THE CONDOR 
Vol. XV 
GG 
affairs of the publishing company were mis-managed, and Mr. Dawson with- 
drew, determined to profit by the mistakes of this first venture, and to become 
himself responsible for the financial management as well as for the literary and 
scientific sides of any similar undertaking in the future. 
He returned to the state of Washington, where, in the spring of 1905, he or- 
ganized the Occidental Publishing Company, and began work on his “Birds of 
Washington". These were boom days in the northwest, and it speaks volumes 
for the character of the man that he should have persistently disregarded the 
financial allurements constantly offered in a community gone real-estate-mad, to 
continue steadfastly in the pursuit of his object. Four years of unremitting and 
arduous labor finally resulted in 1909 in the complete success of what at first had 
seemed but the dream of a visionary, the production of one of the most beauti- 
ful sets of books in modern ornithological literature. 
The high appreciation of his efforts expressed by certain members of the 
Cooper Club contained perhaps the first suggestion of the desirability of attempt- 
ing a similar work in California. This course of action was decided upon only 
after a year’s deliberation, but the field afforded such unrivaled opportunities, and 
the encouragement and support proffered were so reassuring that there was no 
resisting the temptation. 
In the selection of a dwelling place the charms of Santa Barbara prevailed 
over the rest of the state, and here, on the outskirts of the city, a comfortable 
home. “Los Colibris", was established, a place for rest in the brief intervals be- 
tween campaigns of activity in the field, and for the planning of future work. 
.A.n immediate result of this choice of a home has been an exceedingly in- 
teresting series of studies of water birds, some of which are already familiar to 
Condor readers. With the summer months spent in the field, photographing, ob- 
serving, and collecting, and with the winters devoted to the arduous labors in- 
volved in the financial end of such an undertaking, time passes swiftly, and three 
or four }'ears seems all too short an interval in which to produce such a book as the 
one planned. The field work so far has included expeditions to the Farallon 
Islands, to the Warner Mountains in extreme northeastern California, and to the 
Mount Whitney region, as well as numerous shorter trips. During the coming 
spring the Colorado Desert birds will receive their deserved share of attention. 
The Farallon trip was unexpectedly productive, of two birds new to California, 
the Black-throated Green Warbler and Oven-bird: rather startling records from 
such a locality. 
As to the desirability of the work which Mr. Dawson has begun, and as to 
his personal fitness for the undertaking, there can be no question. Its tendency to 
awaken interest in the subject treated on the part of many who would be otherwise 
utterly indifferent is alone a feature the importance of which can not be over- 
estimated. In every aspect of work in which we are all engaged, whether in try- 
ing to arouse interest in a Museum project, or in attempting to guide the public 
toward the enactment of intelligent legislation as regards the animal life of a 
commonwealth, there is almost always a long and usually discouraging period 
which must be devoted to educational work. During this period every energy must 
be devoted toward awakening a proper public sentiment in the matter, frequently 
overcoming unreasonable or adverse prejudice. In its educational aspect alone 
such a work as Mr. Dawson’s is invaluable. 
A book of the nature of the projected work occupies a distinctive position 
of its own. It in nowise conflicts with the more technical papers which other 
students are producing, but appeals to a clientele which the latter never reach. 
