled reef through which great waves were breaking white, so close to our craft, but among them were the unique Captain Cochran, concluding it was too dangerous to Necker Island Terns. attempt a landing, had the anchor pulled, and the Thetis French Frigate Shoals, a series of small islands headed into the open ocean. in a 30-square-mile area circled by an outer reef and The following morning, December 22, we returned. dominated by a 120-foot-high rocky pinnacle somewhat The ocean was less violent, and with five members of the resembling a ship in full sail, was discovered by the crew and Lieutenant Todd handling the stern oar, I started French navigator La Perouse in 1786 and named by him ashore perched high on the load of baggage. Waves were for his two French frigates. We landed on the second cresting white in the passageway through the barrier island adjacent to the rock shortly after midday, Decem- reef, but Todd skillfully evaded all breaking waves, and ber 19, by wading among the beautiful head corals left we landed on the sheltered beach. Eventually, all four of partly exposed by the outgoing tide. our party were safely ashore to start our three months of There had been stories of shipwrecked sailors Crusoe life, during which time—so isolated was Laysan from the majority of the islets of the Leeward Islands, in 1912 and 1913—not even a distant sail was seen.

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The prospect from the beach was an encouraging on the inward slope were patches of tobacco, apparently one. There was a string of six low buildings running par- unmolested by the rabbits. All four of us took a quick allel to the shore, a low bungalow where we were to make trip down the sandy slopes, denuded of vegetation except our headquarters with a watchtower light to the extreme for clumps of grass, to the green flat adjacent to the left, the light designed as an aid in guiding boats at night mile-long salt lagoon where a thousand or more Laysan through the narrow reef passageway (Fig. 1.08). Albatrosses (Fig. 1.09) were sitting either upon empty The beach sloped gently, and above high tide mark nests or upon a single egg. The nests were scooped out of were scraggly bushes, the majority girdled by the rabbits the shallow soil, each with a dike-like rim built up by the which were threatening to destroy all edible plant life birds as they leisurely incubated. upon the island. The little endemic flightless Laysan Our inspection trip was brief, for we returned to Rails scurried from one bit of shelter to the next, and clean Schlemmer’s old home, which had last been used several of the two members of the Honeycreeper family by the Japanese poachers three years previously and had —one a beautiful rose scarlet bird, the other, a yellowish been left in a deplorable condition. I set up an army camp finch-like bird with robust mandibles—were in the hau stove in an adjacent cook shack to prepare the evening tree on the south side of the bungalow. meal. All hands had specific jobs. I was cook; Bill Wallace All baggage was landed safely, the supplies were of Leland Stanford was dishwasher (it took twice as long stored in a small warehouse, which I was to use as a labo- to clean up after me as for me to prepare the meals). I ratory, and adjacent was a weather-beaten building, one would wager that I am the only camp cook in the history end torn out, revealing the sodden wings of thousands of cooks who had a Commodore of the U.S. Navy to gather of frigatebirds and albatrosses which the poachers had and split kindling wood for him each morning. We had not had time to box for shipment. Behind the buildings plenty of provisions. There were huge green turtles for

Figure 1.08. Lookout tower and living quarters on Laysan Island, June 1891. Photograph by George C. Munro. DMNS No. IV.BA13-100.

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Figure 1.09. Thousands of albatrosses, Laysan Island, January 1913. DMNS No. IV.BA13-063.

fresh meat (we had little appetite for rabbit), and there material. All the slopes were covered with tunnels of was a bit of strip that was cleared by the beach where, the White-breasted Petrels, and so barren of vegetation later, the Gray-backed Terns nested by the wash of waves were the areas that each strong wind shifted the sands, every few days and so made a supply of fresh eggs avail- burying hundreds of seabirds. On every excursion afield able. My task of preparing meals was an easy one. we liberated many with only heads exposed—unable to That first evening was a memorable one in that free themselves. the nocturnal seabirds were especially active just before And under each bit of vegetation were rabbits dark, their strange calls being characteristic sounds of large and small, often a dozen or more crouching in the the island. After the lanterns were lighted, an occasional shelter of the bushes they were destroying—upon which night flier hit the windows, and as we were having they depended for food. Ours was the unpleasant task to supper, a White-breasted Petrel walked in the door; when destroy as many as possible. It had been recommended placed on my knee, it calmly clawed to my shoulder and that we pump gas into rabbit burrows, but the majority sat there, apparently unconcerned. of the holes contained petrels or shearwaters, so such Our island was about two miles long and one and a a method of control was not practical. Consequently, half wide, with the salt lagoon unconnected with the sea we used .22 rifles and, in the three months, eliminated in the center. Willett and I in the following weeks kept 5,020 rabbits—a fruitless effort, for those left behind track of the nesting seabirds and checked the migrants had additional food available because of the lessening along the lagoon and seashore—Bristle-thighed Curlew of the population. As a result of the destruction of the and golden-plover being especially numerous. The Laysan vegetation, the rabbits ten years later were few in number and Black-footed Albatrosses had just started nesting, and Dr. A. Wetmore and others of the USS Tanager Expe- and gradually their numbers increased, the former dition eliminated those remaining—the island at that inhabiting the inner slopes and the level areas along the time being a barren waste with little food available. The lagoon, and the latter upon the exposed beaches where rabbits, in making Laysan a desert, made life impossible they were battered by strong winds. There still remained for three of the five endemic species for which the island a few Scaevola bushes on the eastern slopes colonies of was famous—the Laysan Rail (Fig. 1.10), the red Laysan frigatebirds nested, the males with brilliant red inflated Honeyeater (Fig. 1.11), and the little Millerbird (Fig. pouches, holding down their claims on empty nests to 1.12), a warbler so tame it came into our quarters seeking keep others of their kind from stealing the building out insects, all becoming extinct by the end of 1923.

28 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1

Figure 1.10. Laysan Rail, Laysan Island, Figure 1.12. Laysan Millerbird at nest with January 1913. DMNS No. IV.BA13-048. eggs, Laysan Island, 1902. Photograph by Walter K. Fisher. DMNS No. IV.BA13-053. There was a little freshwater pond adjacent to the although the shores of the lagoon and the little freshwa- southwest corner of the lagoon, the resting place of the ter pond were checked regularly, the most recorded were unique Laysan Teal (Fig. 1.13), probably the rarest duck seven—certainly as low as any game species could drop in the world at that time. Professor Dill gave twelve as his with any hope of surviving in the wild. estimate of the birds existing in the spring of 1912 but Early one morning, I was along the little pond and noted only six at one time. We hoped to find twelve, but was successful in securing one of my best wildlife photos. Three ducks were along the border of the pool, and a pair swam near the middle. I flattened out at water’s edge with Kent’s camera stretched in front of me at arm’s reach and kicked my heels upward to arouse their curiosity. The pair responded beautifully, swimming broadside within a few feet of the short-focus lens, and by twist- ing around I secured a shot of the three on land—thus securing photos of five of the seven individuals of the species existing at that time. Fortunately, through the years, the ducks were unmolested—and while, as noted above, three of the five endemic species failed to survive the destruction of their habitat by the rabbits, the little ducks were able to find food, possibly the brine shrimp in the lagoon, so that 64 years later (1976) they have increased and many have been raised in captivity. Breeding stock captured on Laysan were loaned to numerous organizations by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Honolulu, result- ing in many young being raised by 1976. Figure 1.11. Laysan Honeyeater, Laysan The Laysan Finches (Fig. 1.14), in reality hon- Island, 1923. From movie frame by Donald R. eycreepers with heavy beaks, were hardy and today are Dickey. DMNS No. IV.BA13-046A. numerous, and the slopes of Laysan are again clad with

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Figure 1.13. Laysan Teal, Laysan Island, December 1912. DMNS No. IV.0090-1505.

vegetation, effectively holding down drifting sands which, at the time of our visit, clogged the nesting burrows of thousands of shearwaters and petrels. On excursions around the island we often saw eight- and nine-foot sharks in the crystal clear waters of potholes, and on one occasion, I secured photos as they came to the surface and scraped over a coral ledge, with dorsal fins exposed. Green turtles hauled regularly up on the sands, providing us with a welcome change of food, and we kept a close watch for a rare species of monk seal from the Leeward Islands, which must have been numerous in early years, for the brig Ainoa secured specimens in 1824, and the crew of the Gambia was reported to have taken 1,500 skins and 240 barrels of seal oil in 1859 (Bryan 1915). The seals were little known at the time of our visit. Schlemmer, who lived on Laysan

Figure 1.14. Laysan Finch at nest with eggs, Laysan Island, May 1902. Photograph by Walter K. Fisher. DMNS No. IV.BA13-105.

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Figure 1.15. Black-footed Albatross, Laysan Island, 1913. DMNS. No. IV.BA13-068.

during guano digging days, secured nine specimens on Laysan in 14 years and the animal was described in 1905 as Monachus schauinslandi by Dr. Matschie (Matschie 1905) from a skin and skull and parts of two other skulls given by Schlemmer to Dr. Schauinsland, the director of the natural history museum in Bremen. Willett collected a male December 30 on the north end of the island, the only one we were to see on Laysan, which he and I carefully skinned for the U.S. Biological Survey (Bailey 1918 & 1952). The Thetis stopped briefly the following day en route to Honolulu, and the crew reported seeing about 40 seals including young on Pearl and Hermes reef near Midway. They took a specimen which later was deposited in the Bishop Museum. Although all the nesting birds of Laysan were of interest, the Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses rated as first citizens (Fig. 1.15). Photographs taken at the turn of the century show solid masses of the Laysan Albatross

Figure 1.16. Black-footed Albatross dancing ceremony, Midway Island, May 6, 1949. Photograph by A.M. Bailey and R.J. Niedrach. DMNS No. IV.BA49-194-36.

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on slopes and along flats bordering the lagoon, and great other always at hand to shelter the small young from the numbers of the black species on the exposed beaches. sun or to protect them from the predacious frigatebirds After the ravages of the Japanese feather hunters, there (Fig. 1.17). As the babies grew in size, they begged eagerly were less than half in the colonies in comparison with whenever a parent returned with food and seemed to the numbers ten years previously. stimulate the old one to disgorge by stroking the adult’s Memory serves me poorly, but after being with alba- beak with their own. trosses for three months so long ago, my mental picture Schlemmer, at the time of Dr. Walter K. Fisher’s through the years of that bit of wonderful bird world has visit to Laysan in 1902, estimated there were two million been of teeming albatross colonies and courtship displays Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses on the island, and of pairs and groups of both species carrying on their dances Fisher (1906) stated that an “estimate of a million birds (Fig. 1.16), which have been described by many authors. is not too great.” No doubt the above numbers were I have reported at length upon the birds of Midway and optimistic. With the elimination of so many birds by the Wake Islands under the titles of Stepping Stones Across Japanese poachers, we were able to make a careful check the Pacific (Museum Pictorial, No. 3, 1951), Laysan and of the two species by each of our party taking a quarter of Black-footed Albatrosses (ibid., No. 6, 1952), and Birds the island and counting nests. Our figures show the great of Midway and Laysan Islands (ibid., No. 12, 1956), the decrease in the populations. latter out of print (Bailey 1951, 1952, 1956). There were 9,201 occupied and 3,120 abandoned The albatrosses’ eggs started hatching in early nests of the Laysan or 12,321 pairs that had started January, and the adults were most solicitous, one or the nesting. With two adults to a nest, there should have been 24,642 birds. We estimated 4,600 young were raised and that there were about the same number of non-breeding albatrosses in full plumage, making a guesstimate of 34,000 of this species on Laysan in 1913. Of the Black-footed there were 7,506 occupied nests and 216 abandoned, giving a possible 15,444 nesting adults, plus a liberal estimate of 5,000 young and 7,500 non-breeding birds, for a population of under 30,000 in 1913—or less than 70,000 for both species. Photographs I made in 1912–1913 show how few birds there were at the time of our visit in comparison to the vast numbers portrayed in J.J. William’s photograph taken in December 1893. Professor Dill (Dill & Bryan 1912) estimated the Japanese had killed five-sixths of the albatrosses. If he was correct and our census was reasonably accurate, then the population at the turn of the century might have been a quarter of a million birds, far less than previously thought. Through the more than half a century which has elapsed since my visit to Laysan, the seabirds have increased greatly. In these days when ecology is a house- Figure 1.17. Laysan Albatross chick in a nest hold word, it is well to remember that the preservation made of albatross bones, Laysan Island, 1913. or restoration of the environment is most important. DMNS No. IV.0090-1456. The Japanese slaughtered thousands of birds, but over

32 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 a great period of time the various species, unmolested, and five would be caught at once. We placed rails on have thrived. On the other hand, one well-intentioned both islands, but the introduction was not successful individual placed rabbits upon the island, which resulted on Lisianski. Rails previously had been introduced in the destruction of the vegetation and the elimination on Midway and the birds thrived until the war years of shelter and food for the endemic birds—and extinc- when they were eliminated, probably by rats escaped tion of three of the five species. from vessels, but possibly from chemicals sprayed to Heavy rains in late December 1912 inundated eliminate mosquitoes. hundreds of nests along the lagoon, causing the Laysan Only two rails were seen at the time of Dr. Wetmore’s Albatrosses to abandon their eggs, and Bristle-thighed visit to Laysan in 1923, and he tried to reintroduce eight Curlew swarmed over the flats, taking advantage of the birds from Midway, but his attempt ended in failure. The easily obtained harvest, often followed by turnstones which vegetation was so scant, there was no place to hide, and could not break the eggs. (In 1923, Donald Dickey secured the predacious frigatebirds captured the rails as soon as a fine movie sequence of a Bristle-thighed with a frigate- they were liberated. bird egg in its mouth, from which I made a black and white The stay on Laysan was an enjoyable Crusoe print (Fig. 1.18).) Occasionally, we saw the little flightless existence, the members of our party being constantly rails attempt to break the eggs; they would jump in the air afield during good weather, each of us going to areas of and strike with their beaks in a fruitless endeavor. particular interest. As mentioned above, our only way to destroy rabbits was by shooting them, and because of the scarcity of ammunition, we tried to average a rabbit a shot. A crippled one was dispatched as mercifully as possible. All too soon our ammunition was gone except for 100 rounds each, and we set up a contest to see who would have the best average. We all had good success with our first 75 rounds, and Bill was the first to use his last cartridges. He returned late one evening and rather sheepishly put his rifle in a corner of the room, announcing that he had killed 23 straight, but the last two bullets had stuck in the gun. Figure 1.18. Bristle-thighed Curlew holding We debated the best method to remove the lead frigatebird egg in beak, Laysan Island, 1923. and finally filled the barrel with vinegar and allowed it Photograph by Donald R. Dickey. DMNS No. to remain overnight. The next morning as I was getting IV.BA23-099. breakfast, I heard the Commodore pounding on a ramrod in an endeavor to remove the two bullets. There Willett and I salvaged many albatross eggs, was a pause in the pounding, and then the Commodore usually sitting on the ground and blowing their called out, “Bailey, how many rabbits did Wallace get?” contents in front of us. We were surprised to have To which I replied, “He took 23 straight and the other the rails hop over our outstretched legs and eagerly two bullets stuck in the rifle.” The Commodore hit the consume the offering. Later, toward the end of our stay ramrod a couple more times and then exploded, “Why, on Laysan, we captured many rails (to transplant on dad burn it, I’ve pounded out five and they’re still Lisianski and Midway) by placing chicken eggs under coming.” Later Bill explained the discrepancy by saying a box lifted on one end by a stick with a string tied he shot an old female with eight young—which gave to it which we could pull to drop the trap; often four him a total of 23.

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were noted under scraggly bushes, usually one incubat- ing the single egg. About noontime, it was not unusual to see them in nuptial flight as though performing for others hidden below. The little white-breasted Bonin Island Petrels (Fig. 1.19) were common. They had rather shallow nesting burrows, through which we often stumbled when walking carelessly, and we made a practice of watching after strong winds so as to free unfortunate birds caught in their tunnels by drifted sand. The little Sooty Petrels occurred in two small colonies, one at the north end of the lagoon and the other at the southwest, and after heavy Figure 1.19. Bonin Island Petrel, Laysan rains, many perished when their nesting burrows were Island, January 1913. DMNS No. IV.BA13-082. inundated. There was great activity after dark, and when On our daily excursions over the island, we became we walked near with a light, the blinded birds often would acquainted with its many birds. The beautiful Red-tailed fly into us like great moths. There were no shearwaters Tropicbirds were not numerous, but occasional pairs on our arrival, but the black Christmas Island species

Figure 1.20. Christmas Island Shearwaters, Laysan Island, 1913. DMNS No. IV.0090-1457.

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Figure 1.21. Fairy Tern, Laysan Island, 1913. DMNS No. IV.0090-1463. became numerous and conspicuous toward the end of our stay (Fig. 1.20). The beautiful white Fairy Terns laid their single eggs upon the outcroppings of rock along the lagoon and along the great seawall at the south end of the island where the southeast trade winds caused great waves to crash, forcing white spray 30 or more feet in the air (Fig. 1.21). The dark terns and their smaller coun- terparts, the Hawaiian Terns, were colonial nesters in the remaining low bushes, and Gray-backed Terns were upon the seawall and higher ridges. The first Sooty Terns were seen early in January, and they began arriving in numbers in February. The most conspicuous birds of the island, other than the albatrosses, were the frigatebirds, the males black with red gular pouches and the females dark with white breasts, full-grown immatures having white heads (Fig. 1.22). During the heat of the day, we often saw them swooping down on the little freshwater pond and taking beakfuls of water as they passed by. They were predators, and small young of other species were in danger, and in the evening many flew along the coastline to waylay incoming Red-footed and Masked Boobies heavily loaded Figure 1.22. Frigatebird, Laysan Island, 1913. with fish. The boobies squawked as the frigatebirds DMNS No. IV.BA13-019. swooped upon them, often disgorging to lighten their

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load, and on one occasion I obtained a photo just after the frigatebird grabbed a booby by the tail—the picture showing both birds and the disgorged fish in the air (Fig. 1.23). The predators were tame when resting in the bushes on their fragile nests and often were so filled with fish they could rise in the air only after disgorging. We collected flying fish in excellent condition by tapping well-fed frigatebirds with cane sticks, for invariably it was necessary for them to unload their cargo before they could get airborne. Our days were routine. I cooked three meals a day, Bill Wallace cleaned up after me, and we all spent our spare time eliminating rabbits. Willett and I kept careful watch for unusual birds, and we often went out on the reef, fishing and gathering shells at low tide. On warm days, clad only with shoes, we would brace ourselves as white crested rollers nearly shoulder high came roaring shoreward, and then would fish during the quiet periods. Adventures were few, but Willett’s diary of January 3 records: “Bailey attacked by an octopus”—just a slight Figure 1.23. Frigatebird attacking Masked exaggeration. He and I were on the reef, and on this occa- Booby and catching regurgitated food, Laysan sion, the surge of water was only waist deep. An octopus Island, 1913. DMNS No. IV.BA13-132. about six feet across, the first I had ever seen, came in on the wave and landed on me amidship. It frightened me One of the hazards of field trips to out-of-the-way half to death, and the animal was probably even more places in pre-radio days when help could not be summoned scared, for when I hit it in the middle, it dropped off and was the possibility of serious accident or illness. Fortu- disappeared in a trail of inky fluid, leaving slight red nately, the members of our party were hardy individuals welts on my legs as a reminder of the brief visit. and, strangely, the strongest, George Willett, was the only On one occasion, at the north end of the island, I one to be hit. My journal entry of January 19 states: was photographing sharks in a pothole. There must have been 20 in the clear waters—and looking seaward, I was Willett had a bad case of poisoning of some surprised to see Willett swimming in from the barrier sort, the rest of us slightly but not off our reef where (without saying anything to any of us) he had feet. He was in great pain, raving part of the gone out to get a turtle. He had on his back a bag of time. Pain not relieved until 4:00 a.m. The bloody meat as he came to the shark-filled pool, and on following remarkable list of medicines given seeing the animals, he merely trod water, reached into Willett at maybe half-hour intervals: the sack for his knife, and then, as the shark came near, (1) Hot water and mustard (twice); struck it. The knife had no protection on the hilt, so when (2) painkiller with laudanum; (3) whiskey it hit the tough hide, George’s hand slipped down on the (Stiff braces); (4) two tablespoons castor oil blade, cutting all four fingers severely. He climbed upon (When I told George to “take this,” he feebly the reef, held his arm up, with blood streaming off his asked, “What is it?” and when I replied, elbow, and called to me, “Look, Al, what I get for being a “Castor oil,” he straightened up in the bunk kid all my life.” and asked, “My Gawd, boys, do I have to take

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that?”); (5) more painkiller; (6) a morphine boxes, and as the time for our departure approached, we pill; (7) brandy and cognac (stiff dose twice); packed specimens for shipment. We expected the Thetis (8) two more tablespoons castor oil; (9) hot March 10, and my journal entry for that date reads: water; (10) hot water with soda; (11) hot coffee; (12) Epsom salts (several times). The Thetis arrived in sight at 10 minutes to And after taking all this stuff between 7:00 this morning—but the entrance was 8:00 and 1:00 in the morning, he was not closed by the breaking waves (the sea had relieved until 4:00 a.m. been calm for the previous two weeks). The cutter worked along the horizon all day, Surely only a man with Willett’s strong constitu- coming in close every once in a while. They tion could have survived such treatment. We had had a put down a boat on one occasion but were variety of fish for dinner and suspected one might have unable to make a landing. been a poisonous variety—but I do not know whether Willett and I looked for turtles while we such species occur in Hawaiian waters. were waiting but found none, George saw three Stormy weather prevailed through much of the Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, the first we have latter part of February and early March, with spectacular observed; the Sooty Terns are in great numbers surf crashing upon the ledges at the south end of the now and there is a large colony at the north island, and waves upon the beach which threw spray end of the island—but no eggs as yet. upon the front of our bungalow. Regardless of condi- At dark, the entrance was still closed tions, Willett and I tried to circle the lagoon whenever with a westerly still blowing. Chances are of possible, usually separately to give a better chance for a a north wind by morning. count of migrants and to record unusual species. We both saw a pair of Mallards, and I collected them February 9, And on March 12: the specimens being saved for the Biological Survey. We observed a flock of fifteen pintails December 24, eight the Left Laysan yesterday and set sail about 1:00 26th, and twelve the next day. Willett noted six shoveler for Lisianski some hundred miles away. We ducks January 13 and a Bufflehead December 27, and the put all our stores safely aboard the Thetis, bird was collected January 3. Two Black-bellied Plover, although one of the boats was swamped by apparently the first recorded from Laysan, were seen a breaker as the men were headed for shore. December 12, and Willett secured one January 10. Sighted Lisianski today a little after Golden-plover, turnstones, and Bristle-thighed noon. The Captain gave Willett and me the Curlew were observed daily, and I collected a female Red- choice boat crew because of the dangerous backed Sandpiper January 30 which, as far as I could nature of the landing. We made it ashore and determine at the time of publication of Birds of Midway back safely without shipping much water. and Laysan Islands (Bailey 1956), was the only definite record for the Hawaiian Group. I also collected a Herring Although rabbits had been introduced to Gull (L.a. vegae) on January 25 and a Bonaparte Gull on Lisianski, the vegetation had been little affected, the December 27, which I skinned. When Willett viewed the Scaevola bushes being of a considerable height and bedraggled results, he drawled, “Kid, is this the way you the tussock grass growing luxuriantly. It is interest- skin birds back in I-oway?” ing to note that ten years later Dr. Wetmore found Willett secured an excellent series of specimens for the island barren of vegetation due to the ravages of the Biological Survey, and I gave him a hand whenever the rabbits. The seabirds were the same as on Laysan, possible. The Japanese poachers had left numerous except we saw a few Brown Boobies; the Red-footed

37 Bailey

were nesting, and the Blue-faced (Masked Boobies) shade to their potential oasis. In the early years, it was had nearly fully grown young. a nearly Eve-less paradise, however, for only two of the The Japanese poachers had erected two houses, and headmen could have their wives. Two women associated they left many of their possessions behind when their nicely, but a third—they found from experience— work was interrupted by the officers of the Thetis. Of great caused complications. interest were two monk seals along the shore, and Willett As soon as the Thetis anchored, Superintendent collected the large female, which we skinned under dif- Morrison sent out a motorboat to transport Captain ficulties with occasional breakers washing over us. Cochran and the members of our party to land, where On March 13 we skirted Pearl and Hermes Reef, we met all the people of the island and were entertained but the sea was too rough to attempt a landing, and the royally. Conspicuous about the building were Canaries Thetis continued on through the night, anchoring off (Serinus canaria). Mr. Morrison had brought one pair Midway Island at 7:00 the next morning. with him, liberating the young and two additional males, The Midway, as the name indicates, is centrally and he believed the population to be about 1,000. located in the Pacific Ocean; it is 2,300 miles west of I photographed the recent plantings of clump San Francisco, 3,600 east of Shanghai, and 3,800 north grass, the five concrete buildings, the windmills—and of Australia. The islands were discovered by Captain the bones of the Wandering Minstrel along the shores, N.C. Brooks of the bark Gambia, and through the years and we liberated the rails I had captured on Laysan. there were many wrecks upon the coral ledges, the first In the afternoon, Mr. Morrison took us to Eastern people to live upon Midway being the crew of the schooner Island which was covered with a dense growth of Scae- General Siegel, crushed November 16, 1886. The Wander- vola and grasses. Every bird observed on Laysan, except ing Minstrel, a wonderful name for a vessel cruising in the endemic species, was noted. Sooty Terns were numer- such colorful waters, came to grief a short time later, and ous, and the little Fairy Terns had eggs on Scaevola Captain F.D. Walker, his wife and three sons, and the crew branches scarcely larger than the eggs. Tropicbirds were were marooned for 14 months until rescued by the schoo- more numerous than we had seen elsewhere. The stay on ner Norma. Photographs made in 1891 of the quarters Midway was far too short, the hospitable islanders going of the castaways upon the barren sands, given me by the out of their way to make our visit enjoyable. veteran naturalist George C. Munro, offer mute testimony The Thetis sailed after dark, and we were off Pearl of the privations endured by the unfortunate people. and Hermes Reef the following morning—so named for The first permanent settlement on Midway was two vessels which came to grief on the coral reefs. We took started April 29, 1903, when the Commercial Pacific two ship cutters, Willett and the Commodore on one, and Cable Company occupied Sand, the larger of the two Bill Wallace and I on the other, each with a crew of five men main islands. As the name indicates, the island was a and an officer. Sooty Terns were conspicuous, and the white barren waste, but when Daniel Morrison became super- breasts of low-flying birds appeared green as they reflected intendent of the cable station in 1908, he remedied the the light of the clear waters. On the main sandspit visited situation by importing grass and other vegetation from were about 20 female seals, several with black pups (Fig. California and Hawaii. Supplies were carried on the 1.24); there were a few half-grown seals, very few bulls, and company’s sailing ship, the Florence Ward commanded about 40 large green sea turtles—the sailors taking five by Captain George Piltz. The vessel averaged four trips back to the Thetis. We sailed among the islands from 10:30 a year from Honolulu, and tons of soil for gardens were to 3:00 and then returned to the vessel. The anchor was transported for more than ten years. Grass from the Cali- raised and the Thetis was headed southward. fornia mainland was planted in clumps to hold down the We were en route to Necker Island March 18 with shifting sands, and ironwood trees were planted around 30 or 40 whales being seen close to starboard in the the stormproof concrete buildings to eventually give morning. The island was reached early the next morning,

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Figure 1.24. A.M. Bailey aboard the Thetis holding Hawaiian monk seal pup, Pearl and Hermes Reef, March 1913. Photographer unknown. DMNS No. IV.BA13-117. and Willett and I tried to make a landing, but again the back—reminders of the hardy people of the past who there was such a surge against the steep cliffs, it was had made arduous journeys over unknown waters. impossible to back the cutter close enough so we could The Thetis returned to Honolulu in mid-afternoon leap ashore. Willett, however, swam close to the ledges, March 22, and we registered in the Blaisdell Hotel. During drifted in on a high wave, and successfully grabbed a the following week, Willett and I made a three-day trip shelf and was left dangling as the wave receded. Naked into the mountains with friends, climbing Mount Ka’ala, and barefoot, he spent two hours upon the island and the highest on Oahu, to search for land shells in the tree reported the majority of birds observed at Midway were fern forests. Due to the hospitality of the members of the nesting on the ledges. He secured an egg of the Necker Healeani Boat Club, we were privileged to have many fine Island tern, the first collected. While waiting for Willett, swims. We met Duke Kahanamoku, the famous Olympic the crew kept our cutter fairly close to the island, and swimmer and, with Willett and a thousand others, went to I collected half a dozen adults and a few immatures the dock to see General Frederick Funston on his arrival of the unique Necker Island terns, the first specimens from the Philippines—a thrill to Willett, who had served to be secured since Walter K. Fisher discovered the in the islands. The following day, we sailed for California species in 1902. Willett commented upon the altars and on the Sherman—the end of a fine field trip. monuments, possibly places of worship left by unknown Willett invited me to visit his home, so the day after people, probably early Polynesians, who must have made our arrival in San Francisco we were in Los Angeles, pilgrimages from Nihoa or Kauai as it is doubtful the where I stayed two days and was shown the fine natural rugged island was suitable for a permanent settlement. history museum and other interesting places. Mrs. Willett There were platforms with unworked, upended slabs at was most kind.

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Stacked on a lounge in the front room of this the middle of the street and blow him up. I don’t want to small home was a three-months accumulation of mail, kill a lot of innocent people here.” and when George unrolled one piece, read the printed George walked up to the man and asked, “What’s notice, grunted, “That’s nice,” while tossing it back, I the joke?” and received the reply, “It’s no joke. Do you asked, “What’s nice?” He said, “Oh, it’s just a recogni- know dynamite when you see it?” George said, “Yes,” tion for valor from Los Angeles County.” To my natural and the man said, “Lift the lid of the box. I’ve got 20 inquiry, he said it dated back to the time he was on the sticks of dynamite in here which will blow when I pull Los Angeles Police Force. And then he told of the incident my fingers.” George said he lifted the lid—and then (as well as I can remember). commented to me, “The damned liar, there were only One morning as George was at headquarters, a 16 sticks!” man masked and carrying a box with his hands inserted As George talked to the man, another officer in sleeves came in, approached the desk sergeant, and approached from behind, struck the man down with said he wanted to see the district attorney. Naturally, a club, and either George or the other fellow grabbed the sergeant was startled and asked why, to which the the box and rushed it out of the building (can’t masked individual replied, “I want to take him out in remember which one), and when the man recovered

Figure 1.25. A.M. Bailey preparing taxidermy armature, University of Iowa, ca. 1912. Photograph by Fred W. Kent? DMNS No. IV.2002-10-10.

40 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 from the blow, he said he didn’t know why the dyna- in later years. In a file of papers, I ran across one of my mite did not explode! themes, written in 1914, indicating my interest in the From Los Angeles, I returned to my home in Iowa out of doors. City, but seven years later, in 1920, I often was privileged to be afield with George Willett in Southeast Alaska. Indian Summer Canoeing, Theme Paper, 1914. The Iowa River, after cutting through the rich Iowa, 1913–1916 farmlands of the state, passes almost before our front On my return to Iowa in mid-April 1913, I found great door. To be sure, it is sluggish. It is muddy, too, but it activity in the museum as the large exhibit case for winds between heavily wooded hills with cool ravines, the Laysan Island Cyclorama was being built—a room and joining it at intervals are little creeks that cry aloud with a passageway to the center where visitors would for exploration. I would not be without it. stand, as though in the center of the island. With no Especially in the fall with the harmonious autumn university work to attend to, I spent much time along foliage, the quiet sky, and restful river, all seems fit. It is the Iowa River collecting specimens and preparing then that chum Fritz and I get out the canoe, take camera them in the laboratory, (Fig. 1.25) usually making and gun, and wander. We always go together. For one skins of birds and mammals for the university collec- thing, neither of us is ever in a hurry, and for another, he tion. Professor Dill had started mounting the Laysan has the insight of an artist. When he sets to frame a pretty birds for his exhibit, and I was fascinated with his stretch of river with the extended limb of an old tree, I let lifelike results. him go his own gait, for I have found it pays both then Fred Kent, that fall, was nicely installed in a and later when the photos tell the story. photographic laboratory in the new physics building So we paddle slowly. The gun is always ready for where he was able to expand his activities doing work game, and if a bit of woodland lays long shadows to our for the university. Adjacent was the office of Assistant fancy, the camera is ready, too. Who wants to hurry in Professor H.L. Dodge of the Physics Department, and Indian summer? we soon became acquainted—resulting in a lifelong We glide by stony shores; now we sneak close to a friendship. He became intrigued with hunting, as low bank overgrown with willows in the hope of surpris- did Professor Dill. They acquired guns and a pack of ing a duck. The quiet green of the changing willows is beagles, and when the fall of 1913 rolled around, and brightened in places by the red of the maple and white during the two hunting seasons of subsequent years, bark of the sycamore. There is a call of alarm and a flash we were afield over the wonderful oak-clad hills along of metallic blue as a brace of teal break clear of a partly the Iowa, the baying of beagles hot on the trail being submerged log and curve upward over the low trees. One some of the most beautiful music a sportsman is privi- comes tumbling through the branches of a windblown leged to hear. birch; the other swings on to safety. Dodge was a canoeing enthusiast known to some We stop at a little creek opening, take camera and of the local citizens as “that crazy professor” because, gun, and reconnoiter. The rolling hills, with hazel and at high water, he was accustomed to shooting the rapids scrub oak, invite tramping, and occasionally on some over the dam. It was not long before I acquired my own such woodland path, the whir of a grouse rising from canoe and disposed of my rowboat, which had served me cover startles us. Their rapid flight seems out of harmony well through high school days. with the listless afternoon, for the warm wind scarcely I remember few of my courses during the sopho- rustles the leaves or ripples the shining water below. We more year. I obtained a fair reading knowledge of French gaze idly up the river and, without rousing ourselves and Spanish and took a writing course under the well- from our lazy reverie, watch a swift little hawk swoop known Professor Percy Hunt, all of which were of value over the nearby ridge.

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From the river bank, Fritz points out another canoe bushes and other plants of Laysan to be installed in the swinging around the bend, and pushing out to meet it, cyclorama, I suggested she apply for a job, and soon we find two boys after our own heart. Together we drift she was spending spare time in the museum laboratory on; then all disembark in a shimmering little backwater reproducing foliage—a great addition to her income by pond to compare notes and game. The soft light on the 20 cents an hour—and a fine arrangement as far as I scraggly bark of the birches, the still water, and the pile was concerned. I bought us season tickets to the football of game make a picturesque wilderness scene. Fritz and games, and she taught me to dance—a difficult task in his camera can prove it. that I seemed to have four feet. However, competition was Then in the early dusk, we bid the boys “so long” gradually eliminated, and in the rest of our junior and at the portage. Fritz shoves the canoe under the low-lying senior years, I was able to monopolize her time—even willows. I hand him my gun as I take my place at the though two pestiferous younger sisters made fun of the stern, and we push out through the tangle of marsh grass lanky, long-legged individual who accompanied her to open water ahead. The trees begin to stand out as dark home after classes. Professor Dodge, Kent, and the Egg masses against the light of the west; deep shadows form and I often shipped the canoes to mid-river and, at all along the bank; a few faint stars appear. In the dusk, we seasons, even when ice was floating, made the 30-mile slide silently, the musical whisper of the water rippling trip downstream. off the bow, the low voices of the woods and the distant The last two years of college passed quickly, and as mournful farm sounds alone breaking the stillness of the graduation time approached, both the Egg and I took it Indian summer evening. It is the close of a perfect day. for granted we would share the years ahead after I was established financially. She had majored in education, The “Egg”. I mention above that Fritz and I “always planning to teach. In those days there was no question of go together,” but it was that fall of 1914 that I acquired obtaining work, and by April 9, 1916, Muriel had agreed another companion. One October day, I was en route home, to teach botany and agriculture in the high school in and on the steps of the Carnegie Library—just three doors Williamsburg, Iowa. My future was not so certain, but from our house—were two girls, Ann Sidwell and Muriel I hoped to find a job in a museum. Professor Dill sug- Eggenberg, the latter the farm girl I had admired so many gested that I accompany him to the Annual Meeting of years before who drove to town in the surrey with the the American Museums Association to be held in Wash- fringe around the top and with whom I collided in high ington, D.C., and then visit other museums of the East school days, sending her books in all directions. with the idea of making contacts. I had a bag of popcorn and stopped to share it, and The last entry in my journal at the end of the we talked, as young people will. I learned the “Egg,” as Laysan trip was on April 2, 1913, at Honolulu, the con- I soon called her, lived across the river a mile or more cluding line reading: “Met the Governor; expect to sail from the university; that we were both starting our tomorrow.” The next was dated May 11, 1916, and in junior year; that she liked to go to football games and the following couple of pages I mention leaving Iowa liked canoeing and skating; and, when I asked for a date, City and arriving in Chicago at 7:25 a.m., May 12 and that there was considerable competition. However, I had of visiting the Field Museum, where I met two of the a canoe—and it was not long before she was handling outstanding preparators, Pray and Herb Stoddard, and the paddle in the bow on numerous occasions. Dr. Cory, Curator of Zoology. I wrote in detail of our visit Her father couldn’t see the use of a girl going to to the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh the next day and college, so the Egg worked in the newspaper office of then to Washington. The following couple days were The Republican during the summer months for $3.50 a among the most important in my life, for I made the week to make her tuition of $20.00 a semester. As Profes- contact needed to launch me on my way. An excerpt from sor Dill needed help in making wax leaves of Scaevola my notes of Tuesday, May 16 reads:

42 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1

Museum meeting opened with a rather slim attractive than the one in Cedar Falls, so I accepted by attendance. Was much surprised to meet return mail. Joseph Grinnell, who said George Willett Muriel and I had several weeks to play around had gone to Forrester Island, Alaska. Met a before it was necessary for me to leave, and we spent Dr. Robert Glenk, Director of the Louisiana much time canoeing, often accompanied by Fred Kent State Museum of New Orleans. He needs a and Dr. Dodge. Our last day was at the home of my older man, and from the report he gave, it seems brother John, a physician in Des Moines. We climbed the a highly desirable place. I feel that I have a stairs of the capitol building to obtain the view over the chance and will make the most of it. city, and as we looked to the future, it seemed a long time Tuesday we had the election of officers, ahead until next June when, if all went well, we would which created quite a lot of excitement. In be married. the afternoon visited the Capitol and Corco- ran Art Gallery. Wednesday, [May] 17: Attended meeting Louisiana, 1916–1919 this morning. Cases and labels were main subjects discussed—but not a word about 1916 contents. In afternoon to Mount Vernon. I arrived in New Orleans July 6 and went directly to the Talked to Dr. Glenk this morning about New museum—two old Spanish buildings of the 1700s in Orleans job and received much encourage- the French Quarter just off Jackson Park, flanked by the ment. I feel this is my chance and sincerely famous Pontalba Buildings with their iron railings. The hope things turn my way. From his descrip- Cabildo, where the Louisiana transfer took place in 1803, tion, I should say it is a position that would the United States acquiring for $15,000,000 vast territo- be hard to duplicate. ries west of the Mississippi River three times greater in extent than the original 13 states, was being converted My notes give detail of going to Philadelphia with into an art museum, while the equally large Presbytère Professor Dill and visiting the Academy of Sciences and (Fig. 1.26)—with a great cathedral between the two Independence Hall with the Liberty Bell—which was museums—was to be developed into a natural history cracked—I understand, when tolling for the funeral of museum. I met Dr. Glenk in his office in the Cabildo, and Chief Justice John Marshall, one of my ancestors. we immediately went to the other building where, over We continued on to New York and “went through the next three years, I prepared many exhibits. the American Museum and had lunch with Carl Akeley It is doubtful that many young naturalists have (famous animal sculptor),” then to Boston and return been confronted with such a discouraging start. A to Chicago with a side trip to Milwaukee. The final four tropical storm had taken the roof off the building, and lines of the journal covering the trip read: “Arrived home 16 inches of rain had poured into the structure, so the Friday morn at 4:30 and found a letter from Dr. Glenk plaster on ceilings and walls had fallen. The roof had from New Orleans. I answered immediately. Sincerely been replaced, and the crew of workmen had just started hope I can land the place. Got a call from Cedar Falls cleaning up the mess. today offering me $1,200 for nine months’ work in the The first order of business was to get settled in a room college museum.” which Dr. Glenk had reserved for me in a boarding house Graduation time rolled around, and shortly after, run by a Mrs. Fields at 2714 Coliseum Avenue, but two Dr. Glenk wrote me offering me the curatorship of birds days later—as my quarters were so far from the museum and mammals in the Louisiana State Museum for the (and the other boarders were old folks)—I moved to the salary of $100 a month. The position seemed much more YMCA where, so my notes say: “I have a good room and

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Figure 1.26. Louisiana Presbytère, New Orleans, Louisiana. DMNS No. IV.BA17-061.

have privileges of baths, pool, etc., for ten dollars a month. Audubon who had painted so many of his bird portraits And across the street is a good boarding house where I get in Louisiana. Thanks to my friendship with Mr. Alexan- breakfast and dinner for $3.50 a week.” der, a Commission launch was always available when I Associated with me in the museum was a Percy wanted to do work in the marshes or on the bird islands Viosca who, with Dr. Glenk’s encouragement, had started of the Gulf of Mexico. the Southern Biological Supply Company to make avail- My first trip was on the Conservation boat Opelou- able natural history specimens for schools. He was a sas with Captain Lyon, in October 1916, from Houma skilled reptile man, and in the years that followed, we down Bayou Terrebonne, which traversed huge fields had many field trips together. My first was the following of sugarcane en route to the Gulf. Mr. Labot, an oyster weekend, July 9, when we crossed Lake Pontchartrain inspector; engineer Bill Wilson; and Jimmy the cook and, for three days, worked in the cypress swamps catch- were the others aboard. Marshlands overgrown with wiry ing frogs and small alligators. sedge stretched to distant horizons, the marshes being On my return to the museum, I visited the Con- cut with innumerable bayous and canals where the servation Department and met Commissioner M.L. oysterman put old shells so the young oysters would have Alexander and ornithologist Stanley Clisby Arthur, who supports to cling to. We stopped at several camps where later was to write the fine book on the life of John James men were busy shucking oysters. They were hospitable,

44 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 introduced me to raw oysters—a delicacy which requires which took wing and circled us—a beautiful sight as getting used to—and invited me to return during the the sunlight flashed off the snow white of their plumage, duck season and enjoy a few days hunting. their black primaries offering a striking contrast. Brown We left the oyster camps and chugged down Bayou Pelicans, the state bird of Louisiana, were in pairs and Caillou with marshlands on both sides, often flushing flocks as they flew laboriously ahead of us or rested upon Great Blue Herons and Double-crested Cormorants, the water. anchoring that evening off a shrimp platform where the We anchored off low-lying Timbalier late in the fishermen brought their shrimp to be cooked and dried afternoon in a sheltered lagoon where we would be (Fig. 1.27). Early the next morning, with shrimp for bait, protected from the roll of the Gulf swells. The beautiful I had my first experience catching beautiful trout, perch, Royal Terns were numerous, and occasional small flocks and redfish which were in great numbers, and two large of shorebirds flashed by, always close to the water. After yellow jacks (Fig. 1.28). Many Laughing Gulls and For- a dinner of fried oysters, shrimp, and fish, the captain, ster’s Terns hovered here and there close at hand. Soon engineer, and I took the small tender and ran up to the we were en route again, stopping to examine beds where lagoon to the fine, sandy beach of Timbalier where, dark men were tonging oysters (Fig. 1.29). against the lighted west, there were Sanderlings, Least In the afternoon, we started for Timbalier Island, and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plover, and passing down a wide bayou and into the “inside passage,” Willets busily skirting the water’s edge. It was a wonderful a wide expanse of water which lies between the coastal time—just at dusk—to be along the coast, to listen to the marshes and Last Island. The water was rough, and the dull murmuring of the surf washing on the sand. It seemed Opelousas pitched and rolled. We passed many islands, as though the waters were trying to roll quietly and keep and on one was a flock of at least 500 White Pelicans everything in accord with the perfect southern evening.

Figure 1.27. Shrimp platform, drying shrimp, Bayou Caillou, Louisiana, October 10, 1916. DMNS No. IV.BA17-059.

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Figure 1.28. A.M. Bailey with yellow jack fish on the Conservation Department boat Opelousas, Bayou Caillou, Louisiana, October 11, 1916. Photographer unknown. DMNS No. IV.BA17-037.

Figure 1.29. Oyster tonging, Bayou Caillou, Louisiana, October 11, 1916. DMNS No. IV.0099-864.

46 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1

The next morning, Bill Wilson landed me on the A month later, Stanley Arthur invited me to join beach that I might secure a few photographs as back- him on a trip into the extensive marshes south of Abbev- ground studies for a group of shorebirds I planned to ille in Vermilion Parish. We took the Southern Pacific install in the museum—and I was pleased to see several out of New Orleans, arrived at New Iberia at 4:00 a.m., Peregrine Falcons that were making an easy living by and then rented a car to take us through the sugarcane swooping down on unsuspecting plovers and sandpip- country to Abbeville, where Game Warden Wilfred Trahan ers. One of the photos secured was a Duck Hawk at rest was waiting for us with his small launch, the Pintail. upon the beach. The following day, we started down Bayou Ver- Bill picked me up, and we ran back to the launch milion, a beautiful stream lined with moss-festooned, for a lunch of Timbalier oysters, fried as only Jimmy century-old live oaks and cypresses. The bayou flowed knew how, and then we headed to the main bird island into the Vermilion Bay where many ducks were massed, —a low-lying expanse of sand devoid of vegetation recent migrants of many species from the North. except for wiry salt grass and scraggly bushes. It was far Trahan’s cabin was along a little bayou through the past the nesting season, but a great flock of terns, gulls, marsh south of the Bay, and on our journey along the and skimmers was resting on a small sandbar, and as cane-grown shores, thousands of ducks were noted, the boat grounded, I walked toward them slowly. They with occasional bands of Blue Geese flying low and then arose in a bunch, giving strident calls, and then dropped settling into the marsh grass. back upon the wet sands. I drew closer and took pictures My notes for the next several days mention many as an occasional few would rise, and finally, the whole species of birds and those collected for the museum. The flock took wing—the band resembling the flow of a marshes extending from Vermilion Bay southward to the wave as they would rise and dip, the sunlight playing Gulf were the wintering grounds for northern nesting on their wings. I crept over the crest of the island and wildfowl, the Blue and Snow Geese being the most con- was rewarded by seeing a large flock of White Pelicans spicuous, often observed in flocks of several thousand. resting on the beach and secured a few photos of the A shell bank, an hour’s run from the cabin, known birds at rest and in the air. I then returned to the tender locally as “Hell Hole,” was a favorite graveling place and back to the launch. for Blue Geese. A photograph blind had been erected, After supper, Bill and I again took the dinghy and and early one morning, we installed Arthur there, while ran back into the shallow waters of the marsh. There were Trahan and I followed down the shore where I tried to numerous Little Blue Herons with their white immatures, stalk great bands feeding on the three-cornered grass. as well as flocks of Louisiana and Great Blue Herons. The whole area should have been called Hell Hole, for the Rails called from all sides, and we spent an enjoyable “mosquitoes were terrible,” a phrase that was repeated time gliding through still waters. The return trip was regularly on account of my activities on various Louisiana especially delightful, just as it was growing dusk, for only field trips. We picked up Arthur at dusk; he had had a good the putt-putt of the motor, muffled down as quiet as it band of geese land on the shells in front of the blind. would go, and the occasional calls of the marsh hens The following day, we traveled for miles south broke the silence. The wonderful color of the sky reflected along a narrow canal, with thousands of ducks and geese in the bayou waters, and a lone Great Blue Heron, black constantly in sight, to a five-mile-long wooded section bor- against the west as he winged his way toward his nightly dering the Gulf—Chenier au Tigre (oak ridge of the tiger), resting place, made our little excursion worthwhile. grown with ancient live oaks all adorned with Spanish On our return to the launch, the little gnats were moss. From the end of the canal, a footpath led through so active that the captain decided to head for home, so we the stands of palmettos, and then under wide-spreading pulled anchor and arrived at Houma about midnight— branches of the oaks, past a little fence-enclosed Sagrera the end of my first trip into Louisiana marshes. family cemetery of several graves, and to the Simms

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Sagrera home, facing the Gulf of Mexico (Fig. 1.30). There miles to the north. We followed along the beach for five we met Mrs. Simms (Zoe), the mother of three small miles, often under windblown live oaks, and then turned children. Often, during the next 50 years, I was privileged off into a wide, clear expanse dotted with lagoons. Here to visit with the hospitable Sagreras. They led an isolated and there were flocks of Blue Quail, with a sprinkling of life in those pre-radio days when communication with the Snow Geese sailing low and then swirling down and out outside world for them and the five other families on the of sight in patches of cane as they settled to feed. The Chenier entailed a 50-mile launch trip to Abbeville. shallow ponds were covered with ducks of many species Simms came in from running his traplines, a tall, —more than we had seen elsewhere—and my notes wiry individual who made his living trapping muskrat and mention: “They were almost as common as mosquitoes mink in the winter and poling alligators in the summer. On that pestered the life out of us.” each run of his traps, Simms would catch many ducks, and The highlight of the ride was to see three large, white at the back door were hanging a dozen Mallards caught the birds—Whooping Cranes—the only ones I encountered day before; for supper that night we had roast Mallard and in Louisiana in many years of fieldwork. The low-hung rice and wonderful home-canned figs—the usual evening sun filtered through clouds as we wound our way home- meal for the people of the Chenier during the winter season. ward beneath the dark live oaks, and my notes indicate a There was drizzly rain and wind off the Gulf in satisfaction with life, for I recorded: “After changing into the morning, but the sky gradually cleared, and Trahan, dry clothes, we sat down to regular feed—Mallard ducks Arthur, and I borrowed horses so we could work areas ten fixed three different ways, rice, bread and plum jam, a

Figure 1.30. Home of the Sagreras, Chenier au Tigre, Louisiana, 1916. DMNS No. IV.BA17-057.

48 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 dinner fit for any hungry collector. We are seated in the For lack of some favorable comment I pointed to the parlor, all writing notes. There is a fine fire glowing in ribbon of yellow and asked, “What is that?” and the reply the big fireplace, and our wet clothes are hanging near. was, “Oh! That is the last ray of the dying sun.” In the Simms caught three coons and two mink.” more than half a century that has passed since that time, The following morning, November 24, 1916, we I’ve seen many a “last ray” on museum backgrounds. left the Chenier about 9:00 and headed up the canal, The winter was enjoyable in that I played basketball stopping off at a palmetto-grown ridge where we worked on the lightweight YMCA team for men and boys in the various ponds. I recorded: 130-pound group. The team was allowed an additional five pounds, and as I weighed in at about 138, I removed Never can hope to see more ducks, for they most of my extra pounds by playing handball for three rose in clouds at my feet only to settle down a or more consecutive hours, taking off enough weight to little farther ahead. In places, they would rise keep within bounds. from the cane by the hundreds, and I cursed At noontime, Viosca, his brother Felix, and I would myself a dozen and one times for not taking have lunch together. We would buy a loaf of bread, a a Kodak instead of a gun, for the ducks were quart of milk, and we could get 17 nicely ripened so numerous. I could have filled the film bananas for a dime. with flying birds. Continued up the canal, The next journal entry was April 27, 1917, giving where Mr. and Mrs. E.A. McIlhenny had a an account of my first visit to Avery Island, home of E.A. commodious houseboat, and Arthur and I McIlhenny, mentioned above—“Mr. Mac” to his friends had lunch and supper with them. “Mr. Ned,” or “Mistah Ned” to his employees (Fig. 1.31). He had as he is usually called by his plantation help, established a heronry, one of the outstanding examples is one of the well-known conservationists of successful conservation effort. Avery Island, in reality, and businessmen of southern Louisiana; he is a high, wooded knoll surrounded by cypress swamps spent one winter at Point Barrow collecting and open marshes, the nesting areas for many species specimens (1897–1898). I look forward to of southern waterbirds. At the turn of the century when seeing the great heronry he established near the millinery trade had resulted in the near elimination his home on Avery Island. of plumed bird species, Mr. Mac captured some young Snowy Egrets and kept them in captivity during the We returned to the museum November 27 with summer along a small pond of about two acres in extent numerous specimens to be prepared for exhibit and which he created by damming a small creek lined with the next few months were busy ones. Dr. Glenk brought willows and buttonbushes. He visited and fed the birds around a young lady artist, and I explained as best I daily and, when the fall migration started, liberated his could the type of background needed for a shorebird captives. They remained about the pond for several days group, her painting to be eight feet long and four and then joined others on their southern journey. high. I intended to install a sandy shore with plover In the spring, several returned, and two pairs built and sandpipers in the foreground. The artist was nests in the scrubby trees and successfully reared young, most enthusiastic as she promised, “I will make you 11 adults and immatures leaving again in the fall; nine something beautiful.” Three weeks later she returned, returned and Little Blue Herons joined them to start a and when she unveiled her creation, I was at a loss for thriving colony. The eggs of both species are blue and the words. Sky, water, and the shore left something to be young are white, and after a couple years as the colony desired. In the center at the bottom was a long dark increased in size, Mr. McIlhenny placed egret eggs in object which vaguely resembled a drift log and on top the nests of the Little Blue and Louisiana Herons, the was a stretch of yellow. birds incubating them without noticing the substitution,

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Figure 1.31. E.A. McIlhenny, Avery Island, Louisiana, April 1917. DMNS No. IV.BA17-062.

while the egrets laid again—and so two broods of egrets During the year Muriel and I and Kent and his often were obtained each season instead of one. Clara Hartman decided on a June wedding in 1917 I had looked forward to my visit to Avery Island and that we would take our honeymoon trip together. and rather expected to find the colony of birds in an I returned to Iowa City June 15, and the next evening, out-of-the-way place. Instead, it was in a little valley with our parents lending moral support, we were along the main road and a railway leading to a salt married by the Reverend C. Rollin Scherk in the par- mine beyond and McIlhenny’s Tabasco factory 100 sonage at the same time that Fred and Clara were being yards away, the birds so accustomed to traffic they wed in Davenport, Iowa. The next morning, in two would not rise when cars or trains passed. There were canoes—one loaned by our friend Dr. H.L. Dodge—we three common species, the Snowy Egrets, Little Blue, started a four-day trip down the Iowa into the Missis- and Louisiana Herons, and rather rare, occasional sippi (Fig. 1.32). pairs of Little Green Herons. The long-necked Anhingas The weather was perfect; wildflowers were at nested in the willows and several bull alligators, up to the height of their beauty along the wooded shores. ten feet in length, had a rather easy living from small Once a day we walked to nearby small communities to herons that tumbled from the nest or the fish that had purchase supplies, and fish and an occasional young been planted in the pond. squirrel furnished meat for our evening meal. Kent Three days were spent at Avery, Mr. Mac making a kept a running account of food purchased and cost of bungalow available so I could prepare specimens which shipping the canoes at the conclusion of the trip from we collected. Burlington to Iowa City as follows:

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Shredded Wheat 15¢ Potatoes 1/4 pk. 25¢ Pancake Flour 15¢ Cheese 35¢ Prunes 35¢ Sugar 25¢ Peaches dried 20¢ Bacon, 1 1/2# 70¢ Coffee pwd 30¢ Eggs 1 doz. 32¢ Peanut Butter 10¢ Pineapple 38¢ Condensed milk 4 cans 32¢ Ice Cream 60¢ Ham, 2# 70¢ Strawberries 20¢ Eggs 28¢ Milk 35¢ Bread 40¢ Sandwiches & pop 60¢ Cookies 20¢ Total Grub $10.60 Soup, 2 cans 25¢ Freight on canoes $1.74 Oranges 80¢ Drayage .75 Butter, 2# 90¢ Drayage .75 Borden’s 1 can 25¢ 3.24 Onions 2# 15¢ Total honeymoon expenses for four of us June Beans 3 cans 25¢ 16–20, 1917: $13.84

Figure 1.32. Newlyweds Muriel E. and A.M. Bailey and Clara and Fred W. Kent embarking on joint honeymoon, Iowa River, June 1917. Photographer unknown. DMNS No. IV.BA17-063.

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The above cost for food and for transferring our Passenger Pigeons, expecting to be refunded. He looked canoes from Burlington on the Mississippi to Iowa City at them questioningly then asked, “How much did you does not seem too extravagant for the first four days of a say you paid?” I again told him $65. He shook his head honeymoon trip for two couples! To the expense, however, and said, “I guess I’ll let you speculate on them.” must be added our one-way railroad tickets to our new The last thing the newly married Baileys needed home in Louisiana. were two boxes of bird skins—but we had them until the A few days later, Muriel and I started for New Orleans, summer of 1919 when Director J.D. Figgins and ornitholo- stopping off in St. Louis. According to custom, I visited gist Frederick Lincoln of the Colorado Museum of Natural taxidermy shops to see if interesting specimens might History came to New Orleans to go on a field trip with be available. The first was a fine modern establishment me. I showed them the pigeon skins and saw that avari- and the proprietor, Mr. Schwartz, was most hospitable in cious gleam which comes to museum men’s eyes— that showing us around. As we were leaving, he asked if I knew cost them additional money. Trustee John McGuire of the where any Passenger Pigeons were available—he had a Denver museum paid for the pigeons—and the money customer for a pair. I regretted that I knew of none and received was enough for our tickets and cost of sending said I also would like a specimen for our museum. our worldly goods to Juneau, Alaska, a few months later, The next shop was on the wrong side of the tracks where I was to be the first representative of the U.S. in a two-story building that leaned so far to one side it Biological Survey, the forerunner of the Fish and Wildlife was in danger of collapsing. We ascended a dark stairway Service. Some five years later, as a member of the Denver to the second floor and were met by the genial owner museum staff, Figgins gave me the job of mounting the Mr. J.K. Keller. On the back wall were numerous well- birds which are now installed—all 17 birds—in a beau- mounted birds on natural twigs—and in the center of tiful habitat group, the background painted by famous C. the display was a beautiful pair of Passenger Pigeons in Waldo Love in an autumn setting showing the Iowa River, full spring plumage. I explained we were from the Louisi- where my wife and I canoed during our college days. It is ana State Museum and that I was looking for specimens a very personal display which we cherish highly. for our collection. With a wave of his arm Mr. Keller said, Our first home in New Orleans was a two-bedroom “Well, everything I have is for sale.” I pointed to the apartment over a garage of Mr. and Mrs. McWilliams, friends pigeons and asked how much he was asking for them, of the Glenks—a very nice arrangement—and during the to which he replied, “Oh, they are the rare Passenger following months, the hospitable Glenks and McWilliamses Pigeons. They are almost gone. I collected them myself went out of their way to give southern hospitality, which in Minnesota in 1882.” 3 made life in New Orleans a constant delight. I said I realized they were rare, but that if he did Details of hunting trips blur in memory as I did not want too much, I would like to buy them. Mr. Keller not write details in my journal, but two names stand scratched his head and then asked, “Do you think five out—Dad Reno and Archie Diebold, Dad in the office dollars for the pair is too much?” It seemed a reasonable of the Conservation Department and Archie a Game price, and I wound up purchasing 15 more, the majority Warden. For some reason, they liked to have me go skins, but some which had been split in half and were along, and often on a Friday afternoon, Dad would call intended to be mounted for wall decorations. However, me and say they were taking a launch down the Missis- each half was intact. sippi to some favorite spot. The duck limit was 25 and We had to scrape the bottom of our barrel to dig we invariably would end up with a fine bag and could up the entire purchase price of $65, and two days later distribute the birds to all our friends. Archie, a capable I proudly showed Dr. Glenk the two shirt boxes full of warden, had the hard luck a couple years later to get 3 The last Passenger Pigeon died in the Cincinnati, Ohio, stuck in the mud while crossing a little inlet and was zoo in 1914. drowned by a rising tide.

52 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1

Chenier au Tigre, 1918 mosquitoes made things lively, and shot a few ducks for The first field trip for Muriel was to Chenier au Tigre specimens, Muriel using her 20-gauge pump gun. the following March with Warden Wilfred Trahan on his launch the Pintail. With us was a Tulane University student Jules Ledieu who was much interested in herpe- tology. En route down Bayou Vermilion, mockingbirds were noted perched on high twigs along the banks, giving their courtship performances—singing and then springing a few feet into the air with wings and tails spread to their greatest extent, and then floating down to their song perches. The Sagreras had screened the front of their home, and they welcomed us with their usual kind hospitality, including, as we arrived, hot Cajun coffee—the brew so strong it stained the cups. When politicians of Louisiana buttonholed prospective voters and said, “Let’s have a drink,” they usually meant coffee—more potent than the average alcoholic beverage. Muriel found the first day in the marshes a rather strenuous one for a short-legged person wading knee deep, but she was rewarded by seeing the usual great numbers of ducks and large flocks of geese. That night Ledieu and I tried to get close to an enormous band by shining them with carbide lights on our hats, but the birds rose and drifted off into the darkness. My journal reads: “Got back at 2:00 a.m. about eaten alive by mosquitoes.” Figure 1.33. Muriel E. Bailey with geese and The following morning, Ledieu and I worked the pump gun, Chenier au Tigre, Louisiana, March beach and saw many Red-backed Sandpipers, Willets, 1918. DMNS No. IV.BA17-008. Sanderlings, a few gulls, terns, Pintails, and Baldpates. I recorded: “Mosquitoes fierce, horses literally covered, The pasture was a grazing ground for the cattle and we not much better.” of the people on the Chenier, and 400 or 500 yards in About 4:30, Muriel, Jules, and I, with head nets front of us was a small bull. Evidently, the insects were and gloves, rode up to the end of the Chenier to the flat disturbing to him, for he moved into the flock of birds pasture, wide stretches of prairie separated from the Gulf and flushed them. They arose with a clamor, a few at by a few ridges grown with low trees. The grass had been a time, and then settled a short distance beyond. They burned off a month previous, so the new crop was about had hardly dropped to the ground than far distant cries six inches in height. The pasture, about seven miles long announced the first arrivals for the evening, and two was dotted with small ponds which were used by the geese long wavering lines were discernible through the gath- as their resting place at night and after we had ridden a ering darkness. They circled down, and as they landed, mile north to the end of the Chenier, we saw in the dis- distant calls came from all directions. Soon the sky was tance on the ground a flock of 1,000 or more Blue Geese traced with dark moving lines of several V-shaped forma- with a sprinkling of Snow Geese among them (Fig. 1.33). tions making up each group that indicated thousands of We took stands along a pond in some tall grass, where flying geese. The birds on the ground served as decoys

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and those in the air headed toward the resting geese like The next afternoon, I had my own reason for spokes of a wheel to the hub; they sailed downward and disliking snakes. Ledieu and I again took horses and alighted among the ever-increasing horde. We estimated rode to the end of the Chenier, tying our animals and there were more than 10,000 geese in the band—and then starting on foot northward across the pasture where now that darkness was over the pasture, their presence many geese were working. We wanted to collect a few, was evident only by their continuous calls as they wel- and when we reached the chain of lakes, we located some comed newcomers. We called it a day and headed home, longneedle grass which had escaped the fire and chose well satisfied with our experiences. clumps a couple hundred yards apart for our blinds. Back The spring migration of shorebirds was at its and forth flew the great bands of birds as they selected height and, the next evening, Ledieu and I tried to collect the best places to feed, and when any flocks came near, I a few specimens. Jules took his stand on a mud bar at gave goose calls to the best of my ability. Twenty-five of the mouth of a little bayou out of sight from my blind. I them headed toward us, but some old gander out on the waited for him until after dark, but he kept on shooting. prairie took wing and the whole mob followed him—as Finally, a little exasperated, I went to look for him and did the small group I was trying to decoy. found him stuck in mud to his waist—with an incom- Mosquitoes were bad, and I invented a game to pass ing tide. I searched for driftwood and made a walkway the time away by taking off my left glove and trying with over the sticky bar and finally freed him—the hordes of the forefinger of my right hand to kill mosquitoes as they mosquitoes thoroughly enjoying our predicament. settled to feed. The object was to make a straight run of ten Ledieu was having the time of his life at the without a miss. I would get six, seven, or eight and then Chenier collecting reptiles, large and small, but I one would fly, forcing me to start all over again. Then I noticed that Simms did not seem much interested. In found if I waited until an insect sucked enough blood to his daily trips into the marsh, Sagrera constantly ran show red through his skin, I could make my run of ten across cottonmouth moccasins. He was not afraid, but every time. Such a childish pastime soon grew tiresome, so he respected them and kept a wary lookout. He had had I put the glove back on, tightened the net about my neck a couple of unpleasant experiences, as was natural for more securely, and let the frustrated mosquitoes hum. a man living such a strenuous existence. The morning After about two hours in the blind without success, after Jules had been stuck in the mud, Simms had to go I saw two horsemen come from the end of the Chenier to the pasture to look after his cattle, and Jules asked to and head out toward some feeding cattle—and the geese. go along. They rode northward and when they returned The horses ambled lazily, the men swinging their hats at about eight hours later, Jules rolled off his horse and winged pests. A small flock of geese raised ahead of the pulled from inside his shirt a large brownish snake horses, and then the whole mob took wing and swirled with yellow underparts, which he showed me with toward us. I thought surely the band was coming directly delight, explaining, “Didn’t know king snakes were over, but instead, they settled down within 200 yards, down here. Isn’t it a beauty? Forgot to take my collect- the white heads of the adult Blues conspicuous against ing bag along.” the fresh green of the emerging new grass. There was a I found Simms’ reaction surprising—a man who little streambed behind me, fringed with a low growth a saw snakes every day through the summer. He said to couple feet high which made ideal cover for stalking the me a little later in a low voice so no one else could hear, birds. I started on hands and knees through the muck, “Mistah Alfred, I know you wouldn’t bring anyone down the mosquitoes taking undue delight in roosting where here who isn’t all right—but, you know, I hate that Jules my trousers drew tight. I pushed my way with nose near Ledieu just like I hate the snakes he put in his shirt.” It the ground and knees digging in close to the concealing was a lesson I’ve never forgotten—to be careful not to fringe of vegetation, and all the time, the buzz of goose tread on the sensitivities of others. conversation grew louder. I peered cautiously up without

54 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 raising my head more than necessary and, about ten like cheerleaders at a football game—and inches from my nose, looked directly into the opened then again holding their wings horizontally white maw of a cottonmouth moccasin as the ugly brute and quivering them, all the time uttering flattened itself out and waited for me to shove a few their rather monotonous calls. inches nearer. I never thought of geese but shrank back and, with On my many visits to the Chenier through the the muzzle of the gun just beyond the palm of my hand, years, I often accompanied Simms over his traplines. In let drive with a charge of number fours. I was so fright- winter he would go out of his way to get me close to geese ened I have no recollection of the hundreds of geese for motion film and in summer I secured footage as he clamorously rising within 30 feet and swirling away. So “poled” alligators. We would ride horses as far as possible far as I was concerned, the day’s hunt was over. and then wade the marsh, often waist deep. In those days Through the years, I have observed and photo- the reptiles were abundant in Louisiana marshes and the graphed poisonous reptiles in this country, Australia, and hunter received two prices—one for ‘gators six feet long Africa, securing interesting footage, but I learned not to or under, and another for those more than six feet. There include such sequences in my motion film lecture, just was never a thought that someday the animals would because of the adverse reaction of many people. be threatened with extinction. It should be remembered The next trip to the Chenier was two months later that the people of the Chenier were dependent upon their with Professor H.R. Dill of the University of Iowa, who hunting and trapping for a livelihood and that they wanted specimens for display in his museum. Journal preserved the animals carefully. accounts through the years have recorded birds observed, The alligators lived in deep holes in the marsh and a typical entry reads: where there was a permanent supply of water. Such little pools, usually grown with flowering water lilies in May 11, 1918: Arrived at the Chenier from summer months, had fringes of vegetation where the Abbeville the evening of May 9 with Muriel Boat-tailed Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds nested and Professor Dill. No mosquitoes, weather —the little areas in the marshes easily being located fine. Walked up the beach and saw Wilson’s from afar by the actions of the birds. On May 11, Dill Plover, Willets, turnstones, and Laughing and I accompanied Simms into the marsh to secure Gulls. Next morning Dill and I started along specimens; it was my first experience and I recorded at the shore to the south of the little bayou some length the activities of the day. where, while H.R. took a stand, I went farther We went on an alligator hunt this a.m. Simms up the beach. Fine morning with beautiful could not find saddles, so Dill and I rode bareback and cloud effect, strong sea breeze, and high tide. we got along fairly well. Simms trailed a slender pole Among the shorebirds noted were Black- about 20 feet long with a sharp, un-barbed hook on the bellied and Semipalmated Plover, Willets, end. We headed out into the marsh from the pasture as turnstones, and Hudsonian Curlew in large far as possible and then tied the horses to cane—and flocks. The curlew were unsuspicious and started wading. Jumped an old hen Mottled Duck; she decoyed readily, seemingly inquisitive about flew off low and we listened for her chicks hidden in the imitative whistles. There were many Black- marsh grass, locating three by their little chirps. necked Stilts and found two nests with four Directly ahead, not far from where we tied the eggs each. The nesting birds would crouch horses, was a nice water-lily-grown pool with possibly down with breast feathers roughed out, and a dozen grackle nests in the bordering vegetation. The they scolded with high-pitched voices and water was waist deep and Simms started probing along would jump in the air, fluttering their wings the edges until he located the alligator hole. No one was

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at home. A couple hundred yards beyond was another talking to the ‘gators when I heard a gentle ripple behind grackle and blackbird colony and a larger pool of water, and turned around in time to see an eight-foot one that a beautiful spot with flowers of the water lily at the height came from another hole. He slid through the grass and of their beauty. Simms found the entrance to a den and twisted so it was impossible to reach him. about 12 feet back was a ‘gator. The hunters usually try There is a science to ‘gator hunting. It takes a good to make the animals mad by tormenting them so they pole 18 to 20 feet long; it should be limber so that it will will grab the end of the hook, as it is difficult to pull one go into a crooked hole and feel out the corners (Fig. out unless caught through the mouth, I tried the pole 1.34). Simms worked hard on this ‘gator for an hour, and could feel the old fellow fighting it. Simms yanked standing waist deep. We sounded the hole from behind him out rather easily—a male 6’7” long. by pushing the pole down and found the back to be some We cached our game and the skin and tried several seven feet deep—which Simms said was about average. other holes, one being longer than the pole so we did We had to give up without landing our game. not know whether a ‘gator was in the den. Saw several There was a favorable den in the next pool we worked small young and Simms caught one by making a grunt- and although the ‘gator fought the pole, we were unable ing noise which brought the animal to the surface of to land him and finally went on. A little four-footer which the pond. I was bending down, trying to imitate Simms Simms caught in his hands was turned loose, and at the

Figure 1.34. Simms Sagrera poling an alligator, Chenier au Tigre, Louisiana, May 1918. DMNS No. IV.BA17-058.

56 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 next try, one seven feet long surprised us by coming out of eliminated due to pesticides. I have mentioned specific his own accord—making Simms step lively to get out of the islands so that future observers may make comparisons. way. The animal finally was caught, and we roughed out We left New Orleans, June 7, 1918, and the next day the skins and started back, passing by the hole where we visited the crescent-shaped Isle au Pitre at the north end had touched the ‘gator but failed to catch. To our surprise, of Chandeleur Sound, about 20 miles south of Gulfport, there were tracks leading away—a not uncommon occur- Mississippi, a fine little island with wide shell expanses. rence when the reptiles have been disturbed, according to There were 300 Brown Pelicans and numerous terns and Simms. We followed and soon caught up to the seven-foot- gulls, but none nesting. The Alexandria cruised along long reptile—giving me a chance for a photo. the Chandeleur chain southward to Errol Island, and my We returned to the Chenier, both Dill and I being so brief notes for June 8 read: tired we could not enjoy our supper. Almost decided to pass Errol by, it looked so Seabird Colonies, 1918 small and inconspicuous, but the evident The Louisiana offshore islands in the Gulf of Mexico have numbers of seabirds changed our minds. been noted for their concentration of nesting seabirds of As we landed from the dinghy, a wonderful several species, notably those off the east coast in Chan- sight greeted us. Royal and Cabot (Sand- deleur and Breton Sounds, “mud lumps” off the delta of wich) Terns were nesting in great colonies, the Mississippi River, and the numerous islets and shell and to see those beautiful feathered folk in keys to the westward to Marsh Island. their native habitat with the thousands of During the days of feather hunting for the mil- flashing wings—the shimmering sea and linery trade, the spring arrival of terns and gulls from the blue of the sky—all made a picture southern wintering areas to their breeding grounds that harmonized wonderfully. The Cabot was eagerly awaited by many gunners, and thousands Terns were my favorites, more fearless than of the graceful birds were slaughtered. Then wise the Royals and seemingly more concerned conservation practices prevailed, the birds increased, with the welfare of their young, for they and the colonies were protected by state and federal covered them from the sun even when we laws, and by 1918 there were fine concentrations on approached within a few yards, the nearer Louisiana islands. ones taking wing and circling back as soon There had been some concern among commercial as we moved away. fishermen that the pelicans were destroying fishes of value, and as a consequence, T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary We continued a few miles farther to Grand Cochere of the Audubon Society, arranged a visit to the islands where there were twice as many birds, a really beautiful through the cooperation of the Louisiana Conservation sight for the air over the entire northern end was just one Department to study the food habits of the huge birds. mass of gleaming wings, and the birds upon the ground Stanley Arthur and I were delegated to accompany him were crowded closely together. No attempt to describe the on the conservation boat Alexandria, which Theodore concentration will give anyone an idea of the enormous Roosevelt had used on his tour of the bird islands of the numbers of screaming birds. Louisiana Gulf Coast. Pelicans were nesting in low mangroves, and we In the following narrative of our journey, I have captured an adult. It seemed a good opportunity to prove mentioned bird observations at some length in that there we were studying the food habits of the clumsy bird, have been great changes during the half-century and more so T. Gilbert Pearson obligingly opened the large beak that have passed since my early experiences. Storms have and peered into the empty pouch, as I took his and the damaged many islands, and pelicans have been nearly pelican’s photograph (Fig. 1.35).

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As soon as the light was favorable the morning of June 12, we visited the mud lumps and it was a wonderful experience. There were about 20 islands, varying from a few hundred square feet to several acres in extent, which were said to have been pushed to the surface by heavy deposits of silt from the Father of Waters. There were thousands of pelicans; the islands farthest from shore had the largest young, while the later arrivals occupied the near lumps. The vegetation was scant, only a few coarse grasses and nightshade growing sparingly. Indeed, the birds were so numerous that plant life had little chance to grow, and as a result, nesting material was at a premium. Adults could be seen coming from afar, dangling sticks from their beaks to be used in the construction of nests. These were crudely built, usually with two to three chalk-white eggs, both adults sharing the task of incubation. The newly hatched were naked, dark, skinny little fellows, entirely helpless and needing the constant shelter of an adult from the semitropical sun. A coat of white down was soon acquired, and not long after, the youngsters left the nests to pad about the near vicinity—the adults, however, Figure 1.35. T. Gilbert Pearson with pelicans, returning to the site to feed their offspring. Grand Cochere Island, Louisiana, June 8, I put up my blind on the nearest lump where there 1918. DMNS No. IV.BA17-064. were newly hatched black little young and took numerous The Alexandria worked close along the shores photos. It was interesting to watch them feed; they almost of Breton Island June 10 and then was headed for Bat- crawled into their parents’ throats, with wheezy cries, and tledore where there were “about 1,000 Laughing Gulls, hunched forward like hungry calves—I suppose to hurry 5,000 terns—Royal, Cabot, and Forster’s—and about up the process of regurgitation. Many were so full of fish 300 Skimmers. All were nesting.” that tails were sticking from their mouths. As the old The next day, a stop was made on low-lying Hog birds circled before landing, the young seemed to know Island where “we found plenty of nesting birds—many when their parents were approaching, for they started to young Skimmers, Forster’s Terns, Royals (with fresh cry in an excited manner before the adults landed. All eggs), and Laughing Gulls, each species nesting sepa- nest sites were examined carefully, but no game fish were rately. Photos were secured of Skimmers at ten feet; they found. Apparently, the pelicans were feeding their young were rather wild but, when frightened off, came right almost exclusively upon menhaden (the principal food back and settled.” fish of the pelican). The delta of the Mississippi was reached about dark The warden from the lighthouse accompanied us and the Alexandria was stuck on a mud bar briefly at the to the various islands. He said the first eggs were laid entrance to Pass-a-Loutre, the easternmost channel of about April 15 and that the islands would be repopulated the Mississippi. Pelicans were noted on all of the islands as soon as the first young departed—probably indicating and great strings of adults flying low were observed new arrivals of adults rather than the pelicans raising returning to their nesting places. two broods.

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The Alexandria headed into Pass late in the after- knock down and eat the succulent shoots, much to the noon and up the Mississippi to Buras, where we anchored irritation of the plantation hands who were in charge of for the night. The next morning, after taking on ice and harvesting the crop. other supplies, the launch dropped down Sou’West Pass Mr. McIlhenny (Mistah Ned or Mr. Mac) decided on into the open Gulf. One little island visited had about 200 a hunt, and he invited many well-known sportsmen of adult pelicans with 45 young. We “had a fine day’s trip the country, who had fine packs of dogs, to participate— westward to Timbalier, sea smooth, weather beautiful.” resulting in a band of 54 dogs in full cry as they pursued a bear. I was invited to join the hunt. Working through June 14: Laid off Timbalier all day. Went the palmettos under the moss-hung cypresses and tupelo to the small bird island first and found the gums was an unforgettable experience. Pelicans had not started nesting. There were The sportsmen took stands, but I, with a couple of many Skimmers, Laughing Gulls, Cabots, others, chose to follow the hounds, often in knee-deep and Caspian Terns. Along the beach of the water, my rifle being an ancient beat-up .44 caliber main island found eggs of the Florida Night- which Mr. Ned loaned me. It was a four-day hunt, and hawk and there were many Wilson’s Plover. the first afternoon, an old bruin was closely followed Tried fishing and got my thumb burned by the dogs and I tried to keep up. Finally, the call of on the reel, trying to stop a six-foot tarpon the hounds indicated the bear was at bay, and I was the which grabbed my lure. The line went out so only hunter near. I pushed my way through the tangled fast my thumb smoked. The fish kept going vegetation until the large black animal could be seen with all my line. backed against a cypress—swiping with outthrust claws at the snarling dogs hemming him in from all sides. The last two days of the journey were an anticli- Out of breath and on my knees, I squared away, and max as far as concentrations of birds were concerned. as the gun was shifted from my right hand to the left to Stops were made the 15th along the little sandspits where put stock to my shoulder—there was a sickening realiza- numerous Man-o’-wars and Pelicans were seen; the tion that there was no stock! It had come off somewhere Alexandria was anchored for the night off the mouth of along the trail. The proposed victim was only 20 feet away the Atchafalaya, and the next day, we continued the long and looked formidable among the shadows. I tried to use run westward, visiting the Federal Bird Reservation and the rifle like a revolver but could not hold the gun steady, Shell Keys off Marsh Island where many Royal Terns had so I backed from the heavy cover as gracefully as pos- young larger than seen elsewhere. The launch was well sible and hastily started to follow my trail. The missing offshore as we passed Chenier au Tigre and, some hours stock was found 50 feet away, where I had crossed a fallen later, headed into Calcasieu Pass and the calm waters tree. Hastily it was jammed on, and I ran back and again of the lake to spend the night. The following morning, crawled within sight of the vociferous dogs and the bear we continued our journey up the river lined with moss- and attempted to aim but couldn’t make the stock fit hung cypresses. my cheek. Finally, the gun was fired, and in spite of the uncomfortable position—the old bruin dropped (Fig. Bear Hunt, 1918 1.36). It was not until the other hunters arrived that it Probably my most memorable hunting trip in the fall was discovered that, in my haste and excitement, the very of 1918 was in the swamps adjacent to Avery Island. straight stock had been stuck on upside down! The season had been a dry one, and as a consequence, As I was hurrying after the hounds, I recalled a story water was low in the great cypress forests, making it Mr. Ned had told me early that morning about a hunt he possible to hunt on foot. Black bear had been unusu- had had a few years previously. He and a man from the ally abundant that summer, invading the cane field to North were standing on a knoll and the dogs were in full

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Figure 1.36. Black bear hunt, Avery Island, Louisiana, Fall 1918. DMNS No. IV.BA17-035.

cry in the cypresses below—and anyone who has listened Lyon on the Opelousas, so I looked forward to joining him to the excited yaps of a dozen hounds on trail knows the at Morgan City December 6 for a run down the historic thrill of the chase. Turning to his friend, McIlhenny waved Atchafalaya, a wide hyacinth-grown river lined on the upper his hand in the direction of the dogs as he commented, reaches with cypresses festooned with Spanish moss. “Ah, isn’t that music fit for the gods?” We headed through picturesque stands of vegeta- The Northerner, after listening for a moment, shook tion into narrow Shell Island Bayou to pay a brief visit his head and then replied, rather sheepishly, “Can’t hear to the William Cantys, old settlers of the area who had a thing for the racket those damn dogs are making.” arrived 65 years earlier and had established a Swiss The hunt continued for three more days and six Family Robinson place, a little paradise situated at the bears were taken. junction of the bayou. They had a wealth of orange, peach, and fig trees, and a thick bank of banana palms Down the Atchafalaya, 1918 to give a tropical setting. Their well-kept garden assured Journeys in 1918 into the marsh country with the conserva- them of an abundance of the necessities of life. tion men were always of interest, each one being made to The Hawkins family (the wife, the daughter of secure specimens for exhibit in the museum. Two years had “old Mrs. Canty”) and another young couple with their passed since my trip down Bayou Terrebonne with Captain children were most hospitable. The men were tall and

60 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 soft-spoken and, like those of the Chenier and elsewhere in a sheltered cove. I hoped to collect a few White Pelicans of coastal Louisiana, made much of their living by trap- for a group and 40 were counted along the sands just at ping furbearers in winter—one coming in shortly after dusk. After dark, St. Claire landed me on the beach and I our arrival with two raccoons and a mink. They used the tried to stalk the birds with a light. My notes read: slender pirogues for winter travel but had built up the sides so the oars were elevated, enabling the men to stand The moon was too bright for decent results, on their tippy crafts as they propelled themselves forward but at that, it was about the most interest- at about five miles an hour—much better time than was ing trip I’ve had, even if I didn’t collect the possible paddling. My notes read: white ones. When we landed, we were turned around and didn’t know where to locate the After the stop at Cantys’, traveled all day— pelicans. I heard terns and gulls calling, through Atchafalaya Bay toward Point au Fer the skimmers seemed active in the dark- into Four League Bay and over to Mosquito ness and not just resting, so I headed their Bayou. Saw numerous flocks of ducks scattered way. Cormorants were by the hundreds and over shimmering water and flushed them as allowed me within ten feet. I saw two white we passed—Mallards, Pintail, and Gadwall. heads, but they proved to be Brown Pelicans. We headed for Oyster Bayou; the water was It was surprising how close we were able to very shallow and miserable time was made. get before they clumsily took wing. The eyes Day warm with a slick ca’m and mosquitoes of the mass of cormorants gleamed greenish attentive. When near the bayou, St. Clair (the and reddish in the beam of my light, but we engineer) and I took the dinghy and ran up the couldn’t locate the White Pelicans. first stream to the left of the mouth of Oyster Bayou. The tide was low, the oyster reefs were Isle Dernière, just west of Timbalier, is well named, numerous, and our craft drew so much water for it is the southernmost of the Louisiana islands except we entered the place with difficulty, working for the mud lumps off the mouth of the Mississippi. far back to a favorite resting place for ducks Captain Lyon allowed me a couple of hours ashore the and flushed several hundred. A blind was next morning before our start back to Morgan City, and made with the expectation we would have a I noted that: “Skimmers are on the island by thousands, good shoot when the birds returned, but the great waves of them. They seem to be more or less noctur- mosquitoes were by billions. There were dozens nal, often sitting around on the mud bars by day, and as on each stalk of grass and so many swarmed soon as twilight comes around, they start flying over the around our heads it was almost impossible to water, their lower mandibles cutting the surface as they see through them. In fact, we probably couldn’t gather food. There were many shorebirds on the flats, have seen an incoming duck. We took our pun- Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plover and Least, Semi- ishment for a short time and then headed back palmated and Red-backed Sandpipers. Many Caspian and to the launch, arriving after dark. a few Royal and Least Terns, and numerous Ring-billed, Laughing, and Herring Gulls. No White Pelicans.” And so With an early start in a light fog the next morning, ended my short field trip through the coastal waters— we ran to the mouth of the bayou, pausing briefly at a little unproductive in the securing of photographs. lighthouse for a chat with the keeper who hadn’t been away Museum affairs progressed nicely in between field from his place for three years. His was a lonely existence. trips. Specimens collected were mounted; many exhibits Our course took us into the open Gulf and eastward a two- were prepared by the end of 1918 and others planned. J.D. hour run to Isle Dernière, where the anchor was dropped Figgins, director of the Colorado Museum, had written

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me during the summer that they were completing an tonged more than enough for our evening meal, and addition to the museum in Denver and that he would returned to camp. be interested in securing southern birds, which he could With an early start next morning we ran to Hell install in habitat groups. As a result of my fieldwork, I Hole, expecting to find hundreds of geese—and saw not had collected more specimens than we needed, so Figgins one, so Trahan headed for the Chenier and we arrived at and I arranged an exchange. He sent me four fine bison the Sagreras’ in the late afternoon, receiving the usual specimens which I mounted in a large prairie exhibit, friendly welcome. and I was pleased to have collected some of the first The next three days were typical of winter in specimens to be exhibited in the Denver museum’s new the southern coastal region. Muriel and I on the first Standley Wing. Mr. Figgins and I kept up a regular corre- morning headed back into the marsh, loaded down with spondence, and I suggested that, possibly, he might like to cameras. She found the going a bit difficult wading in join me on a field trip the next summer, mentioning that knee-deep water, wearing hip boots, pushing through a journey among the bird islands might be of interest. marsh vegetation, but still had the energy that evening, He took kindly to the idea and we made tentative plans, after Zoe Sagrera’s wonderful duck dinner, to record the based on my being able to arrange transportation. day’s events as follows:

1919 January 18, 1919: Went directly to Simms’ trap- Many field trips of short duration are mentioned in my ping camp. Saw many White-faced Glossy Ibis journal, each of interest to me but recorded briefly here (bec-croche—crooked bill to our Cajun friends). only in résumé. Wilfred Trahan met Muriel and me at They have a swift erratic flight when searching Abbeville with his launch Pintail January 16, and as for food over the lowlands and swirl about in soon as our equipment was aboard, we were winding our the air with the wavelike motion characteristic way southward. There were few birds along Vermilion of skimmers—swooping this way and that, their Bayou—an occasional Anhinga in the cypresses and wings making a swishing noise audible for a flashes of red as cardinals crossed the stream in front of long distance. Each bird flies seemingly with no the launch—but when the choppy waters of Vermilion particular position in the flock. When alarmed, Bay were reached, many large flocks of dos gris (Scaup they have a direct flight, the whole band string- Ducks) skittered over the water and they took wing. ing out in file, each bird holding its relative Trahan headed the Pintail for the warden’s shack on position. They were curious, however, often the game refuge, and then with the dinghy, we scouted circling over us, peering down with little notes around the nearby lakes and ponds. of alarm. When feeding, they keep up a constant The Louisiana marshes teemed with birdlife; conversation. On our return along the beach, we Snowy Herons, Big Blues, and Louisianas were wading saw nine Long-billed Curlew. in shallow waters; dowitchers (dormeurs—sleepers— to our French-speaking friends) were on every mud bar, Two more days were spent observing the birds and with them were other species of shorebirds. Trahan along the sand and mud shores of the Gulf and back in was an excellent fieldman and knew where to go to the marsh, and Muriel and I took numerous photos of locate interesting species. He chugged along narrow marsh-festooned live oaks and palmettos. Trahan picked canals through stands of cane. Ducks of many species us up on January 22 for the 50-mile journey back to would raise with a flurry of wings, and there were the Abbeville—and the train trip to New Orleans. constant calls of Blue and Snow Geese to remind us that Less than two weeks later, I was back on Avery we were in one of America’s fine wildfowl wintering Island to observe and, hopefully, to photograph nesting grounds. En route back, we stopped on an oyster reef, Bald Eagles. Mr. Mac knew of several sites and had two of

62 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 his men accompany me. My notes of February 2 mention One of the employees of the rice ranch, Elmer that we went out in the swamp with Nathan Foreman Bowman, was an old-time market hunter back in the days and Gabriel Landre to an eagle’s nest, which was located when no protection was given to the hordes of wildfowl in a picturesque, dead cypress festooned with moss. wintering on the vast marsh areas of southern Louisiana. When I was two-thirds of the way up the tree, the old He and his seven-year-old son Bobby were ardent hunters bird flushed and, after a few circles, disappeared, not to and offered to help us secure some Canada Geese. Early return as long as we remained in the vicinity. There were the third morning, I accompanied them to the edge of two eggs in the nest. a great rice field where wildfowl of many species were We then went across the marsh to the Weeks harvesting the crop. We made a blind and put out a Island region where a pair had built their nest—about stand of “blackhead” (Canada Geese) decoys, and Bobby five feet across, high up in a very tall cypress. The old crouched in front of us. Soon a band of geese came birds were not around, but we could see the two large flying low, and the youngster started his quavering goose young and could hear the crying now and then. One of talk, imitating the calls of the birds perfectly. With head the old birds came in dangling a piece of moss behind down, I remained motionless as Elmer cautioned, “Don’t her, giving her tail a long, pointed appearance. It was move.” I could hear the sound of great wings circling, not until she circled close that I could identify what she and then, when the geese were actually backing air to carried. Both pairs of eagles had built in the very top drop to the ground, Elmer gave the word—“Now.” of the cypresses and both were close to the open marsh Later, when we picked up the fine specimens we’d and away from other trees—so the adults could survey collected and noted the great number of birds massed a wide stretch of territory. to the southward where only a few trappers had been, About three weeks later, February 26, Stanley Elmer said that undoubtedly more Canada and White- Arthur and I made the first of several trips to Cameron, fronted Geese wintered in that region than elsewhere in the southwest parish of Louisiana, where we stayed on a Louisiana. 20,000-acre plantation grown with rice and overrun with Our fieldwork in Cameron completed and speci- wildfowl, Canada and White-fronted Geese being especially mens cared for, Stanley Arthur and I headed for New numerous. Bill Lea, later the mayor of Orange, Texas, was Orleans, but five weeks later my wife and I were on our in charge of the great sawgrass marsh which extended way to Chenier au Tigre to observe the spring migration southward to the Gulf of Mexico, an area at that time inac- along that strategic coastline. Muriel recorded in my cessible to hunters because of the lack of waterways, the notebook under date of April 6: tall sharp-edged grass being an effective barrier. Arthur and I were interested in White-fronted Arrived at Abbeville at 2:30 p.m. and left Geese, for someone had reported the large race A. a. next morning with Wilfred Trahan on his gambeli, which winters in California from southwestern launch for the run down to Vermilion Bayou, Louisiana, and we desired specimens. Buck Huffman, an the dark green of tall trees looming above, alligator hunter and trapper, knew where the “speckle- the freshness of smaller ones reminding bellies” were feeding, so we accompanied him that us of wooded hills of Iowa. We saw various afternoon over extensive grasslands in a buckboard, birds including thrushes, cardinals, and flushing en route several small groups of Attwater Prairie mockingbirds. Along Deep Water Bayou, Chickens, even then becoming very rare, this apparently Snowy Egrets, Louisiana Herons, and many being the last observation of the species in Louisiana shorebirds were very tame—also numerous (Lowery 1955). Several flocks of geese were located, and Boat-tailed Grackles, Redwings, warblers, Buck and I made successful stalks, but all the specimens and sparrows. Arrived at the Chenier in late proved to be the common A. a. frontalis. afternoon, and after going to the Sagreras’,

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we took a quick trip up the beach, I riding a large launch with excellent accommodations for the the gentle old white horse [Fig. 1.37], and journey. The plans were to go down the Mississippi to the observed Caspian and Royal Terns and many pelican colonies of the mud lumps and then northward shorebirds. Found a nest of Mottled Ducks into Breton and Chandeleur Sounds to the numerous shell with 12 eggs within 200 yards of the Gulf. keys where silver-winged seabirds nested by the thousands. Mr. Figgins responded enthusiastically and said he would Five days were spent with the hospitable Sagre- like to bring another member of his staff. ras, during which time many interesting species were During May, a representative of the U.S. Biologi- observed, including several bands of Hudsonian Curlew, cal Survey, E.R. Kalmbach, had been studying the food the first of the season, according to Simms. On three habits of the Yellow-crowned Night Heron in the cypress consecutive evenings after dark, we wandered both north swamps of Louisiana. Stanley Arthur and I saw him and south of the Sagrera home with carbide lights on often and had nicknamed him “Gros-bec” (big beak), our heads and “shined” the eyes of several Screech Owls the Cajun name for the long-legged Night Heron. He was that made their homes in hollows of the moss-festooned an ardent fieldman, and as the time approached for our live oaks. expedition to the bird islands, I suggested he wind up On our return to New Orleans, I wrote J.D. Figgins his studies in time to accompany us. The short launch regarding his joining me on a field trip to the islands journey among the teeming bird colonies proved to be of the Gulf, for I had arranged with Conservation Com- one of the most important of all I was to make in more missioner M.L. Alexander for the use of the Alexandria, than half a century of activity.

Figure 1.37. Muriel E. Bailey, Chenier au Tigre, Louisiana, April 6, 1919. DMNS No. IV.BA17-043.

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Figure 1.38. Frederick C. Lincoln and Jesse D. Figgins with pelicans, Louisiana mud lumps, June 2, 1919. DMNS No. IV.BA19-02. J.D. Figgins, accompanied by Frederick C. Lincoln, several Mexican boats flying yellow flags. Curator of Birds at the Denver museum, who later devel- As we progressed downstream, we sat oped the bird banding department for the U.S. Biological around in comfortable chairs, took moving Survey, arrived in New Orleans on the last of May, and all pictures and ate fine meals. A few Royal arrangements were made for our departure the following Terns and Louisiana Herons circled the day on the Alexandria with Captain Dan Lynch and a launch. Near the mouth of the Mississippi, crew of four. As there were excellent accommodations, we passed the barber pole lighthouse about my wife Muriel was a member of the party and her notes 6:30 p.m. and then began to see small flocks for the first day, June 1 record: of Brown Pelicans returning to their nesting islands. Then the mud lumps appeared, and The five of us left New Orleans at 9:30 on the we could see that they were literally covered fine launch Alexandria; the day was cloudy with pelicans. We ran back into the mouth of and threatening. We cruised through the Pass a l’Outre, where the ocean swell was not harbor where a captured German submarine so noticeable, and anchored for the night. was anchored and, as we headed down the June 2: It rained during the night and Mississippi, met many fruit boats and three the morning looked a little squally, but we freighters. At the quarantine station, we noticed took the dinghy and investigated the lumps.

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On the first were a few pelican eggs and tiny The young large and small are great India rubber babies, on the next [were] eggs beggars, pleading for food from every adult only, and on the third were 35 nests of Caspian coming near, but their usual reception from Terns and young pelicans. After lunch, we all strangers was a good cuff on the head. The (Figgins, Lincoln, Kalmbach, and Baileys) old pelicans were quarrelsome, snapping went to the lumps farther out in the Gulf bills at each other, especially when one where there were about 10,000 pelicans, many tried to steal nesting material, which was with nearly full-grown young, on each of the at a premium. If the claim was held down two islands [Fig. 1.38]. Set up blinds and Mr. by a young, he would do his best to protect Figgins took moving pictures; AMB took stills his home, but the big bird would usually with the 4x5 Graflex. The pelicans settled down succeed in grabbing a beakful of sticks. I when all was quiet, and the young varied in saw one pelican with a brown head sitting size from newly hatched naked little fellows, on three eggs. It seems the nesting birds to those with white down, and the well-grown have varied plumages—not just the adult birds with wing feathers well developed. white heads.

Figure 1.39. Brown pelicans and young, Louisiana mud lumps, June 1919. DMNS No. IV.0099-239.

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The very small black young were sheltered from the heat of the sun, the old one standing over the baby, usually erect, although sometimes stooping with half- drooping wings casting shadows. Whenever a neighbor or its offspring would waddle near the nest of another, he was greeted with an angry snapping of beaks, even the small young adding their quaint squawks. There was a combination of sounds in the pelican colonies, ranging all the way from elephant-like grunts to complaining caterwauls. One little India-rubber baby had hard luck; a parent had presented him a won- derful appetizing mouthful of half-digested menhaden, and the youngster naturally Figure 1.40. Laughing Gull on nest with tried to swallow it whole, but unfortunately, eggs, Hog Island, Louisiana, June 3, 1919. the sharp spines caught in the throat, and DMNS No. IV.0091-097. the fish would not go up or down [Fig. 1.39]. Kalmbach played the good Samaritan. to their nesting sites. The one closest to the blind settled so quickly I didn’t get a shot of her standing over the The Alexandria remained anchored off the Pass eggs. She was panting, and her whole body shook as she June 3, while we photographed pelicans, and was headed sat incubating, her mouth held open with drool dripping northward the next day. A brief stop was made on Breton from the tip of the beak. She flushed when the shutter Island, but there were few birds, so we continued on to of the Graflex made its usual snap as an exposure was Hog Island where many Royal Terns, Laughing Gulls, and taken, but she soon returned—a most satisfactory pho- Skimmers had fresh eggs. Figgins secured movies, while tographic subject. I concentrated on getting stills on half a dozen pairs The Alexandria was anchored off Errol Island June of Forster’s Terns with both eggs and young, the adults 5 and we found that two small islands which, having being most cooperative. The agile silver-winged birds at good bird populations in 1918, had been wiped out by first hovered over the blind, uttering their monotonous, storms. One sandspit had about 150 pelican nests—all querulous notes, and then one dropped to its distant with fresh eggs—while there were about 3,000 nesting nest, the others settling down also landing with wings Royal and Cabot (Sandwich) Terns (Fig. 1.41, Fig. 1.42), upraised for a few moments. Two on empty nests close many pairs having eggs and young a few days old. We to the blind gave little chirps, and downy young emerged set up blinds, as usual, with Lincoln, Kalmbach, and from shade or scant growth and made haste to return to Muriel occasionally going in with the photographers. the shelter of the parent’s wings. The terns were very quarrelsome, continually striking A nearby group of Laughing Gulls had nests more at their neighbors, shrieking at the top of their voices, concealed than the terns (Fig. 1.40). The blind was each nesting pair seemingly owning as much territory erected close to a set of three eggs in rather an exposed as it could defend with its beak. The terns, like pelicans, position and soon the adult landed some four feet away were solicitous of their own young, but extremely liberal and approached the nest timidly—and the rest of the with the cuffs handed to their neighbor’s children. They flock hovered overhead, individuals gradually dropping would strike the fuzzy little fellows whenever they toddled

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Figure 1.41. Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, and Brown Pelicans, Errol Island, Louisiana, June 5, 1919. DMNS No. IV.BA19-15. within range, seeking shelter from the sun’s hot rays. being most numerous. We estimated about 13,000 in all. I saw an adult Royal shelter her young, while another They had fresh eggs, the island being rather low and a came from behind and forced its way under cover. fit place for another catastrophe if strong onshore winds The nests were so close together that there was a should blow. There were a few raccoons on the island as continuous hubbub going on, the noise so deafening evidenced by numerous tracks. A large colony of pelicans it was necessary to shout to Figgins in his blind only a used one mangrove island just offshore from the main few steps away. The adults were bringing in small shiny one, some of the nests being rather bulky structures fishes held crosswise in their beaks. They stood about either in the mangroves or on the ground. All eggs were warding off attempts of other birds to grab the food and fresh and the birds seemed very wild, possibly an indica- then would dart in quickly and feed their own young. tion they had been molested.” The middle of Errol had been washed by a high tide The evenings aboard the Alexandria were full of and there was a row of about 1,000 Royal Tern eggs thrown interest as we sat about after dinner chewing the fat, back against bushes. The north end of Errol was visited each of us telling of past experiences and hopes for the the next day where, according to my notes: “We found future. Figgins told of his journey to Greenland with the an immense colony of terns, the Cabot’s (Sandwich) North Pole explorer Peary when they secured the great

68 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 meteorite now in the American Museum before Figgins peninsula, while a couple hundred Royals nested along became director of the Denver museum. Kalmbach the shore, vulnerable to high tides and strong winds, like recalled his experiences the past summer with the Cajun others we had seen. people while studying the food habits of the night herons, There was a fine colony of about 75 Least Terns and the others seemed interested in the account of my with fresh eggs and downies, and Kalmbach and I put first field trip to Laysan and the other Hawaiian Leeward up a blind, the old birds dropping to their eggs or young Islands. I expressed the desire that someday Muriel and I within eight feet, some of the young seeking shade along- should work in Alaska. side the blind. When the canvas was lifted, several came Weather conditions were fine June 7, and we con- inside. One adult was incubating an egg and caring for tinued our journey along the Chandeleur chain, but no two downies, and when another youngster strolled by, she landing was made as few concentrations of birds were darted off her nest and picked it savagely. Often I put my seen until we were off Free Mason Shoals where there hand out to frighten her from the nest, but she would were mangrove thickets and fine shell beaches. A landing immediately land, posing with wings half lifted, afford- was made and a pair of shrill-voiced Oystercatchers ing me an excellent opportunity for studying position greeted us. About 100 Caspian Terns were at the tip of the and shooting pictures. My notes state:

Figure 1.42. Cabot (Sandwich) Terns. Errol Island, Louisiana, June 5, 1919. DMNS No. IV.0091-185.

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The young are very inconspicuous, nearly Bayou where we saw plenty of buzzards, white little fellows with dark spots, so they gros-bec, crows, and three flying Roseate blend with the background. When they Spoonbills. Then we saw 11 more perched on crouch close to the shell, it is almost impos- a little cypress, beautiful pink fellows against sible to see them. The adults, however, are the blue of the sky. Arrived at the farm at very anxious when an intruder is near, their noon, had a good feed, and ran down to shrill piping notes indicating their fears. watch the boys dip cattle. June 8: Took the dinghy for a run into Elephant Pass to look for Oystercatchers, but The next two days were full of interest in that the key was pretty well worn down since my we made many trips out into the marsh and to nesting last visit, and beyond a few gulls and terns, colonies in nearby cypress swamps. In one visited the we saw little. 17th “were many nests of Great Blue Herons with full- We stopped at a point where Skimmers grown young, Little Blues, a world of Yellow-crowned and were starting to nest; saw some Red-winged Black-crowned Gros-becs, and 50 Anhingas, the majority Blackbirds and a couple of Willets—also three with large, downy young. The old Anhingas sailed over- Diamond-backed Terrapins, one just in the act head continuously, each with its fluted tail, looking like of laying eggs. She had crawled up on the shell my idea of the primitive archaeopteryx. There were five beach, dug a depression about three feet deep, Roseates. It was a long hot trip, wading knee- to waist- and three eggs had been deposited. deep carrying movie camera and tripod as well as other Captain Dan then headed to Smith equipment, and Lincoln has decided he has had enough Keys, off Isle au Pitre, where we visited last swamp work.” year with Pearson. There were many Man-o’- The final trip was to a colony along Black Bayou, wars, the majority males, while on Errol they with Buck Huffman, where there were many Roseates. were females. After the brief stop, we ran on to New Orleans, tying up at the dock, ending We found them extremely wild, flushing at an interesting field trip with congenial friends first sight. Buck thinks they use the nests and memories of the colonies of nesting birds, of the herons, for they are late nesters and wonderful sky effects each evening. and, according to him, start their activities without previous nest building. In flight, Kalmbach headed back for Washington the next the Roseates remind me of cranes, for they day, but Figgins and Lincoln remained in the vicinity of circle high in uniform ranks with military New Orleans for a week, taking short field trips nearby precision, each bird keeping its proper to secure specimens and photographs. In the evenings, interval in the line. They scrutinize the cover they invited my wife and me to dinner at their hotel and thoroughly, flying very high and circling and we were greatly impressed, for invariably the meals cost then, when apparently satisfied that all is more than one dollar. well, come dropping from the clouds with a The next entry in my journal was June 16 telling whirr of wings. that Figgins, Lincoln and I had arrived at Orange, Texas, where Bill Lea met us. Our summer field trip was concluded, which, as mentioned above, proved to be an important one. We got our supplies aboard the launch During the following years, I collected from Arctic and made an immediate start for the farm, Alaska to Africa, but I kept up my correspondence with heading down the Sabine and, then, Black Dr. Glenk and other friends of earlier days. There were

70 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 Life of a Museum Naturalist vol. 1 plaintive letters from Bill Lea, who had become mayor References of Orange, Texas, complaining that oil men were drill- ing along Black Bayou, roads were being built across Bailey, A.M. 1918. The monk seal of the southern Pacific. the prairies, and game in the vicinity of his rice acreage American Museum Journal 18: 396–399. was depleted by the hordes of hunters. He mentioned Bailey, A.M. & Niedrach, R.J. 1951. Stepping stones across our friend Lutcher Stark, the wealthy lumberman of the Pacific. Denver Museum of Natural History, Orange who had purchased 150,000 acres of marshland Museum Pictorial 3: 64 pp. and had built a canal into the previously inaccessible Bailey, A.M. 1952. Laysan and Black-footed Albatross. area in the very region that Elmer Bowman, my goose Denver: Denver Museum of Natural History, hunting companion, had desired to work, and that Museum Pictorial 6: 78 pp. Lutcher had a houseboat as a hunting base. More than Bailey, A.M. 1952a. The Hawaiian monk seal. Denver, ten years were to elapse before I was privileged to again Denver Museum of Natural History, Museum Picto- work in Cameron Parish. rial 7: 30 pp. Bailey, A.M. 1956. Birds of Midway and Laysan Islands. Denver: Denver Museum of Natural History, Museum Pictorial 12: 130 pp. Bryan, W.A. 1915. Natural History of Hawaii. Honolulu: Hawaii Gazette Co. (chapter Sealing expeditions, 1859 on pp. 303–304) Dill, H.R. & Bryan, W.A. 1912. Report on an expedition to Laysan island in 1911. Bulletin, Biological Survey, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture 42: 1–30. Fisher, W.K. 1906. Birds of Laysan and the Leeward Islands, Hawaiian group (U.S. Fish Commission Bulletin for 1903). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govern- ment Printing Office, p. 787. Lowery, G.H. Jr. 1955. Louisiana Birds. Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Press. pp. 213–214. Matschie, P. 1905. Monachus schauinslandi, eine Robbe von Laysan. Sitzungsberichte der Gesell- schaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1905: 254–262.

DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS | No. 12, March 1, 2019 71 DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS THE FORTUNATE OF A MUSEUM LIFE NATURALIST: ALFRED M. BAILEY DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE REPORTS

NUMBER 12, MARCH 1, 2019

WWW.DMNS.ORG/SCIENCE/MUSEUM-PUBLICATIONS Denver Museum of Nature & Science Reports 2001 Colorado Boulevard (Print) ISSN 2374-7730 Denver, CO 80205, U.S.A. Denver Museum of Nature & Science Reports (Online) ISSN 2374-7749

Frank Krell, PhD, Editor and Production VOL. 1 DENVER MUSEUM DENVER OF NATURE & SCIENCE Cover photo: A.M. Bailey at Laysan Albatross nesting colony, Laysan Island, Hawaii, December 1912. Photograph by George Willett. DMNS No. IV.BA13-072.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science Reports (ISSN 2374-7730 [print], ISSN 2374-7749 [online]) is an open- access, non peer-reviewed scientifi c journal publishing papers about DMNS research, collections, or other Museum related topics, generally authored or co-authored The Fortunate Life of a Museum Naturalist: by Museum staff or associates. Peer review will only be arranged on request of the authors. REPORTS Alfred M. Bailey • NUMBER 12 MARCH 1, 2019 The journal is available online at science.dmns.org/ Volume 1—Boyhood to 1919 museum-publications free of charge. Paper copies are exchanged via the DMNS Library exchange program ([email protected]) or are available for purchase from our print-on-demand publisher Lulu (www.lulu.com). Kristine A. Haglund, Elizabeth H. Clancy DMNS owns the copyright of the works published in the & Katherine B. Gully (Eds) Reports, which are published under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license. For commercial use of published material contact the Alfred M. Bailey Library & Archives at [email protected]. WWW.DMNS.ORG/SCIENCE/MUSEUM-PUBLICATIONS

A.M. Bailey hunting, Iowa, 1914. Photograph by Fred W. Kent. DMNS No. IV.2002-10-12.