NATURAL 
HISTORY 
American Museum of Natural History 
Robert G. Goelet, President 
Thomas D. Nicholson. Director 
Vol. 90, No. II. November 1981 
2 Authors 
Alan Ternes. Editor 
Judith Friedman. Managing Editor 
Thomas Page. Designer 
Board of Editors: Carol Breslin. 
Sally Lindsay. Frederick Hartmann. 
Vittorio Maestro. Rebecca B Finnell 
Florence G. Edelstein. Copy Chief 
Rita Campon. Copy Editor 
E. Kay Danzig, Art Asst. 
Kay Zakariasen. Picture Editor 
Lauren Krenzel. Photo Research 
Douglas J. Preston. Publications Editor 
Annie R.C. Finch. Editorial Asst. 
Lillian Berger 
Editorial Advisers: 
Malcolm Arth, James W. Alz, 
Niles Eldredge, Kenneth L. Franklin, 
E.Craig Morris, Norman Newell. 
Thomas D. Nicholson. Martin Prinz, 
Gerard Piel. Nina Root 
David D. Ryus. Publisher 
Bradford D. Smith. Business Manager 
Frederick E. Grossman. Production Mgr. 
Debra Buck McCord. Asst. Production Mgr. 
Ernestine Weindorf, Administrative Asst. 
Elaine M. Callender, Advtg. Production Mgr. 
Cary Castle. Circulation Manager 
Ramon E. Alvarez. Circulation Asst. 
Natural History (ISSN 0028-0712). incorporating 
Nature Magazine, is published monthly by 
the American Museum of Natural History, 
Central Park West at 79th Street, New 
York. N.Y. 10024. 
Subscriptions: $15.00 a year. In Canada and all 
other countries: $18.00 a year. Second-class 
postage paid at New York. N.Y. and at 
additional offices. Copyright © 1981 by 
American Museum of Natural History. All rights 
reserved. No part of this periodical may be 
reproduced without written consent of Natural 
History. The opinions expressed by authors do 
not necessarily reflect the policy of the American 
Museum. Natural History is indexed in Reader's 
Guide to Periodical Literature. 
Advertising Offices 
Natural History Sales 
488 Madison Avenue 
New York, N.Y. 10022 
President of Sales, Arthur Hill Diedrick 
Advertising Manager, Katherine Jose 
Telephone Numbers: 
Advertising Sales (212) 826-9467 
Museum Information (212) 873-4225 
Subscription Orders (800) 247-5470 
(800) 532-1272 (in Iowa) 
7 This View of Life Stephen Jay Gould 
The Ultimate Parasite 
16 A Naturalist at Large Milton Love 
With a Little Help from My Friends 
20 Ralph Hoffmann: Unsung Guide to the Birds Harold Swanton 
A bird in the bush is worth something. 
32 Sky Reporter Stephen P. Maran 
Getting Ready for Halley 
40 Celestial Events Thomas D. Nicholson 
46 Hare Trigger John P. Bryant 
In the race of life, the plant sometimes beats the hare. 
54 In Praise of Plains Marilyn Coffey 
“The nerves stiffen, the senses expand, and man begins to 
realize the magnificence of being.” 
62 A Least Tern Makes a Right Turn Barbara W. Massey 
Photographs by George D. Lepp 
Ornithologists are now looking for the bird’s Mexican hideaway. 
72 Weathering Heights Charles A. Weitz 
Harsh mountain environments take a toll on their inhabitants. 
88 Additional Reading 
96 Bios Robert E. Cook 
Pin Cherry Perceptions 
104 At the American Museum 
Patterns of Paradise 
110 Books in Review John P. Kelsall 
Following the Caribou 
116 A Matter of Taste Raymond Sokolov 
Cut and Dried 
Cover: In the Huayhuash Mountains, northeast of Lima, Peru, a Quechua boy 
pauses to rest with a load of scarce firewood. Photograph by John Maddock 
Roberts. Article on page 72. 
Change of address notices, undeliverable 
copies, orders for subscriptions. 
and other mail items are to be sent to 
Natural History Membership Services 
Box 4300 
Bergenfield, New Jersey 07621 
