40 Fisher, In Memoriam: Lyman Belding. LJan. 



On his second trip, Mr. Belding took only about eighty bird skins 

 for he did not wish many. He consumed nearly a week of time in 

 securing two specimens of Rallus beldingi. He only heard of one 

 man at La Paz who had ever seen one, and several hunters were 

 surprised when he showed them one of the birds. These birds 

 inhabit the mangrove thickets, and both specimens were obtained 

 at low tide while in search of food. 



Mr. Belding travelled considerably in the northern part of Lower 

 California, and on one of the trips, in May, 1885, collected a speci- 

 men of Sitta pygmcea leuconucha which he presented to the National 

 Museum several years before it was described elsewhere. 



His keen perception caused him to realize at about this time 

 that it would be almost hopeless to continue the study of orni- 

 thology with the idea of mastering the subject, unless there were 

 available in California a very complete collection of birds for use in 

 comparison. With the idea of building up such a collection he 

 wrote to many of his California correspondents and advised them 

 to send skins to the California Academy, which he believed to be 

 the proper place for such a collection. The lack of enthusiasm on 

 their part to contribute toward the enterprise and the increasing 

 tendency toward the multiplication of poorly defined subspecies 

 undoubtedly were important factors in discouraging further col- 

 lecting. He was very quick to notice differences in plumage and 

 proportions but was little interested in specimens that could only 

 be identified when compared with large series and when the locality 

 and date of capture of the specimen had to be known. 



It was most unfortunate that he did not come in personal contact 

 with many of the young ornithologists who now are doing such 

 creditable work in the State. Being fond of the companionship of 

 young people it is certain that mutual profit and pleasure would 

 have come from association between this noble gentleman and the 

 young and enthusiastic ornithologists of California. 



The forests, streams, and meadows of the Sierras were his special 

 delight and after advancing age made it more and more difficult to 

 travel as each year rolled by, he dreamed of the by-gone days and 

 was resigned. 



Of these mountain playgrounds of his, we may quote from an 

 article of his in 'The Condor'; (Vol. II, p. 4, 1900) as follows: 



