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: 2453

sharp in his criticism of Kammerers "inheritance of-acquired-characters" experiment, which have been quoted in both the English and the American press with so much deference of late. Sumner thinks said "experiments" were unscientific, and Kammerer him self an incritical enthusiast, carried away by his and ideas and the publicity that has been accorded them. I also met for a moment the new Director Vaughn, who seemed to be working with corals.

Today, I've been in the Museum at Balboa Park, looking on the study collections of mammals and birds. They are of two sources - the old Hawk Stephens collection dating back to 1874, and the lately-collected material gathered by the present curator of birds and mammals, Laurence Huey. Mr. Stephens is a sort of curator emeritus, a pensioner. He and Mrs. Stephens (who is curator of molluscs) together, I am told, received $75 per month - scarcely enough to live on, surely! Each puts in "half-time." Sunday afternoon I visited the Stephens's at their home, 3746 Park Blvd. - only two houses in sight when it was built, some 25 years ago, but now surrounded by apartments and modern homes. The Stephens are holding on to this property in hopes of selling to better advantage "soon"' but its all they can do to pay the taxes, $160 last year. I found Mr. Stephens