Transcribing the field notes of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

Author: Grinnell - 1925 Location: San Diego, California Date: March 3, 1925 Page Number: 2451

[last spec. #6258]

2 p.m., at the Natural History Museum, in Balboa Park. Here in the interests of launching an MVZ "expedition" into Lower California. Left Berkeley on "Owl" Friday night (Feb. 27). Spent Saturday at the Los Angeles Museum, Exposition Park, and Saturday night with Lee Chambers. Came to San Diego, Sunday forenoon; and since then have been meeting various people; and especially, waiting to see Jose Maria Gallegos, the Mexican official who is supposed to be mainly influential in the granting of permits for an entry into Lower California. But, Sr. Gallegos hasn't returned to the Hotel Brewster (his headquarters here) from a trip he and Laurence Huey undertook two weeks ago down to the vicinity of San Quentin. They went under the auspices of the Museum here to collect some mammals and were supposed to be be back Sunday. But delays on the order of the day, seemingly, in this life-zone! Also it is said that a fellow-Mexican is on Gallegos trail with a knife, by reason of an alleged unpaid debt of $800.00 - settled by a Mexican judge, but not settled in the eyes of the creditor! So - I wait, and MVZ party (Borell in Berkeley and Lamb in Los Angeles) waits. Poco tiempo! I have met several fine people here: Mr. L. M. Klauber, an engineer, and his friend H. R. Peckham, both informative and ready to help

Collector: Grinnell - 1925 Location: San Diego Date: March 3, 1925 Page Number: 2454

fairly cheerful - about as he was in 1910, at the time of the Colorado River expedition. But he is forgetful, and shows his old age plainly - and normally. He doesn't approve of the ways of Huey! But his perceptions are dim. I am quite favorably impressed with the earnestness and general good judgement of Clinton G. Abbott, Director of the Museum here. He seems to have the confidence of many of the foremost business-men of the city. This noon he took me to the University Club to lunch, with Mr. Joseph W. Sefton, Jr., a banker. The latter is now President of the San Diego Society of Natural History and a good patron. Sunday evening I called on Mr. + Mrs. Albert M. Ingersoll and they invited over Mr. + Mrs. John Burnham. Ingersoll have a wonderful, well cared for collection of birds' eggs, nearly all taken by himself during the past 40 years. And Burnham, a man of 58 or so and successful in real estate, emulates him. The latter, too, is treasurer of the San Diego society of Natural History. Burnham has a son, Gordon, in business with him, when I met. He has been into the San Pedro Martir section of Lower California, and through him and several others I have learned much of possible use as to how to get about among the people of that territory. This information I am writing to Lamb.