b PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



the literature of North American birds. His collection and the 

 little pictures already alluded to, as well as his manuscript 

 notes, were left with his old friend John Krider when he went 

 to Texas and have since disnppeared, though the eggs no doubt 

 were incorporated in the Krider collection, now the property of 

 Dr. Wm. E. Hughes. 



In the winter of 1852-3 Heermann prepared a complete cata- 

 logue of the Oological collection of the Academy which was 

 published in the Proceedings in March, 1853. 



Cassin always spoke in the highest terms of Heermann. In 

 October, 1852, he desired to accompany the Japan expedition 

 and Cassin said, "I will further his views in any way in my 

 power; a better man cannot be had. . . . He is an able col- 

 lector and it might be of great service to the expedition that he 

 can speak French volubly — as well as he can English — especially 

 if the expedition has much to do with the Russian fleets or 

 authorities." However, as has already been stated, Heermann 

 accompanied Williamson's California party and not the Japan 

 expedition. 



While an able writer, as his reports and several articles in 

 Cassin's "Birds of California and Texas" testify, Heermann 

 seems to have been primarily an explorer and field naturalist, 

 and as Cassin tells us, "he thought the writing of reports a 

 bore." There are, however, always plenty of men to do this 

 part of the work, and in the early days especially the men who 

 were absolutely essential to the advancement of faunal zoology 

 were the hardy, persevering, field naturalists of which class 

 A. L. Heermann was a type. 



