Finding Aid for the Cooper Ornithological Society, Southern Division records, 1895-1935

Processed by Chris Marino in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Megan Hahn Fraser, July 2011; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/
© 2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.


Descriptive Summary

Title: Cooper Ornithological Society, Southern Division records
Date (inclusive): 1895-1935
Collection number: 105
Creator: Cooper Ornithological Society, Southern Division.
Extent: 3 boxes (1.5 linear ft.)
Abstract: The Cooper Ornithological Society was founded in 1893, and was named after the zoologist James G. Cooper. The collection contains 3 volumes of incoming correspondence from various ornithologists to Frank Slater Daggett, the accessions records of the Dickey Ornithological Library, and the specimen catalogs and field notes of Daggett and Wright M. Pierce who were both active members in the society.
Language: Finding aid is written in English.
Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UC Regents. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of the Cooper Ornithological Society, 1945.

Processing Note

Processed by Chris Marino in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), with assistance from Megan Hahn Fraser, July 2011.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Cooper Ornithological Society, Southern Division records (Collection 105). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

UCLA Catalog Record ID

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 4232906 

Biography/History

The Cooper Ornithological Society Southern Division was founded in Los Angeles in 1893 by a small group of individuals in southern California who were interested in the study of birds. The society was named after Dr. James G. Cooper, zoologist and avid bird collector. To facilitate communication between members, the society developed a publication called The Condor, which is still in existence today. One of the society's most active members was Frank Slater Dagett, who served as the society's vice president from 1898-1900 and president from 1901-1903. The bird species Sphyrapicus varius dagetti is named after him. He was an avid bird collector who amassed a collection of approximately 8,009 bird skins. Wright M. Pierce was also a prominent member of the Cooper Ornithological Society Southern Division who served on the society's board of governors for many years.
This collection also includes the accession records of the Dickey Ornithological Library, which consists of 10,000 natural history books and was donated by his wife Florence Van Vechten Dickey to UCLA in 1940. Donald R. Dickey was a nature photographer and filmmaker who dedicated the later part of his life collecting books and photographs of wildlife, as well as collecting mammals and birds.

Scope and Content

Collection contains 3 volumes of incoming correspondence from various ornithologists and bird enthusiasts to Frank Slater Daggett. The collection also includes of the accessions records of the Dickey Ornithological Library as well as the specimen catalogs and field notes of Frank S. Daggett and Wright M. Pierce.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Daggett, Frank Slater--Archives.
Pierce, Wright M. --Archives
Cooper Ornithological Society. Southern Division--Archives.
Ornithologists--California, Southern--Archival resources.

Genres and Forms of Material

accessions registers.


Box 1

Scrapbook of letters from bird enthusiasts to Frank S. Dagett ca. 1890s.

Box 1

Scrapbook of letters from bird enthusiasts to Frank S. Dagett ca. 1900s.

Box 1

Scrapbook of letters from bird enthusiasts to Frank S. Dagett ca. 1900s.

Box 1

Frank S. Dagett's catalog of bird specimens July 8, 1893 - January 5, 1896.

Box 1

Book of Finances from the Donald R. Dickey Memorial Library 1933-1934.

Scope and Content Note

Details the magazine subscription requisitions, money spent on books, supplies, cards, and the petty cash account.
Box 2

Dagett Field Notes 1893-1895.

Physical Description: (red marbled notebook)
Box 2

Dagett Field Notes 1895-1896.

Physical Description: (green notebook)
Box 2

Dagett Travel Log/Field Notes 1900-1902.

Physical Description: (black notebook)

Scope and Content Note

Majority of field notes are from southern California.
Box 2

Dagett Travel Log/Field Notes 1902.

Physical Description: (black notebook).

Scope and Content Note

The first part of this book consists of notes pertaining to the expedition of the Pasadena Academy of Sciences, which was organized by Dagett and took place in 1897. His notes were copied into this journal five years after the expedition. The second part of this book consists of field notes/travel log written in 1902.
Box 2

Dagett Travel Log/Field Notes 1903-1904.

Physical Description: (black notebook)

Scope and Content Note

Early journal entries Dagett wrote while in Pasadena; later journal entries he wrote while in Chicago.
Box 2

Dagett Travel Log/Field Notes 1906-1909

Physical Description: (black notebook)

Scope and Content Note

Majority of field notes are from Illinois, mostly Chicago and Oak Park.
Box 2

Dagett Travel Notes/Journal 1913-1920.

Physical Description: (black notebook)

Scope and Content Note

Chronicles his travels around southern and northern California.
Box 2

Three volumes of Dagett's field notes 1916.

Scope and Content Note

  • Volume 1: Daily Notes, February - July 1916.
  • Volume 2: Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino Mountain Notes, June 14-30, 1916.
  • Volume 3: Bird Notes, November 22, 1916- August 30, 1917.
Box 2

Book of lists of birds taken under permits from California Fish and Game Commission 1913-1918.

Box 3

Accession Records for the Donald R. Dickey Scientific Library 1929.

Physical Description: Two volumes.
Box 3

Shelf List of Donald R. Dickey Library undated.

Arrangement

List is organized alphabetically.
Box 3, Folder 1

Key to Familiar Birds of the Pacific Southwest 1933.

Scope and Content Note

A bound working draft of F.V.V. Dickey, Donald R. Dickey's wife's book called Key to Familiar Birds of the Pacific Southwest which later became Familiar birds of the Pacific Southwest.
Box 3, Folder 2

Wright M. Pierce Papers 1914-1935.

Scope and Content Note

Letters from ornithological societies to Pierce, and three volumes of his personal bird log/field notes.