Grab your field journal, we’re off to Maine! In 1911, naturalist Florence Bailey (1863-1948) traveled from Washington, DC to Maine by way of Montreal, Canada. Bailey was a strong and influential voice arguing for the adoption of field observation techniques at the turn of the 20th century, particularly among ornithologists. In this journal, Florence records all sorts of aspects about the trip such as locations, vegetation, habitats, birds observed, their behavior and even the modes of transportation she used. You might notice that about halfway through she flips the book over and continues writing from the back.
Thank you for joining us to transcribe this ornithology pioneer’s firsthand account of fauna and flora in Maine.
Grab your field journal, we’re off to Maine! In 1911, naturalist Florence Bailey (1863-1948) traveled from Washington, DC to Maine by way of Montreal, Canada. Bailey was a strong and influential voice arguing for the adoption of field observation techniques at the turn of the 20th century, particularly among ornithologists. In this journal, Florence records all sorts of aspects about the trip such as locations, vegetation, habitats, birds observed, their behavior and even the modes of transportation she used. You might notice that about halfway through she flips the book over and continues writing from the back.
Thank you for joining us to transcribe this ornithology pioneer’s firsthand account of fauna and flora in Maine.
Born during the Civil War, Florence Merriam Bailey (1863-1948) and her brother C. Hart Merriam were encouraged to study natural history from an early age by their parents. From her work in ornithology, Florence Bailey authored ten books and close to one hundred articles. In recognition of her work, the American Ornithologists Union made her their first female fellow (1929) and awarded her the Brewster Medal in 1931. Together with U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey naturalist and husband Vernon Bailey, she produced several works on the distinctive, and largely unexplored, flora and fauna in the Western United States.
