The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 17, 1903, Page 11

{ - i il i, . i 5 o————————— ] miles from San Francisee, t the foot of a hill near g frult trees, ge trees, amid roses de-porched hos- f shelters, among € v e eaves as he rst leaning he and deter- kable in the ting the salt) s of later authority in . : painting that 3 ok the Outdoor sketching mw d que as to the ac- . coloring to be found in the ds with which he was fa- w und still adheres to his then i ory that few, if any, paint- w birds well enough to depict really are with the exception of the ew specimens collected by Dr. Cooper geological survey of Califor- m presented to the State at Berkeley, there were no e ges for eager student. nted by the pauci to study, Mr. umulate a collection of ult is an eminently sci- of birds of the North Ame tinent, ranging from the tin- hummer (Trochilidae) to the larger ds of prey (Raptores), and bering, according to latest catalogue, between eight and nine thousand birds end more than two thousand nests and eggs. Some of these, birds and eggs, have en acquired through exchange, ror since 1880, ben the ornithologists of DU VARIET/IES 0F ORIOLES HIS ODEN UNPER T NESTS California might have been counted on the fingers of one hand, the number has grown to 150. Besides these Mr. Emerson keeps in touch with the most eminent au- thorities in the United States. The Emerson collection embraces at least half of all the birds to be found on the North American continent and covers all stages of bird-life from nestlings to birds of full plumage. @The study of bird-life is most fasci- nating and Mr. Emerson is a mine of in- formation to the earnest seeker after knowledge. Especially has he made a study of the variations of species due to unusual climatic and food conditions and the laws governing the coloring of plu- mage. Some birds, notably the black- headed grosbeak and oriole, do not at- THE EUNDAY CALL. : tain perfect plumage under four or five years and a caged grosbeak was sight years in coming into his full heritage of beauty. He has had some interesting experis ences with his grosbeaks, by the way. Now and then he cages birds for the sake of study, and he kept a pair of grosbeaks once which taught scientists new things in regard to migration. They showed the migratory Instinct In the spring and again in the fall by fidgeting about their cage, showing all the restless- ness that birds can show, and finally they aroused the family by bursting into song in the middle of the night. This is ohe of their habits at the time of migration, and a startling effect it had upop the Emerson household. Their music’ was cC oL beautiful. Tn fect, Mr. Emerson -has found that the songs of caged birds are ly, not recognizing him, and it took Mr. contrast to the little Emerson’ far sweeter when they have been cap- NITHOLLOGICAL OLECTION IN AL IFORNI A 11 I —— RN c. THE fimfi;;gg,%’efra /, » . Why Berkeley Should Own the Rare Emerson Ornithological Collection BY WILLIAM E. Associate Professor of Zoology at the University of California. HE Emerson ornithological collec- tion is one of the treasures that the University of California needs. I hope to see the day when all those precious nests, eggs and birds, rep- resenting almost a lifetime's labor of col- lecting, are safely lodged at our great in- stitution. 2 « Mr. Emerson’s collection includes many specimens from other States, but its chief value i{s-in its large representation of California birds. He bas lived and worked hers so long that he has been able to study our feathered friends hereabouts as few others have. Indeed I believe he knows more about California birds than any one else. His collection is espectally remarkable in the series it contains. He was a painter before he was a collector and I believe it {s because he wants to go back to art that he is considering the glving up of his collection. It now lacks only fifty or sixty species of fairly com- mon California birds to be complete and I have been urging him to add these few to his catalogus before he closes his Ine bor. Then indeed the collection would be invaluable. The University of California has & meas ger bird collection of some 2000 specimens, Little additions are made from time te time—recently some little Hawallan strangers were added to the compeny-- but we need a brave showing from ous own State. One of the best uses that somebody’s full purse could be put te would be the purchase of this remarkae ble collection. — T LCOUP OF HUMMING BIRCY NESTS tured as the outside world. Capture in mature life meems to take the heart out of them so turn of the prodigal a conclusive proof that the bird trained to house life is un- and have never known to reconcile them. Hs considered the re- smallest Californian of the lot Is the cale lope. has exquisite plumage, iridescent on the The male of this humming bird that they mever again sing with genuine able to provide for itself in & state of na- body, magenta slashed with white on the Joy. One of his enough ment that the outer world offered him. The bird was allowed to walk about on gitimate so long as the sum of human time for the caging of & hummer. tl turs, “instinet” arguments to the con- well trary notwithstanding. to prefer life in the Em- Mr Emerson never cages or kills birds With tha white puffs. erson home to any wood and fleld amuse- except for sclentifio gation. He aughter le- inve considers their capture or neck. The Calypte Anna is well repre- sented, our own lar hardy hummes A valr of these little birds was kepd for four months by Mr. Emersen, & leng In plasza by the house. He seemed t0 knowledge s jo be increased, but wanton the end they fought as the little sinners lack interest In the new sights outdoors gestruction or capture would never ac- are wont to do, and the feather-welght and presently returned to his cage of his cord with his kind heart. He loves birds champlonship was not decided until one own free will not seen or heard for four days. Then he came back, as dejected as the prodi- mycn with thess little creatures. Dr. VAN rThese birds sal son, and went eagerly to the sced Dyke's words, “spend as much time &5 betore their death and they were muah dish. His mate drove him away flerce- 's best efforts as & peacemaker At the second trial he g;q he loves nature in all its phases and contestant was killed. went further. He disappeared and Was o gayg that the ornithologist's lite should be rich by coming in contact so you can, with body and with spirit, in God's out of doors,” are Emerson's creed. Apart from the stimulus te cutdoor life and its inevitable inheritance of physical vigor, the poise of mind, the breadth sweetness of soul, engendered by coming close to nature, is the incidental value of the training of perception, and to the agriculturist and the orchardist the eco- nomic side of ornithology especially ap- peals. Mr, Emerson has devoted only his lels- ure hours to the acquiring of his colleo- tion—odd moments and vacation times— and aside from the joy of the work it has always been the idea and hope that it would eventually find a place in some school or museum wshere it would be of assistance and value to students. Honorary degrees and flattering offers of membership have coms to him from various quarters if he would but agree to will his collection to them. Mr. Em- erson, howaver, is most loyal to Califor- nia and loath to see the work of years &0 to outside Institutions. His collection Is most valuable in its California specimens. No one man has done as much In collecting the birds of our State. A few specles only are lack- ing. Not only has he a pair of each spe- cles represented, but a consecutive serles of pairs gathered during a period of ears, showing in some cases the changes t a sclentist’s eye Is keen to note. ‘The largest feathered Californian, the eondor, is lacking. The largest bird in the collection is the blue heron that we find about the swamps. Standing to the tull of his dignified height, he is a great South American hummer no bigger than an slmond. The The winner ine stantly repented so violently that he &led of remorse in a few days. came to be household pets mourned. They had been In the habit of buzzing all about the room dipping up sugar from a spoon or a hand and kille ing every fiy that dared venture in. They had to be taught to sip honey from flows ers after they had learned the spoon tip= ple, and it was demonstrated that the colors of the gaudy flowers appealsd to them most by placing the drops of syrup on petals of different colors. Oddly enough Mr. Emerson has & fam. ily of cats and they never confliot with his bird family. One of them, a flne old cat named Jumbo, used to go hunting with him and great times they had to- gether. Jumbo would never touch a bird that was brought down unless his master gave him leave. Now and then & bird is torn In the shooting or one not wanted s killed by accident and In cases like these a treat awaited Jumbo. But Ma Emerson is so skilled a marksman thad he averages eight out of ten shots sue- cessful, so Jumbo had to do his ewm foraging many a day. Any day of any season Mr. Emerson may be seen with his gun. He uses muse tard seed shot and the outfit is always with him, for he never knows whea ew where he may see a specimen that the collection needs. He finds that no ome s inclined to Interfere with his work, al- though a Portuguese once questioned hig object in shooting. “Whata you want de dirds for?™ he inquired. “To stuff them,” was the answer. “Oh! Dey gooda, de birds? Whata you stuff dem with? Rice and lver?™ “No. Cotton.” *“Cotton!"” cried the man in meerm *“Whata for you wanta to eat de cotton?™ MAY ETHELYN BOURNRE.