Field notes
1950-2005
Scope and Content
Research notes on bird behavior in the field and aviary, particularly on junglefowl and weaverbirds. Countries of field research
include the United States, Canada, Africa and Asia. Materials include raw data, photographs, maps, sonograms, graphs, charts,
summaries of experiments and audio cassettes of bird songs and calls.
box 1, folder 7
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, weaver bird specimens
1987-1988
box 1, folder 22, box 7, folder 39
Aviary 1 & 3 maps, nest and egg records
1968-1969
box 1, folder 23
Weaver nest selection
1966
box 1, folder 24
Weaverbirds, LA Zoo
1980-1982
box 7, folder 29, 31, box 1, folder 25
Aviary 2 maps, nest and egg records
1968-1971
box 1, folder 26
Rubble nest raw data
circa 1979
box 1, folder 35
Bills and plumages summary, UCLA & LA Zoo
1978-1983
box 1, folder 38
Bills and plumages graphs
1974-1979
box 1, folder 39
Weaverbirds plumages & bills, UCLA
1978-1979
box 7, folder 30, 33-34,40-44, box 1, folder 40
Bills and plumages
1960-1979
box 1, folder 43
Weavers, castration and testosterone treatments
2000
box 1, folder 49
Herbert A. Brown's Weaver Birds, testosterone
1961-1962
box 1, folder 50
Testosterone injection of weaverbirds
1962
box 1, folder 51-52
Weavers, Aviary 1 & 2, Herb Brown
1962
box 1, folder 53, 56-57
Weaverbirds, hormones
1959-1961
box 1, folder 54, 60
Weavers, Aviary 1 & 2, E.S. Tarvyd
1963
box 1, folder 61
Aviary 2, R. J. Barfield
1961
box 2, folder 3
Village weaver sonogram images and photos
1961-1997
box 2, folder 4
Field checklists and photos
circa 1960s-1980s
box 2, folder 5
Ratite chicks sonograms, slides and photos
1957-2001
box 2, folder 14
Indoor Aviary 1, Barfield & Indoor Aviary 2, Frumkes
1960-1961
box 2, folder 15
Outdoor Aviary 1, Tarvyd
1959, 1961
box 2, folder 16
Outdoor Aviary 1, Tarvyd & Outdoor Aviary 2, Frumkes
1960-1962
box 2, folder 17
Aviary 1, Brian Kahn
1961
box 2, folder 18
Vivarium and Outdoor Aviary 2, Brooks
1960
box 2, folder 19, box 7, folder 58
Aviary 1 and Vivarium, Burrows
1959-1960
box 2, folder 24
Seattle data summaries of old age in weavers
1976-1980
box 2, folder 26, box 5, folder 7
Rubble nest experiment
1976-1977
box 3
Non Ploeceinae, East Africa
1973
Scope and Content
One box of index cards.
box 3
Weaverbirds comparative field study
1956-1957
Scope and Content
One box of index cards.
box 3
Ploceus (Textor) cucullatus
1956-1957
Scope and Content
One box of index cards.
box 3
Weaverbirds, Kenya
1978
Scope and Content
One box of index cards.
box 3
T.C.C., Senegal
1967
Scope and Content
One box of index cards.
box 3
Tapes of bird songs and calls
1977-2001
Scope and Content
Fourteen cassette tapes.
box 5, folder 1-6
Weaverbirds UCLA aviaries
1978-1980
box 5, folder 8-10
Village weaver branch and nest experiments
2003
box 5, box 7, folder 1
Red Junglefowl, San Diego Zoo
1962-1965, 1979-1992
Scope and Content
Box 5: Two shoe boxes of Collias' research note cards.
Box 7: Collias' notes, data and graphs.
box 6
Malibu Creek Lagoon
1984-1986
Scope and Content
Jonathon Alderfers' sketch book containing drawings of Malibu Lagoon birds and notes for publication in The Auk.
box 7, folder 8
Hypophysectomized chicks
1950-1951
box 7, folder 12-13, 19-20, 23, 26-27
Aviary 3 weekly reports
1973-1975
box 7, folder 14-15
Ploceidae taxonomy and nest building
1956-1986
box 7, folder 17-18, 21-22
Weaver nest color regulation
1974 April 1-1974 July 27
box 7, folder 24-25
Aviary 1-3 nest maps
1972-1973
box 7, folder 28, 45-50
Female weaver hormone experiments
1964-1967
box 7, folder 32
Aviary temperature and rainfall data
1968-1969
box 7, folder 35-36
Thyroxin experiments
1967, 1969
box 7, folder 37
Weaver seasonal control
1966-1969
box 7, folder 38
Effects of testosterone on female weavers
1970
box 7, folder 52
Weaverbirds light experiments
1963-1964
box 7, folder 54, box 8, folder 10-13, 15-17
California field trip maps, brochures and notes
1958-2005
box 7, folder 57
Weaver finch water economy charts
undated
box 8, folder 4-8, 14, 18, 21
Bird and flower lists
1954-2003
box 8, folder 31
Red Junglefowl - Malaysia photos
1962, 2003
box 9, folder 24
Female wing length for different races of Ploceus cucullatus
1993
Manuscripts and publications
1950-2008
Scope and Content
Manuscripts and research articles by Nicholas E. Collias and colleagues. Materials include drafts of monographs co-authored
with Elsie C. Collias including "Evolution of Nest Building in Weaverbirds" and "Nest Building and Bird Behavior."
box 1, folder 5
Evolution of Nest-Building in the Weaverbirds (Ploceidae)
1964
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
The art work from this article was used for an exhibit in 2002.
box 9, folder 25-34, box 1, folder 8-10, 12, 16
Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus
1974-1999
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias for The Birds of Africa. Materials also include reference literature and correspondence.
box 1, folder 18
Social Behavior and Vocal Repertoire of the Grey-Capped Social Weaver in East Africa
1980-1984
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
Materials also include photocopies of articles by invitation for the revision of Sir Landsborough's A New Dictionary of Birds,
British Onithologist's Union and others prepared for press such as "Old Age and Breeding Behavior in 14 to 20-Year Old African
Weaverbirds" and "Social Behavior of Unconfined Red Junglefowl" by Collias and his wife, Elsie C. Collias.
box 1, folder 20
Comparison of Vocal Signals of Three Species of African Finches
1993-2004
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
Materials also include "Seeking to Understand the Living Bird" by Nick and Elsie and "Inheritance of Egg-Color Polymorphism
in the Village Weaver" by Elsie.
box 1, folder 21
Some Research Contributions to Ornithology and Bird Behavior
circa 1988
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 1, folder 42, 44-48, 55, 58
Testosterone Versus Psychological Castration in the Expression of Dominance, Territoriality and Breeding Behavior by Male
Village Weavers
2000-2001
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias, Ronald J. Barfield and Edward S. Tarvyd
Folder 44 includes correspondence with The Auk Editor-in-Chief, Kimberly G. Smith. Folder 45 includes correspondence with
Martin Daly, Executive Editor for Behaviour: An International Journal of Behavioural Biology.
box 1, folder 59
Weaver poster paper
circa 2000
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
box 2, folder 1
Biographical sketch and statement of research
undated
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 2, folder 6
Vocal Signals of the Village Weaver: Spectrographic Classification and the Code of Communication
2000-2001
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 2, folder 7
Understanding Bird Language
2001
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 2, folder 9
Comparison of Vocal Signals of Three Species of African Finches
2004
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
box 2, folder 10
Native Foods and nutritional ecology of the red junglefowl in southeast Asia
1963, circa 2002
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
Materials include Red Junglefowl field notes collected in Malay Peninsula of Thailand.
box 2, folder 11
The Role of American Zoologists and Ethologists in the Development of Ethology During the Three Decades Preceding the Formation
of the ABS
circa 1978
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 4, folder 62, box 2, folder 23
Nest Building and Bird Behavior
1984
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
Includes photo used for the cover of this book.
box 2, folder 25
Nest and Mate Selection by the Female Village Weaverbird
1978-1979
Scope and Content
Nicholas E. Collias' response to Peter Garson's critique in Animal Behavior of two of his articles on sexual selection in
Ploceus cucullatus.
box 2, folder 38
The Importance of the Male, His Territory and His Nest in Mate Selection by the Female Village Weaver, a Tropical Passerine
Bird
2007
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias, Florence McAlary McFarland, Catherine Jacobs, Janice McLean, and Cathleen Cox.
box 4, folder 1-23
Seeking to Understand the Living Bird
1996-1998
Scope and Content
Margaret Morse Nice Medal lecture by Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias.
box 4, folder 25-61
On the Origin and Evolution of Nest Building by Passerine Birds (Passeriformes)
1990-1997
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
Materials include related notes, tables, statistics, photos, slides, correspondence with Dr. Walter D. Koenig and Dr. Glenn
E. Walsberg, Editors, The Condor and drafts of Collias' manuscript Ovenbirds (Furnariidae, Passeriformes) and the Origin of
the Passerine Bird Nest.
box 4, folder 63
Argentine trip talk
1990
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 4, folder 67
Size Breeding Colony Related to Attraction of Mates in a Tropical Passerine Bird
1969
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
box 5, folder 11-32
The Male and the Nest in Mate Selection by a Female Weaverbird
1975-1977, 2001-2008
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
Materials include research and editorial correspondence, data, multiple drafts, photos of male and female weaverbirds and
their nests. Manuscript name changed to "The Male, His Territory and His Nest in Mate Selection by the Female Village Weaver,
a Tropical Passerine Bird" with additional authors: Florence McAlary McFarland, Catherine Jacobs, Janice McClean and Cathleen
Cox.
box 7, folder 4, 10, 61
Animal Behavior and Population Density
1958-1969
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 7, folder 55
Weaverbirds public record
1958-2000
Scope and Content
Materials include outlines for talks and manuscripts by Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias. Folder also contains clippings
from magazines and newspapers.
box 7, folder 56
Some Behavioral Aspects of Energetics in the Village Weaverbird
circa 1968
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
box 8, folder 40
The Ecological Bases of Animal Behavior
undated
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 9, folder 16-22
Egg Color Inheritance in Weaverbirds
circa 1987-1993
Scope and Content
By Elsie C. Collias
box 9, folder 37
An Ecological Classification of Animal Language
1958
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 9, folder 23, 38-39
The Spectrographic Analysis of Sound Signals of the Domestic Fowl
1953
Scope and Content
Folder 23: One spectrogram photo and two photocopies of baby chick pleasure and distress notes used for article.
Folder 38-39: Article by Nicolas E. Collias and Martin Joos with related notes and publications on vocal communication in
birds.
box 9, folder 40
Some Aspects of Comparative Sociology in Mammals
circa 1952
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
box 9, folder 50, 52-53
Functions of Animal Sounds; An Ecological Classification of Animal Communication
1950-1960
Scope and Content
Manuscript by Nicholas E. Collias for submission to American Institute of Biological Sciences.
Correspondence
1933-2004
Scope and Content
Professional and personal letters to and from Collias.
box 1, folder 2
Members of the Section and Division of Animal Behavior and Sociobiology
1963-1964
Scope and Content
Letters related to the formation of an American Animal Behavior Society.
box 1, folder 6
Academic Press Executive Editor, Wildlife and Ecology
1999
box 1, folder 11, 13-14, 17
Stuart Keith, Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History
1994 August 24-2004 August 13
box 1, folder 15
Nigel Redman, Christopher Helm
2002 September 24
box 1, folder 21
Marty L. Morton, Occidental College
1981 October 23
Scope and Content
Correspondence includes reprints pertaining to the biology of Mountain White-crowned Sparrows on the breeding grounds.
box 1, folder 28
Cathleen Cox, Los Angeles Zoo
1994 March 28
Scope and Content
Correspondence includes Cox's article "Pair Formation in California Condors."
box 1, folder 29, 41
R.J. Barfield, Department of Biology, Livingston College
1978, 2000
Scope and Content
Folder 29 materials include Barfield's article, "Autoradiographic Localization of Androgen-Concentrating Cells in the Brain
of the Male Domestic Fowl." Folder 41 includes Barfield's personal photos annotated by Collias.
box 1, folder 30
Oris Payton, Malibu Garden Club
1985 October 30
Teaching and research materials
circa 1946-2004
Scope and Content
Collias taught Biology at Chicago City Junior College and Amherst College in 1946. From 1947-1951 he was a Zoology instructor
at the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he began his research on the development of social behavior in birds. He joined
the biology faculty at Illinois College, Jacksonville from 1953-1958 where he chaired the department. Finally, he moved to
Los Angeles to work within UCLA's Department of Zoology for 27 years until he retired as Professor Emeritus in 1985. Materials
include Collias' curriculum, assessments, syllabi, lecture and research notes, grant applications and related correspondence.
box 1, folder 3
Biology 1B
1976
Scope and Content
UCLA lecture notes for a class dealing with organisms and populations.
box 6, folder 27-29, box 7, folder 2-3, box 2, folder 27-29
Biology 274 Seminar on Animal Behavior
1972-1977, 1981-1983
box 2, folder 30
Zoology 264 Seminar on Animal Behavior
1971
box 6, folder 3-26, box 2, folder 31
Biology 129 The Behavior of Animals
1966-2003
Scope and Content
Folder 13 also includes exams and answer keys for Zoology 164, 237and 217.
box 2, folder 32-37
Biology 211 Animal Sociology
1978-1979
box 6, folder 32
Sociobiology Seminar
1975
box 7, folder 6
Research project notes
1976-1977
Scope and Content
Collias' notes on possible research projects and experiments for graduate students.
box 7, folder 7
General notes on behavior and genetics
circa 1946
box 7, folder 9
Bioenergetics notes
1959-1967
box 7, folder 11
Concept of levels notes
undated
box 7, folder 59
Weaverbird literature notes
undated
box 1, folder 4
Activation of Copulatory Behavior by Androgen Implanted into the Preoptic Area of the Male Fowl
circa 1967
Scope and Content
By Ronald J. Barfield
box 8, folder 1, box 9, folder 51, box 1, folder 27
National Science Foundation grant proposals
1952, 1980, 1984
Scope and Content
Box 1: Development and Physiology of Adaptive Behavior Patterns.
Box 8: Comparative Studies of Signal Function and Structure.
Box 9: Experimental Analysis of Vocal Communication Among Birds.
box 8, folder 29, 32-33
UCLA Faculty Grant Program proposal
1999-2004
Scope and Content
Folder 29: Analysis of Social Behavior in Birds.
Folder 32: Analysis of Social Behavior and Communication in Birds.
Folder 33-34: Analysis of Social Behavior and Vocal Communication in Birds.
box 8, folder 35-36, 38-39
UCLA Council on Research grant proposal
1991-1992, 1996-1999
Scope and Content
Analysis of Social Behavior and Vocal Communication in Birds.
box 9, folder 41
U.S. Government Awards under the Fulbright Act application
1954-1957
box 9, folder 62
National Institutes of Health Research and Training Grants application
1956
box 1, folder 34
Douglas Oliver, Professor, Harvard University
1961 March 22
Scope and Content
Letter attached to Oliver's article, "An Ethnographer's Method for Formulating Descriptions of 'Social Structure.'"
box 2, folder 2
George A. Bartholomew
1998
box 2, folder 8
Dr. Thomas E. Martin, Editor-In-Chief, The Auk
1997 April 7
box 4, folder 12
Jane G. Pisano, President and Director, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
2004 March 10
box 2, folder 22
Martin W. Schein, Smithsonian Institution Archives
1995 October 17
Scope and Content
Includes A Guide to the Records of the Animal Behavior Society 1965-1993.
box 6, folder 1
E.J. Kraus, Department of Botany, University of Chicago
1933 February
box 6, folder 30
Dr. V.E. Hall, Department of Physiology, UCLA
1966 November
box 7, folder 16
Nancy Masters, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University
1975-1977
box 8, folder 2
Researchers of weaverbirds
1987-2002
box 8, folder 3
Researchers of the Red Junglefowl
1953-1996
box 8, folder 19
National Park Service
1971 April 23
box 8, folder 20, 25
Ed Tarvyd, Professor of Zoology, Santa Monica College
1980 December
box 8, folder 23-24, 26
Professor Henry J. Thompson, Chairman, UCLA Department of Biology
1972 November 15
Scope and Content
Attachments include Biographical Sketch of Elsie C. Collias.
box 8, folder 30
Ornithological Societies of North America
1994 April 14
box 8, folder 37
Publishers
1955-1976
Scope and Content
Materials concern Collias' book on the ecological foundations of animal behavior.
box 9, folder 54-60
Journal manuscript authors
1965-1995
Scope and Content
Correspondence concerning Collias' reviews of journal manuscripts for various publications including The Auk, The Condor and
Animal Behaviour.
box 9, folder 61
Edwin W. Snider, Secretary, National Geographic Society
1984-1985
B.S. and Ph.D. notes, papers and thesis drafts
1930-1948
Scope and Content
Materials include Collias' academic papers, research notes and thesis drafts while pursuing his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in
zoology at the University of Chicago.
box 1, folder 1
The Origin, Evolution and Classification of Birds
circa 1938
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias
box 9, folder 35
Field studies of social behavior
1930-1948
Scope and Content
Collias' notes on various field experiments and research articles.
box 9, folder 36
Significance of social dominance in vertebrates
1930-1948
Scope and Content
Collias' notes on articles concerning social dominance. Materials include "Group Organization Among Vertebrates" paper by
Collias' mentor, Professor W.C. Allee.
box 9, folder 42
Collias Review of Nicholson
1938
Scope and Content
By Nicholas E. Collias, University of Chicago
box 9, folder 43-49
Statistical Analysis of Factors Which Make for Success in Initial Encounters Between Hens
circa 1940-1942
Scope and Content
PhD thesis drafts by Nicholas E. Collias, University of Chicago.
Prior title: Aggressive Behavior Among Vertebrate Animals; Some Implications and a Statistical Analysis
Professional organization records
1958-2007
Scope and Content
Collias was active in a number of professional scientific societies concerning the behavior of animals, specifically birds.
He was a founding member of the Animal Behavior Society (ABS) and in 1964-1965 he chaired the committee that wrote the ABS
constitution. Materials include abstracts, programs, newsletters, studies, posters, surveys, lists of fellows, awards and
honors.
box 1, folder 19
Animal Behavior Society Program and Abstracts
1993
box 1, folder 31
American Ornithologists' Union Program and Abstracts
1993
box 1, folder 32
Animal Behavior Society abstract transmittal form
1993
box 1, folder 33
American Ornithologists' Union fellows list, photo and abstract form
1992-1993
box 1, folder 36
Animal Behavior Society abstracts
1987
box 1, folder 37
Pan African Ornithological Congress Programme & Abstracts
1980
box 2, folder 13
International Ornithological Congress application and poster
1990, 1998
box 2, folder 20
Cooper Ornithological Program and ALBS paper
1961
box 4, folder 64
International Ornithological Congress Program
1962
box 6, folder 31
Southern California Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Study Group
1982
box 8, folder 9
Entomological societies' newsletters
circa 1989
box 8, folder 27-28
Animal Behavior Society: Autobiographical Surveys
1996
box 9, folder 1-15, box 4, folder 23-24
Animal Behavior Society presentation materials
1993-1994
Scope and Content
Animal Behavior Society talk by Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias. Copies of slides, graphs, tables, outline and lecture.
These materials were also used for their 1994 American Ornithologists' Union presentation.
box 8, folder 22, box 6, folder 2
Awards and honors
1958-2007
Scope and Content
Awards and honors from various organizations including UCLA Emeriti Association, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County,
American Institute of Biological Sciences, Cooper Ornithological Society, American Ornithologists' Union and the Animal Behavior
Society.
United States Army Air Forces publications
1943-1945
Scope and Content
After Collias earned his PhD in 1942, he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he spent three and a half years. He rose from
the rank of private to first lieutenant and finished his Army career as a medical research physiologist. These publications
include Collias' annotations.
box 4, folder 65
Outline of Neuropsychiatry in Aviation Medicine
circa 1944
box 4, folder 65
Notes on Men and Groups Under Stress of Combat: For the Use of Flight Surgeons in Operational Units
1945
box 4, folder 65
How Can the Flight Surgeon Better Treat Anxiety?
1945
box 4, folder 65
Care of Personnel in the Wet Tropics
1944
box 4, folder 65
Living Off the Land
circa 1943
box 4, folder 65
Living Off the Southwest Pacific Tropics
1944
box 4, folder 66
High Altitude Frostbite
1943
box 4, folder 66
Aviation Physiologists Bulletin
1945
box 4, folder unknown container, folder 66
Physiology of Flight: Human Factors in the Operation of Military Aircraft
1945