The Ornithological Writings of Chester Barlow

Abstract

D URING the even decade of Chester 'Barlow's activity along literary lines more than fifty articles appeared to his credit, besides recently numerous editorials and short notes. His first article that I have found came to print in August, I902, in Lattin's Oologist where so many of us younger bird-students received our first inspiration to write up what we had learned. This first article of Barlow's was on the nesting of the ashy petrel on the Farallone Islands. He had visited these fascinating bird-islands and his discoveries there served also for several subsequent papers of remarkable interest to their younger readers, who longed to get to the oologist's paradise that was so vividly depicted. In 1893, within a few months after the founding of the Cooper Ornithological Club, its began to appear regularly in Taylor's Nidiologist. These reports were compiled largely from papers presented at the meetings. Here Barlow's good judgment and literary talent came into play in culling and compiling from the heterogeneous and often poorly-composed manuscripts those accounts we still find so full of interest. These Secretary's Reports continued for nearly four years, and are yet of high value for reference in regard to the life-histories of many western birds. During this period many signed articles also appeared dealing with bird-life in Santa Clara county. Here we find valuable articles on the nesting of the white-tailed kite and golden eagle. Then came the summer-vacation trips to the Sierra Nevada, and the delightful articles relating to its bird-life, not only pleasing, but of permanent value to science-important additions to the known histories of such birds as the hermit warbler, Calaveras warbler, olive-sided flycatcher and Cassin Vireo. With the inauguration of the Bulletin of the Cooper Ornithological Club in January, 1899, Barlow's really most important service to ornithology began, though his own signed articles became fewer. We probably never can sufficiently realize the great influence Barlow exerted in bringing out previously unknown observersurging them to contribute from their own stock of knowledge, and thus instilling that enthusiasm which when once well started may in time lead into the genius of a Coues. Barlow is not considered by some to have been a scientific ornithologist. He never wrote an article which was not intended for the merest beginner to read and enjoy. But I believe his career to have had a much more far-reaching influence on scientific ornithology than if he had entered, and confined his entire energy to, systematic or philosophic fields. 1892. The Ashy Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) on the Farallones. -Oologist IX, August 1892, pp. 193-194. 1892. Professional Egging; or the Collecting of Murre's Eggs in California. -Oologist IX, December 1892, pp. 255-257. 1893. A Day with the Creek Birds. -Am. Mag. of Natural Science I, May 1893, pp. 77-78. 1893. The White-tailed Kite and Prairie Falcon in California. -Oologist X, September 1893, PP. 258-260. 1893. Nesting of the Mallard Duck [near San Jose]. -Nidiologist I, November 1893, p. 38, 2 hftt. 1893. The Pileolated and Yellow Warblers [nesting in Santa Clara County]. -Nidiologist I, November I893, PP. 44-45. 1893. Nesting Habits of the Brandt's, Baird'sand Farallone Cormorants. -Am. Mag. of Nat. Science II, November 1893, pp. 53-54. 1893. Cooper Ornithological Club. [Secretary's Report, including notes on Lutescent Warbler, etc.] -Nidiologist I, December 1893, pp. 6o-6I. 1894. Collecting on the Farallone Islands. -Naturalist I, January I894, pp. 7-8.