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The Americas 58:4 April 2002, 601-622 Copyrightby the Academy of American FranciscanHistory

THEBEGINNINGS MODERN OF ORNITHOLOGY IN VENEZUELA*T

mongall the zoologicalspecies,birdsarethe easiestto observeand _study. Theirdiurnal habits, songs,andvisualfeatures the makethem w Xconspicuous.Thesecharacteristics madebirdsone of thebesthave knownanimalgroupseven thoughornithologists not makeup a large do community amongzoologists.For ErnstMayr,an ornithologist who has madesignificant contributions go beyondhis own field, the accessibilthat ity of birdsto research allowedornithologists makeimportant has to discoveriesin severalnew fields of biology,ranging"fromnew systematics andspeciation research endocrinology behavioral to and biology.''l In Venezuela, birdsare the best-studied organisms with respectto their taxonomyand geographical distribution. resultsof these studiesare The recorded catalogues publications gatherthe whole of the terriin and that tory'sbirdfauna. Thesestudieshavebeenmadepossiblethanks thework to of national international and institutions individuals. most imporand The tant amongthem are the pioneering contributions WilliamH. Phelps of (1875-1965),a successful American businessman becamea Venezuelan who citizen,andof his sonWilliam PhelpsJr.(1902-1988). 1938theycreH. In atedthe PhelpsOrnithological Collection beganthe systematic and studyof thebirdsof Venezuela. Thepresent workanalyzesthe beginnings ornithology the country, of in in particular web of influences theconditions favored estabthe and that its lishment.Specialattention be given to the first steps in a periodthat will rangesfromthe 1930sto the late 1950s.In addition, stateof the discithe pline todaywill be considered its most generalaspects,for manyof its in
* Acknowledgments:To Miguel Lentino, Roger Perez-Hernandez Hebe Vessurifor the comments y made to the manuscript. t Translated JulietaFombona by l Ernst Mayr, "Epilogue. Materialsfor a History of American Ornithology,"in Erwin Stresemann Ornithology from Aristotle to the present (HarvardUniversity Press, 1975), p. 382.

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traitsarethe consequence theparticular in whichthis sciencebegan of way anddeveloped Venezuela. in Specialists amateurs and alikehaveconsidered South America birdpara adise.Thevarietyof speciesis so greatthatis it estimated theregionis that hometo one-third all theknownspeciesof birdsin theworld.Venezuela, of in turn,is fortunate have in its territory percent the speciesof the to 44 of subcontinent is also a pointof transit sojourn birdsthatmigrate and and for fromotherregionsof the world.2 In the neotropical region,according Kenneth Parkes, firststeps to C. the in the searchfor ornithological information (inventory, classification and zoogeographic description), considered essential moreanalytical for studies andinterpretations, still at an initialphase,especiallyin vast areasof were South America.The inventory,however,was almost completefor this region.3 Whenthe systematic sustained and studyof the indigenous population of birdsbeganin SouthAmerica,ornithology alreadya well-developed was sciencein the UnitedStatesandEurope, to mentionotherregionsand not countries. Theirbirdfaunaswere exhaustively knownas far as taxonomy, distribution habits. and Erwin Stressemann, ornithologist an and historianof the discipline, pointsoutthatwell intothetwentieth century . . anyone ". couldbe regarded as an expertwho was well acquainted with systematics, distribution and 'habits.' Veryfew youngdisciplesof the 'scientia amabilis' wereinterested in the achievements anatomists, of physiologists, geneticists, psycholoand gists in addingto the knowledge birds.In otherdisciplines situation of the was much the same. Most representatives 'scientificzoology' viewed of ornithology the provinceof amateurs, as whose findingscould not mean muchto researchers causation."4 the 1920s, however,ornithology into In began to changeradicallyin the more scientificallyadvanced countries. Stressemann remarks: "When highlyorganized the physicalandpsychological structure birdswas recognized offeringbetteropportunities of as for causalresearch anyothersubject, barriers protected special than the that our field of knowledge weredemolished all sides."5 on
2 William H. Phelps Jr.& RodolpheMeyer de Schauensee, Una gufa de las aves de Venezuela (Caracas: ArmitanoEds., 1979). Originalin English, PrincetonUniversity Press, 1978. 3 KennethC. Parkes,"Neotropical Ornithology-Anoverview" in P.A. Buckley et.al. (eds.) Neotropical Ornithology.OrnithologyMonographsN36 (AmericanOrnithologistsUnion, 1985), p. 1025. 4 Stresemann,Ornithology,p. 351. 5 Stresemann,Ornithology,p. 351.

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Thus,a vast storeof knowledge experience already and was available in the more advanced countries when the systematic studyof the birdsand theirhabits beganin Latin America. thecaseof Venezuela, In Americans and American institutions playeda significant in the beginnings later role and developments ornithology. storythatwill be toldhereis the storyof of The how a country with little scientifictradition triedto absorba sciencefrom countries withhighlydeveloped scientifictraditions, starting 1936,when in it entered accelerated an processof modernization. Duringthe first decadesof the twentiethcentury, from 1908 to 1935, when Venezuelawas underthe repressiverule of GeneralJuanVicente Gomez,organized scientific activities werenon-existent. few whomade The scientificcontributions worked isolationandtheirresources in werescarce; the impactof theirworkwas at best marginal. backward The stateof academicinstitutions, lackof scientific the organizations of a favorable and culturalframework contributed the society'sinability takeadvantage to to of thescientific knowledge foreignspecialists gathered that had fromthecountry'sfloraandfauna. At theendof General Gomezregime,favorable conditions thedevelfor opment the natural of sciencesbeganto be created. few yearsearlier, A the Venezuelan Societyof Natural Scienceshadbegunto hold sessionsandto publisharticles the minutes its meetingsin its officialjournal. and of These manifested concerns Venezuelan in cultural circlesaboutthe uncertain and precarious of natural state sciencein thecountry forthe deterioration and of its natural resources. They also stressedthe need for the Society to contribute the protection the floraandfaunaandthe importance startto of of ing scientificcollections. Freddy Pantin, of the Society'sPresidents, one pointedout in 1936 that for wantof an adequate law, the ethnographic collectionsof animalsand plants,amongothers, "belong todayto foreignmuseums scientificsociand eties, when at least partof these shouldbe in our museums,which are becoming poorer everyday."6 partabout"our The museums" no doubt was a pedagogical exaggeration the partof Pantin, the only existingcolon for lectionwas the one started the Swissbotanist by HenriPittier 1920.7 in The
6 FreddyL. Pantin,4'Necesidad de una ley sobre exploracionescientificas y conservacionde objetos culturales,"Mathematicasy Naturales; Boletin de la Sociedad Venezolanade Ciencias Naturales, 26 (1936), pp.284-286; see also: "Anteproyectode ley sobre exploraciones cientificas y conservacion de objetos culturales, sometido a la consideracion del Congreso Nacional" Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat.26 (1936), pp. 287-290. 7 YolandaTexeraArnal, La exploracion botanica en Venezuela:1754-1950 (Caracas: Fondo Editorial Acta Cientifica Venezolana, 1991), pp. 107ss.

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construction TheMuseum Natural of of Scienceswouldonly be a few yearslater.Whenit was inaugurated 1940, it had completed in very few exhibits,and some of these were from the old NationalMuseum, new functioned which during last quarter the the of nineteenth century.8 Duringtheseyears,some government departments the Central and versityof Venezuela Unibeganproposing new scientificandtechnical and studies careers. Theseinitiatives a wholecreated as a favorable the environment for development natural of sciencesin thecountry. we shall As see later, had consequences that this affected the establishmentof ornithologyin Venezuela. Froma historiographical of point view,ornithology, alongwithbotany, the of thenatural field is sciencesin whichthegreatest effortshavebeenmade to record contributions the by Venezuelans and One est contributions lastcentury thereview foreigners. of the earliof was essaydoneby Eduardo a Rohl, versatile intellectual. his article,"Apuntes In parala historia la historiy ografia la ornitologia de venezolana," published 1932in thejournal the in of Venezuelan Societyof Natural Sciences,Rohllists the naturalists, and travelers ornithologists up to thattimehad that contributed the knowledge to of Venezuela's fauna,as well as the avian national foreignliterature the and on subject. orderto carryout this In review, Rolh faced many becausethe dispersion difficulties of andfragmentation the of available information.9 "Resumen las colecciones de ornitol6gicas hechas en Venezuela" William by Phelps,is a morerigorous andexhaustive workthanthe one mentioned Published thesame before. in it all the of birdsin Venezuela. journal, updates thecontributions study to By thattime,the Phelps Ornithological lection beenfounded it was Colhad and to whohadcaIried studies subject well as the essential identify on the out as location theexisting of collections the and literature. undertook Phelps an exhaustive search European in and museumsinstitutions well as and as localones,covering period American a of timethat spanned twocenturies theeighteenth from century thedateof publication.l to A laterworkby WilliamPhelpsJr., requested the Preparatory by mittee Creation the forthe Comof National Council Scientific for Research, plemented comtheprevious work.Phelpssummarized thehistory ornithology of
FundacionMuseo de Ciencias, "Catalogode las colecciones de de Naturalesde zoologia y antropologiadel Museo Ciencias Caracas"(Caracas:1993), p. 1. 9 Eduardo Rohl, "Apuntes para la historia y la bibliografia de la Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. pp. 201-247. ornitologia venezolana," 6 (1932), 10 H. Phelps, "Resumen W. de las colecciones ornitologicas hechas en Venezuela," Cienc.Nat. 61 (1944), pp. 325-444. Bol.Soc.Ven
8

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analysisof the country's out up in Venezuela to 1940andcalTied a detailed showsthatthelocalworkdoneup to then His bird current collections. report 94 was insignificant: percentof the existingbirdcollectionsbelongedto and France, theUnited Germany, Britain, in and museums institutions Great of ownedonly 6 percent thesecolVenezuela the States,particularly latter. just lectionsof whichthe Phelpscollection,founded two yearsbefore,repSciences, of to half.Theotherthreebelonged theMuseum Natural resented Rohl.ll citizen,Eduardo and of to the Department Commerce, to a private above countriesmentioned The sourcesshow that the threeEuropean bird the dominated studyof the Venezuelan faunatill the end of the exighThenthe UnitedStatesbeganto play the majorrole, which teenthcentury. Thus,becausetheclosestand of the it heldduring firstdecades lastcentury. are in for references theoriginof ornithology Venezuela to be mostrelevant on foundin the UnitedStates,the presentworkwill drawprimarily those contributions. Historyin New YorkCity playedan of Museum Natural TheAmerican This institution in role important in the historyof ornithology Venezuela. for an that to sentexpeditions Venezuela constituted antecedent the period H. takenby William Phelps the In we areaboutto study. addition, initiative bird of to beginthestudyandcollection thecountry's faunais closelylinked there. that and to this institution to someof the scientists worked of and its through own research the acquisition the RothThe Museum, (morethan280,000pelts)in Museum Tring fromLondon's schildCollection birdcollectionin the world. the 1930s,held the largestandmostcomplete (1864M. dealto Frank Chapman owes a great of Theexcellence its exhibits in untilhisretirement 1942. for 1945)whowasthebirdcurator manydecades birds, in a to According Phelps,thoughChapman, specialist neotropical morethan soil, on nevercollectedspecimens Venezuelan he did contribute of anyoneelse to the advancement the studyof the local birdfauna.Chapnew sixty-three Venezuedescribing record published manleft a substantial to ErnstMayr,who was connected the museumfrom 1932 to lan birds.l2 had Chapman a much ornithologist, "As 1944,saysof Chapman: a scientific at vision than some of his contemporaries othermuseums,who broader seem to be interestedmainly in the 'making'of new generaand subde 11W. H. Phelps Jr.,4'Resumen las investigaciones ornitologicasen Venezuelahasta 1940," in La Ciencia, base de nuestroprogreso. Fundamentospara la creacion del Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificasy Tecnologicas(Caracas:Ediciones IVIC, 1966), pp. 145-151. contribuciondel Dr. Frank M. Chapmana la ornitologia venezolana," 12 William H. Phelps, 44La 64 Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. (1945), pp. 99-103.

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species.''l3 Chapman's research the birdsof Colombia Ecuador on and and his writingsbetween 1929 and 1931 on the Roraimaand Duida in the Venezuelan Guyana region,according Mayr,were"pioneering to contributionsthatnotonly(quitesuccessfully) attempted classifySouth to American birdsinto ecologicalassociations, also attempted unravel history but to the of SouthAmerican birds.''l4 Ontheother hand, Mayr considered atthattime,during 1930sand that the 1940s,exactlythe periodduring whichthe Museum someveryimporsent tantexpeditions Venezuela, institution experiencing periodof to the was a "intellectual excitement a level of professional and competence ornithoand logical universality had nowhereexistedand thatperhaps never that can againbe duplicated. Muchof ornithology sincebecomeexperimental has and highlytechnical, thatits centerof gravityhas shiftedfrommuseums so to experimental laboratories theuniversities.''ls at Chapman deserves also credit for havingbeenableto securethe collaboration a distinguished of groupof scientists. Someof thesewouldlaterworkwithPhelps,as we shallsee. Thanks theexpeditions institution to Mount to the sent DuidaandMount Roraima 1912andlaterin 1927and 1928,the scientists theAmerican in at Museumof NaturalHistoryknew of the considerable richnessin bird species of the mesas (tepuyes) of Venezuela's Guayana region since the beginning lastcentury. of During theseexpeditions, scientists gathered more than8,000 specimens, of whichwere new to science.Chapman a 62 had majorrole in the description these collections.As has been stated,his of workcontributed significantly thestudyof thedistribution ecologyof to and theregionsbirdfauna. Despitetheseadvances, regionbetween two mountains, the the separated by some six hundred kilometers, still unexplored of greatinterest. was and As Phelpsexplained a lecture: in "Thesimilarity the Roroima of (sic) and Duidabirdfaunasindicatesthatthis subtropical faunamustexist in other high mountains the intermediate of region and is unknownto zoology; thence,theextraordinary interest its scientific of exploration. highestof The thesemountains surelythe mostinteresting theAuyantepuy, will and is that soonbe the objectof a scientificexpedition by theAmerican sent Museum of Natural History.''l6
13 14 15

Mayr, 4Epilogue,"p. 370Mayr, 4Epilogue,"p. 371 Mayr, Epilogue," p. 371.

16 William H. Phelps, "La expedicion del American Museum of Natural History al Auyantepui," Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. (1938), pp. 251-265. 32

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According Phelps, newsof theexistence thismountain very to the of was recentandwas due to the American aviator JimmyAngelandthe engineer Francis Martin, whichgoes to showthe sadstateof thegeographical knowledgeof thenation thetime.l7 a notesentto Chapman, at In Phelpspresented theMuseum anofferto finance exploratory with an expedition thisregion. to TheMuseum planned expedition a nearby had an to regionthatwouldtake placein 1931,butthecritical economic situation theUnited in States hinhad deredtheproject, Phelpsproposal a happy so was coincidence.l8 The expeditiontook place in 1937 and 1938. It was headedby the Museum's mastozoologist, H. H. Tate,andotherspecialists G. amongwhom were the ornithologists WilliamF. Coultasand E. ThomasGilliard.The Phelpses participated volunteers. the 2,351 speciesof birdsthatwere as Of collected,10 werenew to ornithology. Thefiles of thePhelpsCollection notcontain information do any predating 1938 thatwouldhelp explainPhelps'sevidentinterestin ornithology andhis decisionto abandon business the worldanddedicate himselfentirely to this science.Thus,only hypothesesare possiblein this respect.Some biographical facts,though, mighthelpto throwsomelighton the subject.l9 WilliamPhelpswas bornin New Yorkin 1875 of a wealthyfamily.He was the son of DudleyF. Phelps,an attorney, LouiseLander and Prince, the daughter the distinguished of doctorWilliamHenryPrince.Phelpsgraduatedfromthe MiltonAcademy 1892 andcumlaudefromHarvard in Universityin 1897.Beforegraduating fromCollege,he hadbecomea member of the NuttallOrnithological andtheAmerican Club Ornithological Union, wherehe established to important ties scientists the time.20 of Beforesettlingdefinitivelyin Venezuela 1898, for, it seems, strictly in personal reasons, William Phelpshadcometo the country yearsearlier two as a student fromHarvard University. was studying He zoologyandwanted
17 Phelps, "La expedicion del American," p. 251. The engineer Alfredo Jahn points out that the Auyantepuihad alreadybeen discovered by Cap. Felix Cardonain 1928. 18 Phelps, "Lacontribuciondel Dr. FrankM. Chapman," 102. p. 19 On Phelps see the following references:Tobias Lasser, "Discursopronunciadopor el Dr. Tobias Lasser en el paraninfode la UniversidadCentralen el acto en que le fue conferido el titulo de Doctor Honoris causa al Senor William H. Phelps," Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat.74 (1949), pp. 269-275; Ramon Aveledo, "Contribucion Dr. William H. Phelps a la ornitologia venezolana,"Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. del 110(1966), pp. 3-1 l; Bol.Acad.Cienc.Ffs.Mat.y Nat. "Notanecrologica,"70 (1966), pp. 12-16; Guillermo Zuloaga,"Palabras elogio al Dr. WilliamH. Phelps en la SociedadVenezolanade Ciencias Naturales," de Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat.111 (1967), pp. 196-208; Robert Cushman Murphy, "In Memorian: William Henry Phelps,"TheAuk 87 (1970), pp. 419-424. 20 Murphy,"In Memoriam:William Henry Phelps."

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to gather information about birdfaunaof thecountry's the eastern regionfor his thesis.Chapman, hadstudied birdfaunaof Trinidad wanted who the and to compare to thatof Venezuela, suggested subject Phelps.The it had the to latter finished studies published research a prestigious his and his in ornithologicalmagazine 1897.21 in Fortyyearswereto passbeforePhelpswroteanything related thissubto ject. He presented lectureto the International a Congressof Ornithology, whichhe attended ad-honorem as delegateof the Venezuelan Government. In it he stressed needto rectifyan error someinternational the in catalogues that attributed geographical the originof the birdsof MountRoraima to BritishGuyana.22 subsequent His work was aboutthe expeditionto the Ayauntepuy mentioned above. It is quiteprobable the discoveryof the Auyantepuy the possithat and bilityof findinga practically unknown veryrichendemicbirdfaunaat and the site was a decisivefactorin revivingPhelps'sinterest birds.Neverin theless,it does not explainhis decisionto participate the expedition in and his willingness financeit at a cost of morethan$50,000,a considerable to sumfor the timeandeven today.23 anycase, it is possibleto assumethat In during thosefortyyears,Phelpsneverlost interest thediscipline kept in and up to date with the 'events'thattook place in the countryin the field of ornithology; eventsthatconsisted mainlyof the activities foreigninstituof tionsandindividuals, specially Americans, whomPhelps,in all probawith bility,keptin touch.It is alsoprobable Phelps,during thoseyearsin that all whichhe devotedhimselfto his businessaffairs,gathered collections, bird whichhe senton to theAmerican Museum Natural of History.24 Thenew situation whichVenezuela in founditself at the endof Gomez's longdictatorship shouldalsobe considered a determining as factorfor starting a birdcollection.It was a timein whichthe development projects of in
21 William H. Phelps, "Birds observed on a collecting trip to Bermudez, Venezuela. With Critical Notes and Descriptionsof Two New Species by FrankM. Chapman,"TheAuk XIV (1897), pp. 357-371. 22 William H. Phelps, "The GeographicalStatus of the Birds Collected at Mount Roraima" AugustSeptember,1936. InternationalOrrlithologicalCongress,May 13, 1936. Publishedalso in Spanish:"La procedencia geografica de las aves coleccionadas en el cerro Roraima",Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat.36 (1938), pp. 57-81. 23 Bassett Maguire, "Twodecades of Explorationin the AmericanTropics,"The GardenJournal 14 (1964), pp. 124-134. 24 The Museum never answered my requests to visit their archives, but I presume that information on Phelps relationshipwith the Museumis to be found in the institutionarchives.In an interviewDr. Fernando Penalverremembersthat Phelps collected birds which he sent to the Museum in San Antonio de Maturin,where he lived when he came to Venezuela. SegundoAristimuno,Bibliotecas de Monagas. La Biblioteca Phelps (Caracas:1998), pp. 87-88.

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moddue ground, to the pushtowards the scientificfields foundfavorable in societyas a wholeandthatresulted Venezuelan that ernization pervaded participated and institutions societies.ThePhelpses of thecreation scientific to that developments werestarting emerge scientific activelyin thedifferent thoseyears. during in Caracas Socicarried by the Venezuelan out Theywereinvolvedin the activities he and Sciences,of whichPhelpswas a cofounder patron; ety of Natural in a donated building 1938 speciallydesignedfor the society.Furthermore, decisivelyin the Society'sBulletin,in which both Phelpsescollaborated They someof whichtheyco-authored. someseventyarticles, theypublished Sciences,to which of Museum Natural as cooperated well withthebudding on and collections, theyestablished theirowntheEnviseveral theydonated birds. of Group Venezuelan ronmental in circumstances thecounfavorable despitetheprevailing Nevertheless, that tryatthetime,Phelpsmusthaveconsidered noneof thenewinstitutions of and development preservation a collectionof wouldassurethe sustained col(1832-1899) the the localbirdfauna.In addition, loss of AdolfoErnst's at of lectionof birdsandotherspecimens thefloraandfaunacreated theend The century mustnothavebeenfarfromhis thoughts. idea of thenineteenth to a of creating collectionof his own musthaveoccurred himthen. in in therewereno specialists theEleld his WhenPhelpsstarted collection there to support help planthe programs; and Venezuela no bibliographical aboutwhatwas knownof the local bird information was also no accurate fauna.Someonewouldhave to searchfor the existingcollectionscreated as and mainlyby foreigninstitutions researchers well as for the literature of As on produced the subject. to the firstpoint,neither the Phelpseswas a in PhelpsSr. once admitted a letterthathe had specialistin ornithology. dated for muchto learnthatwasnewin ornithology, his storeof information he PhelpsJr.hadmorerecentstudies; had yearsback.25 frommorethanforty in of his obtained Bachelor Sciencedegreewitha major Zoologyat Princeand of in tonUniversity 1926.Butneither the two was a specialist theyhad a long way to go in orderto completethe taskthey wantedto undertake. the Theysurelyrealized needto seek outsidehelpfromspecialists. PhelpsSr.madeby letter the Severallettersin the files mention contacts of in institutions search and European American or in personwiththemajor
Zoology), February3, 1939: "As (Museumof Comparative 25 William H. Phelps to Thomas Barbour my Ornithologylay dormantfor over forty years I have a lot to learnall over again".Archivo Coleccion OrnitologicaPhelps (HereafterACOP).

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bird withtheneotropical fauna,in particular who specialists hadworked the Hisof Museum Natural to species.Inaddition theAmerican Venezuelan the of Museum Natthe History, National of Natural Museum the tory, Chicago in the uralHistoryin Washington, CarnegieMuseumof Pittsburgh, the in Europe, and States,andthe LondonMuseum the ParisMuseum, United collectionsandresearchers. veryimportant had at whichincludedtheireducation Harvard The Phelpses'sbackground, of theseconmadethe establishment certainly Universities, andPrinceton and with The an nections easierendeavor. relationship professors classmates interest. whentherewas a common especially reestablished be readily could and expedition theposAyauntepuy of Onthe otherhand,the financing the in collections situ in a regionof theworldso unexplored of sibility gathering musthaveseemedveryattracresearch for andso full of promise scientific and scientificcommunity musthave openedmany tive to the international doorsfor the Phelpses. replyto the letter,in whichPhelpsSr. offeredto financethe Chapman's by produced the proshowsclearlythe enthusiasm expedition, Ayauntepuy in experience myforty-nine June9 is a unique of letter "Your posal.He wrote: in It yearsat the Museum. is a letterthata curator, a happyandimaginative and in stateof mind,mightwriteto himself,a letter whichgeographical zoomy cometrue.It cameat a timewhen,against will,I wasconlogicaldreams to there Hemisphere wereno moreworlds be convincedthatin theWestern to us."26 one You quered. do notonlydiscover forus, you offerto give it in registered thecatalogue, 1938,withthefirstspecimen On4 September Fromthenon, launched. was Collection formally the PhelpsOrnithological sucha degreethatfrom 1950 on, of the rhythm workwas veryintense,to of to the Phelpsesstarted publishthe Catalogue the Birds of Venezuela, morethan theydescribed this During period in wascompleted 1963.27 which all foundin Venezuela, newto science.Between 150speciesandsub-species fortyarticlesthatwerepublished 1946and 1965,the Phelpsesco-authored Sciences,in Spanish, Societyof Natural in the Bulletinof the Venezuelan BiologicalSociety.PhelpsSr. coof Proceedings Washington and in the
contribuciondel Dr. Frank to 26 FrankM. Chapman William H. Phelps, June 16, 1937, in Phelps, "La p. M. Chapman," 102. con su distribucion. 27 William H. Phelps y William H. Phelps, Jr., "Lista de las aves de Venezuela 75 Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. (1950), pp. 1-427; "Listade las aves de Venezuelacon Part2, Passeriformes," 90 Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. (1958), pp. 1-317; "Listade su distribucionVol. 2, Part 1, No Passeriformes", la aves de Venezuelay su distribucion,Vol. 1, Part 2, Passeriformes"(2nd ed.), Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. 104-105 (1963), pp. 1-479.

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authored research workswith severalspecialists neo-tropical fauna, in bird among them, John T. Zimmer(1890-1957),E. ThomasGilliard(19191965), H. Boardman Conover(1892-1950),AlexanderWetmore(18861978),all veryprestigious the field of ornithology. in A library specialized neotropical in birdswas organized dunngthisearly penod.Todayit boasts3,000 volumesandbrochures, whichcontainall the scientificresearch published neotropical on species.28 A list of the expeditions betweenOctober1938andMarch1943,thirtynine in all to different pointsof the country, showsthe fevenshrhythm of the activitiesto completethe collection.Up to the deathof PhelpsSr. in 1965,morethanone hundred expeditions, largeandsmall,wereorganized to different regionsof the country. In addition the Phelpses,the collectorsandcollaborators the Colto of lectionwas Kathleen Deeryde Phelps,PhelpsJr.'swife, who was an indefatigable helperandcollectoras well as an illustrator birds.She was, up of to 2000, thePresident thePhelpsFoundation, of whichsupports Collecthe tion financially.29 amongthe collaborators the Puerto Also was Ricanengineerandagronomist Ventura Barnes who wasthe Collection's curator the in early years,30 assistantsFuIvioBenedetti,AlbertoFernandez the Yepez, Manuel Castro RamonUrbano. y Captain Felix Cardona Puig(1903-1982), who was an untiringexplorerof the Venezuelan territory, especiallythe Guayana region,servedas guidein the Auyantepuy expedition helped and to gatherspecimens the collections.Lateron, RamonAveledoHostos for was the curator the collectionfor fifty-fiveyears. for PhelpsJr.workedalongsidehis fatherin the creation the Collection of andtogether theywrote"Listof Birdsof Venezuela theirdistribution," and as well as manyotherworks.He also co-authored Rodolphe with Meyerde Schauensee Guide to the Birds of Venezuela,whichwas published the A in UnitedStatesin 1978andin Venezuela 1979andre-issued 1994.With in in Ernst Mayrhe published important an workabouttheonginsof themesas's (tepuyes)birdfaunaof Venezuela's Guayana, whichhas helpedto define

Ramon H. Aveledo, "LaColeccion OrnitologicaPhelps,"Natura (1990) KathleenD. Phelps, Avesde Venezuela. Ciende las masconocidas. (Caracas Creole Petroleum Corporation,1954). 30 Ventura Barnes (1910-?), worked as a Curatorin the beginnings of the Phelps Collection. He was an agronomistfrom Puerto Rico. When he first came to Venezuelahe taught in the PracticalSchool of Agricultureand later in the School of Agriculture.Alberto FernandezYepez, was then a student at the School of Agronomy,later he worked in ornithology.
28 29

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on had a zonesof endemism, themethatChapman touched someyearsearand conservationist alwaysspokeoutfor PhelpsJr.was also a fervent lier.3l He of theprotection the birdfaunain everyforumhe attended. was presiand curatorat the dent of the NaturalSciences Society of Venezuela Sciences.32 of Museum Natural on has In short,since 1938thePhelpsCollection issued137publications 40 whichconstitute of and thetaxonomy distnbution thebirdsof Venezuela, and is 21 on publications thesubject; percent dueto foreigners of percent the the universities, La Salle by therestis madeup of contnbutions thenation's in and Collection the government, thatorder.33 has Collection todaythe most completecolThe PhelpsOrnithological the whichrepresent with 80,000 specimens, lectionof birdsin the country, terntory. of 1,365speciesand1,700sub-species birdsfoundin thecountry's pnvate of birdsin LatinAmenca,andthe largest collection It is the largest and it supports financially The collectionin the world.34 PhelpsFoundation staffthathaskeptup its development and for provides a scientiElc technical andmaintenance. that institution made is Grande another of TheBiologicalStation Rancho here.It was the during penodstudied to contnbutions ornithology important its As of of a branch theDepartment Agriculture. withthePhelpscollection, scientific and of was creation due to the coincidence national international was actionsthatthecountry in interests, whichthe latterseemedto validate readyto undertake. G6mezin thenorth Juan ownedby thedictator Vicente Thelandformerly to was country returned the nationin 1937to establish regionof the central Henn Pittier also knownas RanchoGrande. the NationalParkof Aragua, (1857-1950),an Amencanbotanistof Swiss ongin who, havinglived in circumstances of since 1920 andtakingadvantage the favorable Venezuela
the SouthVenezuelanHigh31 ErnstMayr & William H. Phelps Jr.,"TheOriginof the Bird Faunaof lands,"Bulletin of the AmericanMuseumof Natural History, 136 (1967), pp.309-327; publishedalso in Spanish:"Origende la avifauna de las altiplanicies del sur de Venezuela,"Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat.121 (1971), pp. 305-401. Phelps Jr,las aves pierden 32 On Phelps Jr., see: Ramon H. Aveledo, "Con la muertede William H. sus mejores amigos, (1902-1988)," Natura (1990); Gabriel Chuchani, "Discurso de incorpoa uno de racion del Doctor GabrielChuchani,"Boletin de la Academia de Ciencias Fisicas, 159- 160 (1990), pp. 25-29; Academiade Ciencias Fisicas Matematicasy Naturales,"Nuevo academico,"Boletin de la Academia de Ciencias Fisicas, 70 (1990), pp. 117-120; Franc,oisVuillemier, "In Memoriam:William H. Phelps Jr."TheAuk 107 (1990), pp.181-183. collected by Miguel Lentino L., Curatorof the Phelps Collection, dated 33 According to information May 5, 1995. Academic Press, 1997), pp. 286-290. & 34 Barbara RichardMears, The Bird Collector (California:

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The its of the moment,proposed creation.35 parkhas bornehis namefor scimanyyears.It was also his idea to establisha stationfor international entificstudieswithinthe parksuchas the one thatexistedin Java(BuytenThe in zorg)andthe closerone, BarroColorado, Panama. idea of the crethen, but an parkdid not prosper in institution the ationof a permanent Amencan scientific society, the Zoological Society of New York, did a to manage establish scientificcampinsidethe Park,in the zoneknownas Grande. Rancho In visitedVenezuela. 1908 and It was not the first time this institution of Research the Societyhad of 1922,a groupfromtheDepartment Tropical nearthe zone of Guanoco. regionof the country, madetnps to the eastern land vertebrate and a WilliamBeebe (1877-1962), specialistin neotropical was sea mammals, in chargeof the studygroup.In 1942,Beebe,accompato a decided establish campin Caripito ca to niedby twootherspecialists, of studieson thehistory thelocalfaunaandecology, QUt senes of research a with otherstudiesthey had been doing since which would be compared of The regionof Guayana.36 outcome thesestudieswas 1916in the Kartabo Zoologica, whereseveralarticlesby in published the Society'smagazine, regularly.37 appeared specialists the Societyandotherinstitution In 1945, the Society decidedto establisha campin some buildingsin Corand government theCreolePetroleum Grande. Venezuelan The Rancho hotel thatGeneralGomez an and renovated repaired abandoned poration equipment. and hadhadbuiltin 1930to housethe specialists theirscientific to in This type of investigation, whicha post is established observeand selectedareawiththe stressplacednot of studythe organisms a previously on but of on thecreation collections rather the studyof theregion'sphysioThe was and graphic ecologicalconditions, new to the country. prevailing who of was typeof investigation thatof thetypicalcollector specimens, sent to themor sold themto some foreigninstitution be studiedby specialists the to the who wouldthenbe without opportunity takeintoaccount prevailat ing conditions thepointof ongin.
35 On Henri Pittier,see: YolandaTexera (ed.) La modernizaciondificil. Henri Pittier en Venezuela: 1920-1950 (Caracas:FundacionPolar, 1998), estudio introductorio. published in the Society's journal,Zoologica. The expedi36 There were 15 scientific contributions Artistic and IntellectualRelations, the Stantions were financed by the Committee for Inter-American dardOil Companiesof New Jersey and VenezuelanGovernment,and four trusteesof the Society: Laurance Rockefeller, Charles Frick, Herbert L. Satterlee y George C. Clark. William Beebe, "Physical Factorsin the Ecology of Caripito,"Zoologica 9 (1943), pp. 53-60; published in Zoologica volumes XXIX to XXXI, between 1944 and 37 See scientific contributions 1946.

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placeat insectsthattalces of of discovery themigration birdsand Beebe's was Grande, fromRancho just situated 200 meters Paso the de Portachuelo, offered discovery This (andentomology). to great of importance ornithology in thefactsof migration general.38 to opportunity learnmoreabout unique a scientificartithirty-two 1947 and 1952,the Societypublished Between and Crane, by doneat RanchoGrande Beebe,Jocelynwell as by on cles the research as Research, of Flemingfromthe Department Tropical States.As a recentartiHenry the United in fromotherinstitutions scientists other caniedout in typeof expenence, whichtheresearch pointed has cle shownthatthis An againin Venezuela. article has Grande, not occurred Rancho at of to the advancement the studyof the a that out this constituted hindrance rich region's birdfauna.39 pubin results specialized of research to In addition thedissemination the circultural in Venezuelan the lications, Societyhadan activeparticipation activities These filmsandinterviews. scientific lectures, whichincluded cles, the pressin the UnitedStates and on widelycommented in magazines were and thus publicity received therecommendation The well as as in Venezuela. in held Conference in Caracas 1945 Agncultural Inter-Amencan the by Third in Rancho created stationfor the studyof the regionbe a that permanent of fortheDepartment Agnculas served Grarsde undoubtedly aninducement Lasser, him who succeeded andTobias by The ture.40 proposal HennPittier Grande of Rancho to Institute, createthe BiologicalStation the at Botanical Pittier borethenameHenri andcarnedout.TheStation finallyaccepted was it. honorforthemanwho sponsored manyyears,a deserved for the Schafer, StabiologistErnst 1950,afterhinngtheGerman InJanuary during pursued whichwere functions, It was tion launched. hadthreemain a scientfic to protectthe forest,be theearly years:provideparkrangers the and center, educate public.4l research to includethe studyof the floraas the Though goals of the Stationwere the firstdecadeandeven beyond, wellas the fauna,the mainfocus dunng
Venezuela,"Zoologica 32 Rancho Grandein North-Central William Beebe, "Avianmigrationat (1947), pp. 153-168. Garcia, "Faunadel Parque Nacional A. Fernandez-Badilloy R. Visval 39 Jose ManzanillaPuppo, Cientifica Venezolana47 y distribucionde los reptiles,"Acta Henri Pittier, Venezuela, Composicion for (1996), p. 191. Suitabilityas a Biological Station Grande,Venezuela.A reporton its translated 40 Jocelyn Crane, "Rancho Society, (mimeo, 1945). A draftwas New YorkZoological the New YorkZoological Society," into Spanish. Acta Cientffica Venezolana1 ( 1951), Estacion Biologica de Rancho Grande," 41 Tobias Lasser, "La pp. 7-8.
38

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The of was,in fact,limitedto the studyof birdsandthecreation collections. As studyof otherzoologicalgroupswas donein a laterperiod. to the study of Institute, whichthe of of the flora,it was theresponsibility the Botanical its during earlyyearsof existence. was Station a subsidiary of zoologist(1910-) who was the director a was ErnstSchafer a German of government the in Austnadunngthe national-socialist institute research foundhimnotguiltyof warcnmes, Tnbunal The Reich.42 Nuremberg Third and after the war he contacteda compatnotin Venezuelawho was with acquainted Phelpsandwho advisedhim to wnte to TobiasLasser.In whichhe headeduntil1954, of was 1950,Schafer putin charge the station, He to when he returned Germany. took with him the manynotes he had und Venezuelas his madeduring stayandlaterwrotea book,Die Volgelwelt his in published 1996, which summarized Bedingungen, ihre okologishen in research the region.43 withthe techniSchafer, Dunngthe fouryearsat theheadof the Station, in him, that cal personnel accompanied guidedthe Station its firststeps.He pubbird on research theecologyandbiologyof thepark's fauna, conducted outsidethe counmagazines ornithological lishedthe resultsin prestigious de locallyin theBoletinde la SociedadVenezolana Cientry,andpublished news of cias Naturales.The Department Agnculturealso disseminated venezolano. El in abouthis research its magazine, agricultor H. works,wnttenwithWilliam Phelps,showedthenchOneof Schafer's 40 represented the bird ness of thepark's population: 515 speciesdescnbed the and Schafer his staffalso initiated in the country.44 of percent the birds mostlybirdsat theycollectedspecimens, activitiesas a museum: Station's and Eberstein the forester WillyTille,the painter this stage.A taxidermist, whichwere meantto Jose E. PerezBorawere in chargeof the dioramas, the and educate entertain public. and workoutsidethecountry thepublicaof Thedissemination Schafer's the stirred interSocietyof New Yorkon the Station tionsof the Zoological
42 Schafer was born in Koln, Germanyin 1910. A nationalizedVenezuelan,he studied NaturalSciences in various Germanuniversities. Between 1931 and 1939 he made several expeditions to the Far East and was appointedDirectorof the AhnenerbeInstitut,a new name given by the Nazis to the SvenHedin-Institutin Austria. The President was Heinrich Himmler. Later Schafer was discharged by the NurembergCourt.L. de Vareschipersonalcommunication. 43 Pedro Trebbau,"50 anos. Conservacionde la fauna y la flora,"in: Karl Krispin(Comp.) 50 anos de irradiacion cultural (Caracas:Asociacion CulturalHumboldt, 1998), p. 345. 44 E. Schafer y W. H. Phelps Jr., "Las aves del ParqueNacional "HenriPittier"(Rancho Grande)y 83 sus funciones ecologicas," Bol.Soc.Ven.Cienc.Nat. (1954).

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est of foreign scientiE1c circles. Several researchers, among them the ornithologists N. Gabrielson, collectedspecimens the Wildlife Ira who for Management Institute Washington, Jacques in and Berlioz,of the Museum of Natural History Paris,visitedthe Station.45 in As long as the Stationwas attached the BotanicalInstituteof the to Department Agriculture, of wherePittier his collaborators managed and had to form an eff1cient research team with very clear goals, and as long as Schaferwas in chargeof it, it was possibleto safeguard objectives the for whichthe Stationhadbeen created, despitethe meagermeansuponwhich it hadto rely.In 1957,however, Stationwas shiftedto the Hunting the and FishingDivisionof the Department Agriculture. meant,as the new of This headof the StationGonzaloMedinaPadillastatedin a memorandum that: "Itsmissionwas no longerto studythe region'sfauna.It was assignedthe responsibility assessingthemainproblems thewildfaunain thewhole of of of the country's territory."46 Thereason changing focusof theStation's for the activities seemsto have its sourcein a concern hadgradually that surfaced thenational in awareness: theconservation thecountry's of natural resources. State,however, The was not fully prepared assumethis taskduemainlyto the shortage technito of cal personnel the lackof adequate and studiesrequired therational for handlingandconservation natural of resources. years,intellectuals For suchas HenriPittier, Francisco Tamayo, Manuel Gonzalez Vale,Tob1as Lasser, the Phelpsesand many others,as well as scientiE1c civic societies,had and denouncedthe deterioration the country'snaturalresources,caused of directly indirectly accelerated or by modernization, hadadvocated and that measures takento correct situation. addition, Venezuelan be this In the government signedinternational had agreements engagedit to act in this that respect.The Department Agriculture, of which had the responsibility for protecting land'sforestsandwaters,seemedthe mostappropriate the entity to assume protection wildlife.Thenewlycreated the of Station assigned was thistask,whichencompassed the nation's all territory. Thisextension the Station's of functions not entail,howeverS renodid a vationandstrengthening its infrastructure its equipment whichwas of or or, muchmoreserious,the necessary personnel carrythemout. It shouldbe to pointedout thatat the timeconditions the country in werenot favorable to the development scientiE1c of experts.The only School of Biology was
45 AlbertoFernandez-Badillo, "El ParqueNacional Henn Pittier"(Maracay:Facultadde Agronomia, UCV, Academic Paper,mimeo, 1997), p. 174. 46 Gonzalo Medina Padil la, "La Estacion Biologica de Rancho Grande y las investigaciones de Faunasilvestre en Venezuela"(Caracas,Memorandum,1962?).

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enoughbiologiststo meet the newly foundedin 1947 anddid not produce in experts thecomnor demands, did it havethemeansto prepare country's of plex Eleld conservation. of The biologistGonzaloMedinaPadilla,a recentgraduate the class of and of in of 1957,was nameddirector the Station substitution the artist bird Alp, who had replacedSchaferafterhis resignation.47 Walter aElcionado and such he Despitethe manydifficulties encountered, as lackof resources in activities the to managed keepup various Medina of shortage personnel, bird of the in fieldof ornithology, particular, collecting thepark's faunaand to gradually create He of birdsof preyin therestof thecountry. also started to In of collections otherzoologicalgroups. order complywiththe station's studiesthatwouldresultin the proMedinalaunched new responsibilities, tectionof birdsandotherspecies. In the late 1960s,Medina,fearingthe loss of the collectionsfor lack of their recommended moveto E1Limonregion, and maintenance conservation, to has Today, Station beenaffiliated PROthe entrances. at one of thepark's and of FAUNA, a service of the Department the Environment Natural Resources(MARNR),and its Museumholds a collectionof more than of 11,000birds,mainlybirdsof prey,as well as collections otherzoological the Grande, Schoolof AgronIn groups.48 1966,also at the site of Rancho a (UCV)created new station de Central Venezuela omy of the Universidad Fernandez It and to dedicated teaching research. bearsthe nameof Alberto Yepezbeganhis education it: Yepez(1918-1970)whopromoted Fernandez of at with in thefieldof ornithology thePhelpsCollection theMuseum NatSciencesof La Salle. uralSciencesandat the Societyof Natural Boththe UCVandthe MARNRstationseemto be on theirway to being role of the well established; awareness the important they mustplay has a for support theirwork.Nevertheless, completeand resultedin a greater a detailedhistoryof theirdevelopment, taskthatlies outsidethe scope of of are thiswork,wouldno doubtrevealthatthesestations merelysurvivors goals on the partof the Stateas well as the the lack of clearandsustained and by Theirhistoryis marked the vicissitudes fluctuations universities.49 resources hadin the country. has into thattheresearch natural
WalterAtp, Avifaunavenezolana (Caracas:Banco Centralde Venezuela, 1965). Actuales y fosiles (Listadode Especies y Direcde EnriqueLa Marca(ed.) Vertebrados Venezuela. og torio de Museos y Colecciones Zoologicas, con una introduccionde los ambientes Fisa raficos y Veg etales) (Merida:Museo de Ciencia y Tecnologia, 1997), p. 268. 49 Proof of this are the numerousmemorandasent by Medina Padilla to the Ministryof Agriculture, asking for support,as well as many articles publishedin local newspapersfor many years describingthe decay of the Station.
47 48

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As to the HenriPittier National Park, recentstudyshowsthatalthough it is the best researched protected areain the country, "there still muchto is learnaboutits complexnature. canbe saidthatwe havenot gonebeyond It inventorying speciesthatpopulate parkor beyondthe studyof limthe the ited aspectsof its biologyandecology.Thesestudiesarestill deficient."50 The La Salle Societyof Natural Sciencesalso carried studiesin the out f1eld ornithology collected of and birdspecimens. wasfounded 1940by It in the Spanish monkPabloMandazen Soto (1912- ), betterknownas Brother Gines,a member the firstgraduating of class (1950)in the field of Biology of the UCV.Through activities, societyplayeda significant in its this role the dissemination the natural of sciencesandthe disciplined studyof nature amongthe youngstudents the La Salle School,as well as amonguniverof sity students members the La Sallecongregation. and of TheSocietyorganized a systematic expeditions different in way to regions of thecountry's territory. Specialists fromotherinstitutions students and volunteered collaborate theintegral to in studyof nature its resources in and and the creationof collectionsof natural historythat enrichedthe La Salle Museum Natural of History. thefieldof ornithology, described In they numerous new speciesfromregionsof the country hadnot yet beenexplored. that In 1982,whentheinstitution beganworking withpersonnel its own,it did of notinclude specialists ornithology, thisis stilltruetoday. in and Theresults the studiescarried by theSocietywerepublished the of out in magazine Memoria, whichis still in print.It started a magazine the as for general public,butin timebecamea specialized publication. results The also appeared Novedades in Cientfficas, whichthe speciesnew to scienceor in new to Venezuela weredescribed. societyalso published The monographs on the various expeditions.5l Duringthe earlyyearsof the periodstudiedin this work,the magazine Memoria published articleson the country's birdfaunaby Brother Gines (who sometimes usedthe pseudonym de Jel),Alberto P. Fernandez Yepez, Ram6n AveledoHostos,Gerardo YepezTamayo others.52 and Nevertheless, lateron andup to the present, articles the subject on havebeenscarce. The birdcollectionof the La Salle Museumof Natural History,whose catalogue was started 1949,is the secondlargestin the country has in and
50Fernandez-Badillo, Parque "El Nacional Henri Pittier," 2. p. Sl JesusHoyos,Imageny huella de HermanoGines (Caracas: Publicaciones INTEVEP, 1988), S.A., pp.28-30. 52 From theclassof 1959,worked someyearsas anornithologist. for

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beenactiveup to the present. hostsmorethan13,000specimens It plusthe 6,000 specimens the collectionof the PerijaSierraat the western-most of regionof thecountry, created theZulian by physician AdolfoPons,between 1948and1953.Thiscollection donated theMuseum was to someyearsago. Finally, Museum Natural the of Sciences,reborn 1944fromthe ashes in of the old National Museum founded AdolfoErnstin the last quarter by of the nineteenth century, triedto playa signif1cant in the development role of the science.It was restructured given a new building. firsttasksit and The undertook to attempt rescuethelostErnst were to collections to promote and the gathering new collectionsof the bird faunaand other zoological of groups. enthusiasm theMuseum's directors, The of two Walter Dupouyand the archeologist J.M.Cruxent, however,did not find an adequate response on thepartof thegovernment. Soonthebuilding became smallandinadtoo equate.In addition,the institution not obtainthe necessaryfundsto did financethe programs research and proposed the directors.53 by In 1944, whenPhelpsdid the inventory the existingcollections,the of Museum 1,950specimens had gathered themembers theinstitution by of as well as the ad honorem specialists.54 Todayit has 4,000 specimens housed in a different building, the Museum suffersfromlackof space. as still In the bulletinof the Museum Natural of Sciences,of whichonly a few issueswerepublished between1955and 1960,only one article ornitholon ogy can be found.The Museum's birdconservationists the time,Phelps at Jr.,Fernandez YepezandAveledo,preferred othermediafor the disseminationof theirstudies. The carefulreaderwill have noticedthatuniversities seldommenare tionedin this work,despitethe factthatthe Schoolof Sciencesof the CentralUniversity createdin 1946 andthatthe studyof biologyevolved was roughly during sametimeperiodas the establishment ornithology the of in the country. perusal the faculty, research A of the programs the biology and collections the earlyyearsshowsthat,despitethe "naturalist" in orientation of theSchoolatthetime,therewereno ornithological research studies the of country's fauna.Furthermore, Museum Biology,created bird the of around that time, had only 300 bird specimensfifteen years later.The situation todayis thatthereare very few ornithologists workin the universities. at
53 In the Museum's archives there are many letters and memoranda between 1944 and 1958 describing the Museum's situation.One in particular calls attentionto its many problemsand weaknesses:From J. M. Cruxentto J. A. Escalona (in chargeof CulturalAffairs), Caracas,December,27, 1952 (Museum's Archives). 54 FundacionMuseo de Ciencias, "Catalogo," pp. 21-23

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ORNITHOLOGY THEBEGINNINGS MODERN OF

of at circumstances the institutions higherlearning, Given the prevailing thereare very few openingsfor those who wish to specializein this Eleld. of in for a Thisconstitutes serioushindrance the development ornithology conditions for can the country, only the universities createthe favorable as of the development the field. contains in The historyof the originof modernornithology Venezuela to traits in and somefeatures worthhighlighting analyzing contrast general to today.Thesetraitsaredue, in all probability, presented the discipline by developed its earlystages. in the peculiar in whichornithology way birdswere In the sixtyyearssincethe firstlocal studiesof the country's classiElcaadvances theinventory, in undertaken, havebeenimportant there distribution the local fauna.Proofof of tion,andstudyof the geographical in literature published thisperiodandthe manycollecthis is the scientiElc ln tlonsof speclmens exlstence.
. . . .

of the insufficiencies, endeavor establishAlthough, to the country's due of had ing the studyof birdsin Venezuela to seekthe support foreignexperttradition thefield.It canbe in and ise andfromthelongEuropean American in out stagecarried by Venezuelans Venezuesaidthatthiswas a "national" does Nevertheless, labelthisstageas "national" notimply to laninstitutions. and a of thatthepractice thissciencehadreached pointof stability recognisociety. circlesof Venezuelan academic cultural or tionin the scientific, reliestodayon a solidbasisbuilt in Thescienceof ornithology Venezuela according to formed There manybirdcollections are during pastdecades. the for that scientificrules and a literature conveys essentialinformation the the advancement knowledgein the field. Nevertheless, sciencehas not of to it expected it. Inotherwords, hasnotmanaged attract of reached status the development to or neededfor its future of a sufficient number practitioners expansion. conditions its continued for the create theuniversities necessary in stems from the It could be said thatthe mainreasonfor this situation The in developed Venezuela. maincharpeculiar way in whichornithology and was acteristic this development the isolationfromuniversities govof it. that ernment institutions shouldand could have promoted Indeed,the of the PhelpsCollection, majorforcebehindthe establishment ornithology teachway in in Venezuela, neverassociated a permanent to academic was This is also institutions. in or ing or research the universities government of to and truefor the otherinstitutions societiesdedicated the advancement and the the sciencediscussedin these articles.Moreover, universities the Neither of Statedidnothavepoliciesaimedat thedevelopment ornithology. environment and of offices in chargeof the protection the the government

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the studyof natural resourcesnor the organism responsible defining for national policiesin thefieldof scientific investigations intoaccount took the scienceof ornithology. As to theuniversities, Schoolof ScienceattheCentral the University and othersof its kinddo not have in theirundergraduate graduate or curricula coursesin the field of ornithology, thoughsome thesesat bothlevels have dealtwiththe subject. can also be notedthatsave for isolatedprojects It of the few ornithologists workat theseinstitutions, that thereareno research programs a national at level for the studyof the country's fauna. bird Furthermore, to complexreasons due whoseexplanation wouldbe overly long,in theacademic university and circlesit seemsas if ornithology conis sidereda minorscienceor an activityfor amateurs. Thereis a tendency to dismissit, as Medawar ". . . as merebirdwatching, veryunjust said a judgment,whichdisregards factthatornithology madeimportant the has contributions biologyas a whole."55 to As to the education the generalpublic,the above-mentioned of institutionshavenothadas theirpolicyto exhibittheirbirdcollections withdidactic ends for the generalpublicor for school groupsand students, though some of these institutions have internship do programs university for students.Onlythe Museum the BiologyStation Rancho at in Grande, has that beenmovedto theMaracay andthusrendered area moreaccessible, the and Museum Natural of Sciences,havedonesomething thisrespect. in Saveforthesetwo institutions, collections installations therest the and of of the institutions destinedfor the sole use of specialists of persons are or who privately for theirservices.The isolation, ask deliberate unwanted, or thatcharacterize institutions limitedthepropagation theiractivthese has of ities andaccomplishments, whichin the long runhas hada negativeeffect on the development ornithology the country. of in Despitethesedrawbacks, is interesting notethata numerous it to group of amateurs shownaninterest thecountry's faunaandhasaccomhas in bird plishedwhatornithologists neverachieved before,theconstitution a sociof ety,theAudubon Conservationist Societyof Venezuela. Founded 1970,it in has approximately hundred six members has launched and projects the for protection birdsandtheirhabitats. of

55 P. B Medawar& J. S. Medawar,De Aristotelesa Zoologicos. Un diccionariofilosofico de biologia (Mexico: Fondo de CulturaEconomica, 1988), p. 216.

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There is a final remark to be made regarding the above observations. Among all the naturalsciences studiedin the country,ornithologyis probably the science that has respondedthe most to purely scientific interests.It has had no bearingon the needs of society and no practicalapplications.Its developmenthas not dependedon policies specifically designed by the govsector,all of which could ernment,the centersof learningor the agricultural have made explicit demandson it. Ornithologywas establishedin Venezuela throughthe initiative of individuals with scientific training,who had both the will and the means to carryout this initiative. Caracas, Venezuela ARNAL YOLANDA TEXERA