Western United States, 1918 : To obtain information on breeding waterfowl and the economic value of bats; Field diaries, 18 May - 26 September 1918

Abstract

Materials include a field book and loose notes compiled by Alexander Wetmore, May - November 1918 in the western United States, while working for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Bureau of Biological Survey. He was the vicinity to obtain information on breeding waterfowl and the economic value of bats, for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Bureau of Biological Survey. Entries are chronological and listed by date. Entry styles change through the field book. Initially entries are bird counts listed by common name and quantity, sometimes with attending descriptions or questions; they are interspersed with descriptions of behaviors and appearances of individual male and female birds interacting, sometimes with small sketches. There is a series of descriptions and sketches of immature birds (days old); detailed descriptions of nests; terse descriptions of environments. By early July, entries detail bird sightings, listing times of day, sex, and temperature as well as bird lists. These different types of entries continue to be intermixed through the rest of the text. At August 20th entry, information entered discusses damage to crops in the western United States. Some entries include listing a claimant, location, type of claimed damage, methods used to scare birds away suspected of doing the damage; and possible solutions. Rice crops are mentioned. Information is also entered from the back of the field book. This includes information about film (listing locations), specimens, and supplies and expenses. Sites include locations in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.|Loose sheets include many of the same kinds of entries and information. Also includes notes on Lawrence, Kansas and De Witt, Arkansas from November 1918.

Date Range

1918

Start Date

May 18, 1918

End Date

Dec 01, 1918

Access Information

Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu.

Topic

• Bats
• Crop losses
• Animals
• Birds
• Birds--Counting
• Waterfowl management
• Rice
• Ornithology

Place

• Gridley
• United States
• Pueblo
• Lawrence
• Maxwell
• California
• Chama
• Williams
• Glennville
• New Mexico
• Texas
• De Witt
• Arizona
• Red Lake

Form/Genre

• Fieldbook record
• Field notes

Accession #

SIA RU007006

Collection name

Alexander Wetmore Papers, circa 1848-1979 and undated

Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Location

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Sublocation

Box 138 Folder 8