Transcribing the field notes of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

Page Number: 10

General Index (for specific localities, see page headings)

Grinnell, J 1925

San Diego, Calif. Sections 1,3

Lassen Section, Calif. Section 2

Lower California, Mexico Section 3

Collector:Grinnell - 1925 Location: San Diego Date: March 3, 1925 Page Number: 2452

in any feasible way. Klauber is amateur herpetologist, a good friend and scientific protege of Dr. VanDenburgh before the latter's death. His published list of San Diego County snakes is very creditable. Klauber took me out to the Scripps Institution beyond Lajolla in the afternoon yesterday; there we saw Dr. F.B. Sumner and the latter's "murarium." The chief things Dr. F.B. Sumner is breeding are the Alabama races of Peromyscus, a white one in San Jose Island [unknown 4], a dark one in the interior of the state, and one of intermediate tone on the mainland seashore. Dr. Sumner caught alive and brought with very few fatalities over 150 of these mice to Lajolla, where they are thriving and breeding in his mouse-house. I saw the first generation from the sand-white race, bred in confinement, and they are just like their parents - no darkening. Dr. Sumner has cross-mated some of the mice, and has blended intermediate offspring, between parents of the different races; in other words the characters do not sharply segregate. So far, attempted matings between the Alabama (P. leucopus, ssp.) with Californian P. maniculatus, ssp., have proven fruitless. The Austrian zoologist, Dr. Paul Kammerer, had been at Lajolla in the forenoon; Dr. Sumner was very

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: San Diego Date: March 3, 1925 Page Number: 2453

sharp in his criticism of Kammerers "inheritance of-acquired-characters" experiment, which have been quoted in both the English and the American press with so much deference of late. Sumner thinks said "experiments" were unscientific, and Kammerer him self an incritical enthusiast, carried away by his and ideas and the publicity that has been accorded them. I also met for a moment the new Director Vaughn, who seemed to be working with corals.

Today, I've been in the Museum at Balboa Park, looking on the study collections of mammals and birds. They are of two sources - the old Hawk Stephens collection dating back to 1874, and the lately-collected material gathered by the present curator of birds and mammals, Laurence Huey. Mr. Stephens is a sort of curator emeritus, a pensioner. He and Mrs. Stephens (who is curator of molluscs) together, I am told, received $75 per month - scarcely enough to live on, surely! Each puts in "half-time." Sunday afternoon I visited the Stephens's at their home, 3746 Park Blvd. - only two houses in sight when it was built, some 25 years ago, but now surrounded by apartments and modern homes. The Stephens are holding on to this property in hopes of selling to better advantage "soon"' but its all they can do to pay the taxes, $160 last year. I found Mr. Stephens

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: San Diego Date: March 3, 1925 Page Number: 2454

fairly cheerful - about as he was in 1910, at the time of the Colorado River expedition. But he is forgetful, and shows his old age plainly - and normally. He doesn't approve of the ways of Huey! But his perceptions are dim. I am quite favorably impressed with the earnestness and general good judgement of Clinton G. Abbott, Director of the Museum here. He seems to have the confidence of many of the foremost business-men of the city. This noon he took me to the University Club to lunch, with Mr. Joseph W. Sefton, Jr., a banker. The latter is now President of the San Diego Society of Natural History and a good patron. Sunday evening I called on Mr. + Mrs. Albert M. Ingersoll and they invited over Mr. + Mrs. John Burnham. Ingersoll have a wonderful, well cared for collection of birds' eggs, nearly all taken by himself during the past 40 years. And Burnham, a man of 58 or so and successful in real estate, emulates him. The latter, too, is treasurer of the San Diego society of Natural History. Burnham has a son, Gordon, in business with him, when I met. He has been into the San Pedro Martir section of Lower California, and through him and several others I have learned much of possible use as to how to get about among the people of that territory. This information I am writing to Lamb.

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: San Diego Date: March 3, 1925 Page Number: 2455

Notes on specimens in Museum of San Diego Society of Natural History:

Vulpes macrotis [male symbol], stuffed skin, exceedingly faded; #116, orig no. 550, Frank Stephens; April 19, 1889; "San Jacinto Plains, near Moreno, Cal."; 772-282-116; "topotype". Pale sandy yellow, above and below; ears, feet, legs, and tail the same save for brown (faded black) tip of tail; overhairs of back frizzled at ends. Mustella vison energumenos #10 (no 2336, F. Stephens); Robbins Creek, 4600 ft. alt., "Lassen Co., Cal." Wt. 22 oz.; 508-181-50; female, suckling young, mammae 3/3 = 6; July 3, 1894. Of dark "energumenos" type - stuffed skin. Vulpes macrotis female ju., small young, "445-165"; April 19, 1889; #551 Frank Stephens (same locality as above). This should be borrowed for description. [Stuffed skin.] Bassariscus astutus raptor female, "two foetesus, small"; #5 (= 2313, Frank Stephens); "Eel River Bridge, Mendocino Co. Cal." May 16, 1894. 695-343-66. Procyon ps. pallida female #954 (2894 F. Stephens); New River Colorado Desert, Cal. Jan. 8, 1894. 820 - 311 - 130, "ear from crown" 66. Procyon ps. pallida female° #1 (= 3412, F. Stephens); New River, Colorado Desert, Cal.; "25 Nov 1906." 500 - 191 - 98 - 53. Only about 1/4 grown! I noticed quite a number of mammals collected by Stephens in the "Lassen section", some of which might provide useful information, after our own fieldwork there is done.