IN MEMORIAM: SALLY HOYT SPOFFORD, 1914–2002

Abstract

the last systematic collecting of Australian birds by an overseas institute, collecting in all parts of the continent and enriching the British Museum collection of Australian birds by some 6,500 specimens (skins, skeletons, and fl uid). The leader of the fi rst expedition in 1962–1963, Jim’s party discovered a new species of bird (Hall’s Babbler) in Queensland. In that expedition, his wife Betty accompanied him as doctor and caterer for the team. They liked the outdoor life in Australia, so they settled in Brisbane upon his retirement. Jim became the inaugural president of the new Queensland Ornithological Society in 1969, led the Society in its formative years, and was elected an Honorary Life Member. He also produced the fi rst handbook of Australian birds (Birds of Australia: A Summary of Information, with a chapter on the origin of Australian birds by Dom Serventy and illustrations by Peter Slater) in time for the 16th International Ornithological Congress held in Canberra in 1974. His efforts to popularize bird study are seen in the publication of Bird Biology (1959), Bird Behavior (coauthored by D. Goodwin and H. E. Adler, 1962), Bird for Beginners: How Birds Live and Behave (1980), and The Illustrated Dictionary of Australian Birds by Common Names (1987). Jim never lost the modesty and quiet passion cultivated in his native country. His gracious appreciation of Australian generosity expressed through dour looks was seldom recognized. Queensland Ornithological Society (Birds Queensland) is planning the publication of a special issue of its journal Sunbird to commemorate his contributions to Australian ornithology.