Reference Request
Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 7267
Bailey, Vernon, 1864-1942
Vernon Orlando Bailey Papers, 1889-1941 and undated
Collection Overview
| General Information About This Collection | |
|---|---|
| Repository: | Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu. |
| Creator: | Bailey, Vernon, 1864-1942 |
| Title: | Vernon Orlando Bailey Papers |
| Dates: | 1889-1941 and undated |
| Quantity: | 3.5 cu. ft. (7 document boxes) |
| Collection: | Record Unit 7267 |
| Language of Materials: | English |
| Summary: | This collection documents Bailey's career as a field naturalist and consists mostly of field notes and journals maintained on his many biological expeditions and field trips, 1889-1941. Also included is a small amount of correspondence with Bureau of Biological Survey staff and personal friends, 1913, 1922, 1927-1932; photographs, 1898 and undated; maps; publications; newspaper clippings; and manuscripts of monographs and articles by Bailey, 1921-1940 and undated. |
Historical Note
Vernon Orlando Bailey (1864-1942) was born in Manchester, Michigan. At an early age he and his family moved to Elk River, Minnesota, where he developed an interest in natural history. Around 1885, Bailey began sending collections of birds and mammals to Clinton Hart Merriam, Chief of the newly created Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the United States Department of Agriculture (in 1896 the name was changed to the Bureau of Biological Survey). In 1887, Bailey was appointed special field agent for the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy. His title was changed to chief field naturalist in 1890, and he remained with the Biological Survey until his retirement in 1933. Bailey's chief biological interest was the study of the life history and distribution of mammals. During his career with the Biological Survey, he made field investigations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including intensive biological surveys of Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon. His bibliography numbered 244 titles and included scientific monographs, as well as publications for the general reader.
Introduction
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Descriptive Entry
This collection documents Bailey's career as a field naturalist and consists mostly of field notes and journals maintained on his many biological expeditions and field trips, 1889-1941. Also included is a small amount of correspondence with Bureau of Biological Survey staff and personal friends, 1913, 1922, 1927-1932, 1939; photographs; newspaper clippings; and manuscripts of monographs and articles by Bailey, 1921-1940, and undated.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.
Name
- Bailey, Vernon, 1864-1942
- Merriam, C. Hart (Clinton Hart), 1855-1942
- United States. Bureau of Biological Survey
- United States. Department of Agriculture
Subject
Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7267, Vernon Orlando Bailey Papers
Container List
Series 1
FIELD NOTES AND JOURNALS, 1889-1941. ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY.This series consists of field notes and journals documenting Vernon Orlando Bailey's career as a field naturalist for the Bureau of Biological Survey and its predecessor the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the Department of Agriculture, 1889-1933. Also included are notes and journals from field trips made by Bailey after his retirement from the Biological Survey in 1933. The field notes contain a record of flora and fauna observed and collected by Bailey. Also included are travel itineraries, expense accounts, and miscellaneous notes. The journals contain a more detailed, narrative account of Bailey's field expeditions.
Box 1
Folder 1 Field notes. Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, January 1-February 11, 1889.
Folder 2 Field notes. Minnesota and Wyoming, April 8-May 17, 1890.
Folder 3 Field notes. Wyoming and Utah, May 16-July 3, 1890.
Folder 4 Field notes. Nevada and California, October 17, 1890- January 7, 1891.
Folder 5 Field notes. California and Colorado, October 19-November 12, 1891. Also includes notes kept by Bailey in Washington, D.C., January 1892.
Folder 6 Field notes. Minnesota, Michigan, and Canada, December 11-16, 1891. Also includes field notes kept by Bailey in Missouri and Kansas, June 20-July 19, 1892.
Folder 7 Field notes. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, April 4-June 19, 1892.
Folder 8 Field notes. Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, July 18-September 5, 1892.
Folder 9 Field notes. Pennsylvania, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana, December 24, 1893-August 30, 1894.
Folder 10 Field notes. Montana and Michigan, September 2-October 19, 1894. Also includes notes kept during field work at Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Michigan, March 3-September 20, 1895.
Folder 11 Field notes. Oregon, May 6-October 6, 1896. Also includes notes kept during field work in West Virginia, January 19-25, 1897.
Folder 12 Field notes. Oregon and Washington, May 12-October 10, 1897. Also includes notes made in Washington, D.C., March-April 1898.
Folder 13 Field notes. Nevada and California, April 16-October 16, 1898.
Folder 14 Field notes. Maryland, March 27-31, 1899, and California, August 27-November 1, 1899.
Folder 15 Field notes. Texas and California, April 3-November 1, 1899.
Folder 16 Field notes. Includes botanical observations made in Washington, D.C., March 1-12, 1899 and March 8-11, 1900; miscellaneous notes, 1913 and 1915; and notes made on trip to the Patuxent River, Maryland, April 23-24, 1916.
Folder 17 Field notes. Texas, April 7-June 2, 1900.
Folder 18 Field notes. Texas and California, June 5-October 15, 1900.
Folder 19 Field notes. Texas and New Mexico, May 2-October 1, 1901.
Folder 20 Field notes. Texas and New Mexico, June 6-September 27, 1902.
Folder 21 Field notes. New Mexico, May 16-October 14, 1903.
Box 2
Folder 1 Field notes. Texas and New Mexico, July 4-December 19, 1904.
Folder 2 Field notes. Minnesota and Ontario, September 30-October 22, 1905. Also includes notes kept on trips to Michigan and Minnesota, March 23-April 19, 1907.
Folder 3 Field notes. Wyoming and New Mexico, March 15-June 3, 1906.
Folder 4 Journal kept by Bailey on field trip to Wyoming and New Mexico, March 15-June 1906. For field notes see box 2, folder 3.
Folder 5 Field notes. Oklahoma and New Mexico, August 1-November 16, 1906.
Folder 6 Journal kept by Bailey on field trip to Michigan and Minnesota, March 23-April 13, 1907. For field notes see box 2, folder 2.
Folder 7 Field notes. New Mexico, Arizona, and California, May 27-July 21, 1907.
Folder 8 Field notes. California, July 22-October 31, 1907.
Folder 9 Field notes. Nevada, Oregon, and North Dakota, November 7-December 12, 1907.
Folder 10 Field notes. New Mexico and Arizona, July 11-October 7, 1908.
Folder 11 Field notes. New Mexico, October 12-November 15, 1908.
Folder 12 Field notes. North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana, July 9-August 18, 1909.
Folder 13 Field notes. Montana, Washington, and Oregon, August 20-October 22, 1909.
Folder 14 Field notes. Oregon and California, October 22-November 15, 1909.
Folder 15 Notes on birds observed and migratory patterns of birds around Washington, D.C., and vicinity, 1909-1910.
Folder 16 Field notes. New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire, August 26-September 17, 1910.
Box 3
Folder 1 Field notes. Montana and Idaho, June 23-September 8, 1911.
Folder 2 Field notes. California, September 8-October 24, 1911.
Folder 3 Notes on birds observed and migratory habits of birds around Washington, D.C., and vicinity, 1911.
Folder 4 Field notes. Minnesota, North Dakota, and Maryland, June 3-August 18, 1912.
Folder 5 Field notes. North Dakota and Wyoming, June 18-September 10, 1913.
Folder 6 Field notes. Arizona, October 15-November 15, 1913.
Folder 7 Field notes. Oregon, May 30-September 9, 1914.
Folder 8 Field notes. North Dakota, Canada, and Oregon, June 2-July 8, 1915.
Folder 9 Field notes. Wyoming, Montana, and Yellowstone National Park, July 10-October 2, 1915.
Folder 10 Field notes. Yellowstone National Park, February 29-April 14, 1916. Also includes notes kept by Bailey in California, September 4-October 3, 1916.
Folder 11 Field notes. North Dakota and Oregon, June 10-August 25, 1916.
Folder 12 Field notes. Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, July 1-September 24, 1917.
Folder 13 Field notes. Texas, Mexico, and Washington, March 12-May 9, 1918.
Folder 14 Field notes. North Dakota, September 6-November 5, 1919.
Folder 15 Field notes. North Dakota, July 1-August 13, 1920.
Folder 16 Field notes. Adirondack Mountains, August 20-September 29, 1921.
Box 4
Folder 1 Notebook containing entries regarding Bailey's activities in Washington, D.C., 1922.
Folder 2 Field notes. Michigan, June 16-October 23, 1923.
Folder 3 Field notes. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico, March 1-May 2, 1924. Also includes notes kept by Baily in Montana, July 9-August 15, 1924.
Folder 4 Field notes. Bat Caves of the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia and West Virginia, October 31-December 28, 1924 and February 22-March 29, 1925. Also includes notes kept by Bailey during field trips to Pennsylvania, April 13-25, 1925 and April 7-27, 1926; Louisiana, June 4-July 29, 1925 and January 4-February 12, 1926; and Maine, New Brunswick, Prince Edwards Island, Michigan, and Minnesota, August 10-September 30, 1925.
Folder 5 Field notes. Yellowstone National Park, Michigan, and Minnesota, July 3-September 17, 1926; California, October 20-December 1, 1926. Also includes notes kept by Bailey in Washington, D.C., January-February, 1927.
Folder 6 Journal kept by Bailey during a trip to the Mohavi [Mojave] Desert, California, October 20-December 15, 1926. For field notes see box 4, folder 5.
Folder 7 Field notes. Wisconsin, Oregon, and Nevada, May 5-August 25, 1927.
Folder 8 Journal kept by Bailey on a field trip to Nevada and Oregon, June 22-July 22, 1927. For field notes see box 4, folder 7.
Folder 9 Field notes. Oregon, August 4-25, 1927; New Hampshire, September 5-6, 1927; Pennsylvania, May 10-16 and October 10-14, 1928; Arizona, July 19-August 7, 1928; and West Virginia, October 29-November 9, 1928.
Folder 10 Journal kept by Bailey on a field trip to Grand Canyon, Arizona, July 19-August 7, 1928. For field notes see box 4, folder 9.
Folder 11 Field notes. Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, April 16-October 1, 1929.
Folder 12 Field notes. Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky, November 5-19, 1929; Minnesota, Montana, and Oregon, June 15-December 30, 1930. Also includes notes kept by Bailey in Washington, D.C., April 1-29, 1931.
Folder 13 Field notes. New York, April 26-June 12, 1931; Nevada, California, and Grand Canyon, Arizona, July 2-September 1931; Michigan, October 19-23, 1931.
Folder 14 Field notes. Adirondack Mountains, April 14-21, 1932; Mexico and California, October 18, 1932-January 7, 1933.
Folder 15 Notebook containing entries regarding Bailey's activities in Washington, D.C., 1933. Also includes notes kept on a field trip to Pennsylvania, June 1933.
Folder 16 Field notes. California, September 1, 1933-January 4, 1934.
Box 5
Folder 1 Field notes. California, March 1-May 4, 1934; Virginia, April 5-7, 1935. Also includes miscellaneous notes kept by Bailey, May 4-December 15, 1934. Includes Bailey's comments on the death of Edward William Nelson.
Folder 2 Field notes. California, November 16, 1935-January 7, 1937.
Folder 3
Folder 4 Journal kept by Bailey during a trip to California, New Mexico, and Arizona, June 22-July 5, 1936. For field notes see box 5, folder 3.
Folder 5 Field notes. Consists mostly of notes recorded by Bailey at the Blackwater Refuge, Maryland, February 16-May 27, 1937.
Folder 6 Field notes. Nevada and California, November 3-December 31, 1937.
Folder 7 Field notes. Florida, April 23-May 31, 1938; New Mexico and Arizona, June 23-August 2, 1938; Pennsylvania and New York, August 31-September 14, 1938.
Folder 8 Field notes. Grand Canyon, Arizona, April 22-July 9, 1939; Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky, July 15-October 3, 1939.
Folder 9 Field notes. Notes kept by Bailey on flora and fauna observed around Washington, D.C., February 15-June 15, 1940; New Mexico, June 20-October 2, 1940.
Folder 10 Field notes. Includes notes kept by Bailey on trips to Pennsylvania, New York, and Tennessee, 1941.
Series 2
CORRESPONDENCE, PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, PUBLICATIONS, AND NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, 1898-1939, AND UNDATED.This series consists of a small amount of correspondence and memoranda from Bureau of Biological Survey staff and personal friends, 1913, 1922, 1927-1932, 1939; photographs of mammals and a photograph of Vernon Orlando Bailey on a field trip in Nevada, 1898; maps of and publications concerning Grand Canyon National Park; and newspaper clippings regarding wolves.
Box 5
Folder 11 Correspondence, 1913, 1922, 1927-1932, 1939. Consists of a small amount of memoranda from Bureau of Biological Survey staff and correspondence with personal friends.
Folder 12 Photographs, 1898 and undated. Consists mostly of photographs of mammals. Also includes a photograph of Bailey on horseback in Nevada, 1898.
Folder 13 Maps. Grand Canyon National Park.
Box 6
Folders 1-2 Maps, Grand Canyon National Park and miscellaneous.
Folder 3 Publications regarding Grand Canyon National Park.
Folders 4-5 Newspaper clippings regarding wolves.
Series 3
MANUSCRIPTS, 1921-1940, AND UNDATED. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY.This series consists of manuscripts of monographs and articles written by Vernon Orlando Bailey, 1921-1940, and undated. Most of the manuscripts are on mammals and are of a nontechnical nature. Related photographs, drawings, and correspondence regarding the manuscripts are found in a few instances and are noted in the folder listing.
Box 7
Folder 1 A Grizzly Bear Hunt, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 2 A Ten League Canvas, undated. Handwritten and typed manuscripts.
Folder 3 The American Badger, Taxidea taxus, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 4 The American Buffalo or Bison, Bison bison, undated. Typed manuscript and drawing.
Folder 5 Animals Worth Knowing Around The National Capitol. Text of a radio talk over WRC, July 12, 1934.
Folder 6 The Asymmetrical Ears of Owls, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 7 Autumn Colors, October 17, 1940. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 8 Bannertails and Little Fourtoes, Native Animals That Are Not Wild, 1940. Handwritten manuscript. Includes two letters (4-11 & 4-22, 1940) with Three Lion Publishers concerning the manuscript.
Folder 9 Be Fair to The Woodchuck, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 10 Big Brown Bat, 1937. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 11 Catching and Handling Skunks, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 12 Catching Cats in Cage Traps, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 13 Catching Cottontails, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 14 Catching Woodchucks, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 15 Ears, undated. Handwritten and typed manuscript.
Folder 16 Enemies of the White Goat, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 17 Flying Squirrel, 1937. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 18 Foods of the Early Cliff Dwellers, undated. Partial handwritten manuscript.
Folder 19 Handling Animals Without Fright or Injury, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 20 Hibernation in some of Our Native Mammals, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 21 Home Life of the Big Wolves, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 22 Humane Traps for Foxes, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 23 Letters to a Young Naturalist, 1921-1922.
Folder 24 Mammals of the Arid Southwest, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 25 Mammals of the Desert, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 26 Mammals of the District of Columbia, Today and Yesterday, undated. Handwritten and typed manuscript.
Folders 27-29 Mammals of the Grand Canyon National Park, undated. Annotated manuscript.
Folder 30 Memorandum re. Flooding of Upper Mississippi Wild Life and Fish Refuge, October 10, 1930.
Folder 31 Mouse Plagues, undated. Typed and handwritten manuscripts.
Folder 32 The Muskrat Marshes of the Mississippi Delta Region, undated. Annotated manuscript.
Folder 33 The Name of the Rocky Mountain Mule Deer, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 34 Our Gray Squirrel Family, 1940. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 35 Our Grizzly Bear Family, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 36 Perognathus pacificus, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 37 Pole Traps at Craig Kennels, Virginia, 1935. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 38 Raising Deer in Captivity, April 1933. Bureau of Biological Survey News Release.
Folder 39 Rattlesnake Kills Small Dog, September 21, 1932. Handwritten and typed manuscript.
Folder 40 Recollections of Louis Agassiz Fuertes, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 41 The Refining Leaves, 1939. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 42 Save That Dead Tree, undated. Handwritten manuscript and photograph.
Folder 43 Scrappy - The Badger, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 44 Setting the Foothold Trap for Coyotes, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 45 Skunk: Mephitis occidentalis major (Howell). Fallon, Nevada, November 12 to December 12, 1937. Typed manuscript.
Folder 46 The Solitary Lives of Two Little Pocket-Mice, undated. Annotated manuscript, photographs, and poems by Bailey.
Folder 47 Specimens of Mammals Needed for Study, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 48 Steel Traps for Carnivores, 1935. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 49 Taking Some of the Cruelty out of Trapping, undated. Handwritten manuscript.
Folder 50 Taming Wild Animals, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 51 The Tassel-Eared Squirrels, undated. Typed manuscript.
Folder 52 The Troop or Camp Museum, 1929
Folder 53 The White Goats of the High Country, Oreamnous montanus, undated. Typed manuscript and drawing.
Folder 54 Why the Enormous Inflations of Audital and Mastoids of the Kangaroo Rats, 1921. By Bailey and Sterling Bunnell. Typed and handwritten manuscript. Also includes a letter from Bunnell to Bailey (4-14-21) concerning the paper.
Folder 55 Witching For Water, 1939. Handwritten and typed manuscript, with photographs. Also includes a letter from Henry Bailey to Bailey (11-11-39) regarding witching for water.
- Finding Aid encoded on: 3-15-2022
- Contact us at osiaref@si.edu