Collection Timeline

1919 to 1980

1919
A notebook containing a checklist of birds and distributed to the Boy Scouts of Iowa at cost. In this notebook Philip DuMont recorded his bird sightings from 1918 to 1927.

1923
Bird checklist dated December 23, 1923. This checklist was used by Philip DuMont, Kenneth Nelson and Mark Alcorn to record birds sighted around Des Moines. The list has been annotated with the number of birds sighted, the weather and the route taken.
Collection of letters dated from February 12, 1923 to December 9, 1930. These letters issued by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union cover the founding of the organization, its membership and activities. Includes a directory listing all but the last letter.

1925
Report dated December 26. This report conveys the results of the 1925 Christmas bird count from the Des Moines Audubon Society and was published in Bird-Lore vol. 28, no. 1.

1926
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated October 18, 1926. In this letter Rosene reports that he is comparing DuMont's work on the most common birds of Polk County with his own experiences in Boone County. Rosene also mentions that he is being asked to supply a paper for the upcoming Wilson Ornithological Club meeting.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated November 19, 1926. In this letter Rosene talks about finding a headline speaker for the annual Iowa Ornithologists' Union meeting, preparing a paper for an upcoming Wilson Ornithological Club meeting, and trying to nurse a Golden Plover back to health.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated June 26, 1926. In this letter Rosene reports on some recent birds he has photographed and comments on looking forward to getting a new camera.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated April 27, 1926. In this letter Rosene lists some birds he has sighted recently and describes the efforts he is making to photograph the nest and young of a Great Horned Owl.
Thesis dated June 4, 1926. A report submitted by Philip DuMont in order to fulfill the thesis requirement for the Civil Service Examination for Assistant Biologist lists common birds of Polk County.
Letter from Paul Errington to Philip DuMont dated January 28, 1936. In this letter Errington tells DuMont that a feather found in a fox den is probably from a Flicker hybrid. Included with this letter is a feather.

1927
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated October 19, 1927. Rosene says that he is going to help the Biological Survey with the Waterfowl Census. He then discusses his recent bird photography efforts and describes seeing a garter snake attempting to eat a Meadowlark, and collecting a Hummingbird nest containing one full-grown Hummingbird youth who was still not flight ready.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated June 3, 1927. Rosene describes meeting Kenneth Nelson at the Ledges while looking for Woodcock. Included with this letter is Rosene's list of birds sighted from January 1, 1927 to June 1, 1927.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated October 27, 1927. Rosene describes a recent hunting and sighting outing and discusses ornithology society memberships.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated March 2, 1927. Rosene asks DuMont to contribute a paper to the upcoming Iowa Ornithologists' Union annual meeting and updates him on quail protection legislation.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated December 8, 1927. Rosene reports on his sighting list for the year and says that he would like to help DuMont compile information for a new book listing birds sighted in Iowa.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated January 3, 1927. In this letter Rosene rails against the Izaak Walton League and National Audubon Society for not doing enough to ensure wildlife conservation and laments his own efforts to motivate the Iowa Ornithologists' Union.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated April 9, 1927. Rosene sends DuMont a copy of his up-to-date list of birds sighted for 1927.

1928
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated April 11, 1928. Rosene discusses his observations of a Barred Owl, how he identifies geese, and some recent sightings.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated October 20, 1928. In this letter Rosene reports on his trip to Long Pond for the Waterfowl Census, and discusses the presidential election and family activities.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated May 10, 1928. Rosene plans for a bird outing with DuMont during the next month and reports on the progress of his lifelong and yearly sighting lists.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated January 17, 1928. Rosene sends DuMont a list of birds he has never sighted in Boone County, those he has sighted and thinks are common although DuMont considers them rare, and those he has sighted but considers to be rare.
Bird checklist with various dates. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont and Kenneth Nelson on June 3, 1929 and Philip DuMont and Janetta DuMont on May 13, 1934. Included with this checklist are tallies of birds sighted by Philip DuMont and others on May 20, 1928, May 19, 1929, and May 17, 1931.
Letter from Philip DuMont to the editor of the Des Moines Register and Tribune dated July 7, 1928. DuMont reports that during a visit on June 12, he found dead birds, fish and turtles on the southeast shore of Little Wall Lake and speculates it may be the result of dynamiting for fish.
Photograph dated 1928. A black and white photograph of water birds taken at Round Lake State Game Refuge.

1929
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated February 12, 1929. Rosene envies DuMont living in Florida given the harsh winter weather in Iowa. Rosene also mentions some birds he has sighted.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated April 20, 1929. Rosene tells Philip DuMont that he visited with his mother and was surrounded by singing birds. Rosene also reports some recent bird sightings.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated September 19, 1929. Rosene doesn't know who to propose for membership in the American Ornithologists' Union since he doesn't know who is already a member. He also reports finding a King Rail egg on his farm.
Bird checklist dated June 6, 1929. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont annotated with numbers sighted and locations visited.
Bird checklist dated June 3, 1929. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont annotated with numbers sighted and locations visited.

1930
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated November 21, 1930. Rosene updates DuMont with Iowa ornithologist news and recounts his trip to Nebraska where he photographed Prairie Chickens and other birds.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated April 5, 1930. Rosene recounts bird outings with Walter Bennett and reports that the Iowa Ornithologists' Union plans on creating and selling an Iowa checklist.
Collection of letters dated from February 12, 1923 to December 9, 1930. These letters issued by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union cover the founding of the organization, its membership and activities. Includes a directory listing all but the last letter.

1931
Bird checklist dated September 20, 1931. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont at Brenton Slough, annotated with number sighted.
Letter from Thomas Stephens to Philip DuMont dated October 16, 1931. In this letter Stephens discusses some editorial changes he made to an article DuMont had submitted for publication, reports sighting an American Egret at Browns Lake, and gives DuMont some advice on pursuing his education.
Publication dated October 1931. This publication is a book written by Philip DuMont listing the 289 species of birds known to have occurred within Polk County with dates of migration. Published by the Des Moines Audubon Society.
Letter from Frederick Lincoln to Mrs. J.E. Stewart dated December 8, 1931. Lincoln praises Philip DuMont's work in general but points out a word that is repeatedly used incorrectly.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated December 4, 1931. Rosene discusses "Birds of Polk County, Iowa," mentions four species he has sighted that DuMont did not list, and discusses Wilson Ornithological Club business, including his desire to attend the group's 18th annual meeting in New Orleans.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated September 22, 1931. Rosene tells DuMont about some birds that he has sighted and collected that are rare for Iowa.
Letter from Fred Pierce to Philip DuMont dated December 9, 1931. Pierce sends DuMont a copy of a book review that will appear in Iowa Bird Life and encourages him to write articles for inclusion in Iowa Bird Life.
Undated report. This report is a review of the book "Birds of Polk County, Iowa." This is a draft of an advertisement published in Iowa Bird-Life, vol. 1, no. 4.
Letter from Arthur Bent to Mrs. J.E. Stewart dated November 30, 1931. Bent discusses a couple of questionable birds included in Philip DuMont's book and points out an incorrectly used word.

1932
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated February 27, 1932. Rosene discusses bird behavior, identifying Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, and recently published books.
Letter from Thomas Stephens to Philip DuMont dated September 12, 1932. In this letter Stephens attempts to match descriptions of bird specimens with dates and locations from his notes.
Letter from Rudolph Anderson to Philip DuMont dated November 16, 1932. In this letter Anderson describes how he gathered information for his book "The birds of Iowa.".
Bird checklist dated August 21, 1932. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont, Kenneth Nelson, Arthur Palas and Anna Palas in Polk County annotated with number sighted and weather.
Undated research notes. This is a description of the Henning collection. The description contains a brief history recounting the sourcing and display of the specimens. Included with the description is a list of bird specimens found in the collection dated June 14, 1932.
Research notes compiled from 1932-1933. In these notes Philip DuMont compiled a detailed list of all the Red-tailed Hawk specimens he could find in Iowa, classifying them by subspecies.
Letter from the Des Moines Audubon Society to its members dated April 28, 1932. This letter gives a general schedule for the Iowa Ornithologists' Union annual meeting and includes a personal note to Philip DuMont asking him for the title and run-time of his presentation.
Letter from Althea Sherman to Philip DuMont dated January 5, 1932. Sherman tells DuMont that she has written the Des Moines Audubon Society to praise his book that they published.
Report dated 1932. This report compiled by H.J. Metcalf claims that Hawks and Owls are not a threat to either agriculture or sport, with only three species of Hawk found in Iowa likely to feed on Poultry or Upland Game Birds.
Lecture notes delivered May 13, 1932. In this report read by Janetta DuMont at the 1932 annual meeting of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union, Philip DuMont discusses the need to publish a revised list of the Birds of Iowa reflecting the current distribution of American Ornithologists' Union recognized species.

1933
Annotated list of birds sighted dated January 10, 1933. A list of birds sighted in Iowa between October 1928 and December 1932 annotated with location, date, earliest/latest occurrence and citations for published accounts.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated May 15, 1933. Rosene describes sighting 122 species in one day as a single day record for Iowa.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated April 27, 1933. Rosene discusses the upcoming Iowa Ornithologists' Union annual meeting and says he hopes to sight more birds in 1933 than he ever has before.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated January 31, 1933. Rosene chides DuMont for being skeptical about a Long-billed Curlew sighting.
Bird checklist dated 1933. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont in Iowa for the year 1933.
Report for the Iowa Fish and Game Commission. In this report Logan J. Bennett discusses factors creating a decrease in Duck nesting from 1933 to 1934. This report was published in Transactions of the American Game Conference, vol. 21.
Bird checklist dated December 7, 1933. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont in Clay, Palo Alto, Emmet and Dickinson counties.
Letter from Burt Gresham to Philip DuMont dated April 14, 1933. Gresham requests information about Snow and Blue Goose migration through Iowa, with particular interest in whether the Snow and Blue Goose flocks are mixed. This document is answered by a telegram from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9833mz0z.
Report for the Iowa Fish and Game Commission. In this report Neil Hotchkiss counts Ducks and Coots at Iowa lakes and notes a drastic decline in the numbers from 1933 to 1934.
Letter from Thomas Stephens to Philip DuMont dated November 19, 1933. In this letter Stephens praises DuMont's book "Revised List of the Birds of Iowa," and discusses some birds that were included in the book that he thought were questionable. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9696zx5n.
Telegram from Philip DuMont to Burt Gresham sent Spring 1933. DuMont responds to a request for information about Snow and Blue Goose migration by providing reports from the years 1933, 1932, and 1928. This document is in response to a letter from Gresham: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9599z169.
Letter from Frank Ellis to Philip DuMont dated January 13, 1933. In this letter Ellis clarifies his response to DuMont's request for details regarding specimens housed in the Ellis Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Ellis also mentions a couple of species nesting around Maquoketa that are new to the area.
Bird checklist dated August 25, 1933. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont on a trip from Des Moines to Iowa City.
Bird checklist dated October 21, 1933. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont on a trip from Des Moines to Iowa City annotated with the route taken.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Wade Guenther dated April 22, 1933 and published in the Sabula Gazette on May 11, 1933. In this letter DuMont says that the bird specimens collected by H.J. Giddings should be labelled with the date and place they were collected, and includes a list of the species that DuMont compiled when he studied the collection. This document is in response to a letter from Wade Guenther: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w91c1tf5z.
Letter from Wade Guenther to Philip DuMont dated April 20, 1933. In this letter Guenther states that he is preparing an article about the Giddings collection for publication in the Sabula Gazette and would like a comment from DuMont since he has recently studied the collection. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9st7dw7c.
Letter from Thomas Stephens to Philip DuMont dated January 30, 1933. In this letter Stephens discussing publishing DuMont's paper on the Little Brown Crane and says that the only evidence of the Long-billed Curlew in the Sioux City region comes from taxidermist A.J. Anderson who has reported sighting the bird and is familiar with it from handling specimens obtained from Nebraska.
Letter from Frank Ellis to Philip DuMont dated January 18, 1933. In this letter Ellis responds to more questions from DuMont regarding specimens housed in the Ellis Museum of Archeology and Anthropology and birds found around Maquoketa.
Letter from Thomas Stephens to Philip DuMont dated June 7, 1933. In this letter Stephens contemplates the variety of Chickadees in Iowa and speculates about the subspecies of a breeding Nighthawk.
Letter from Philip DuMont to William Bell dated March 16, 1933. DuMont answers Bell's letter to Francis Roberts asking for information about the European Starling. DuMont provides a history of the Starling in Iowa, and includes an annotated list of all Starling sightings in Iowa dating back to 1922. This document is in response to a letter from William Bell to Francis Roberts: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9bc3sw8c.
Letter from Philip DuMont to James Peters dated April 28, 1933. In this letter DuMont discusses identifying and reclassifying the bird collection at the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, and lists numerous other bird collections held in Iowa.
Letter from Helen King to Philip DuMont dated December 11, 1933. King describes seeing Starlings fighting with other birds on her farm in Grundy County in order to secure nesting areas.
Letter from Philip DuMont to James Peters dated November 23, 1933. DuMont asks for assistance in correctly identifying Savannah Sparrow specimens and verifying Grasshopper Sparrow specimens. This document is answered by a letter from Peters: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w96688q00.
Undated research notes. This is a list of birds sighted in Boone County on May 14, 1933 between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. by Walter Rosene, Sr., Robert Walker, and Walter Rosene, Jr. The sighting of 124 species of birds in single day by a single observer or party of observers is believed to be a record for Iowa. Included within this list are ten species of Duck, twelve species of Sparrow, and fifteen species of Warbler.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Joseph Grinnell dated November 6, 1933. DuMont asks for assistance in correctly identifying Savannah Sparrow specimens and mentions that the Revised list of the birds of Iowa should be available in about two weeks. This document is answered by a letter from Grinnell: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9z60c19d.
Research notes compiled from 1932-1933. In these notes Philip DuMont compiled a detailed list of all the Red-tailed Hawk specimens he could find in Iowa, classifying them by subspecies.
Bound journal with entries dated from December 7, 1933 to April 11. In this journal Philip DuMont recorded his activities from December 7, 1933 to April 11, 1934, focusing on his travels and birds he sighted.
Letter from Lillian Stober to Irwin Bode dated March 23, 1933. Stober reports the first Starlings she has ever seen in Charles City.
Letter from William Bell to Francis Roberts dated March 1, 1933. Bell writes on behalf of the Bureau of Biological Survey requesting information about the occurrence and breeding of the European Starling in Iowa. This document is answered by a letter from Philip DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9m61bp6b.
Letter from Joseph Grinnell to Philip DuMont dated November 17, 1933. Grinnell gives his opinion on the subspecies of some Savannah Sparrow specimens and mentions that Savannah Sparrow classification may soon be revised. This document is in response to a letter from Dumont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9bk16p5h.
Article submitted November 20, 1933. This list of the Breeding Birds of Iowa is an outgrowth of Philip DuMont's work "The Revised list of the Birds of Iowa" and lists 144 species known to breed in Iowa. It was submitted to the Oologist on November 20, 1933 and subsequently published in vol. 51, no. 5.
Article dated November 25, 1933. This article contains a description of the Philip DuMont book "A Revised list of the Birds of Iowa" and includes a brief history of ornithology in Iowa. Published as University of Iowa Service Bulletin, vol. 17, no. 47.
Article submitted May, 1933. Philip DuMont recounts the history of the Passenger Pigeon in Iowa. This article was submitted to the Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science in May, 1933 and was subsequently published in vol. 40.
Draft article. In this article Philip DuMont discusses Hawks in Iowa, focusing on the Red-tailed Hawk and its subspecies. Published in Biological Abstracts, 1933.
Lecture notes delivered April 24, 1933. Notes on the identification of Warblers used for a meeting of the Des Moines Audubon Society. The keys for identification include: migration, habitats, behavior, size, color, and songs.
Lecture notes delivered May 5, 1933. Notes for a presentation given by Philip DuMont during the 1933 annual meeting of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union discusses that while some ornithologists may be interested in subspecies, field notes should only record the species since determining a subspecies in the field is not reliable and should be only undertaken by the close study of collected specimens.

1934
Letter from Philip DuMont to Max Stempel dated November 9, 1934. DuMont thanks Stempel for allowing him to view the collection and returns some of Guido Stempel's notes that he had accidentally walked off with. DuMont encourages Stempel to label the birds and asks for some additional information in the hopes of being able to publish about the collection. This document is answered by a letter from Stempel: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9gx44t6s.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Fred Pierce dated April 5, 1934. DuMont discusses possible articles for Iowa Bird Life and complains about the lack of support for specimen collectors.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Max Stempel dated December 10, 1934. DuMont asks Stempel for additional details about some of the specimens in the Stempel collection. This document is in response to a letter from Stempel: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9gx44t6s This document is answered by a letter from Stempel: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9rb6w210.
Letter from Max Stempel to Philip DuMont dated November 12, 1934. Stempel provides DuMont with additional details about some of the bird specimens, says the family doesn't know enough about all the species to properly label them, and gives DuMont permission to publish his findings from the collection. This document is in response to a letter from Dumont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w95m62658 This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w90v89h0d.
Research notes regarding specimen collection examined November 9, 1934. A list of some bird specimens that Philip DuMont examined from the Stempel collection.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated February 7, 1934. Rosene discusses photographing owls, mentions some birds that had recently been shot and notes a wintering Red-shouldered Hawk.
Letter from Ed Currier to Philip DuMont dated October 19, 1934. In this letter Currier says that he read in Iowa Bird Life that DuMont is working on an article about breeding birds in Iowa and reports that when he lived in Iowa he collected nests and eggs. Currier lists some of the species in his collection and asks DuMont to list some reliable collections in Iowa.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Thomas Stephens dated January 30, 1934. In this letter DuMont suggests printing an Iowa ornithology bibliography for members of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union, discusses why some birds were included or excluded from his book "Revised List of the Birds of Iowa," and says he will be looking for more samples and sight records in preparation for issuing a new edition of the book. This document is in response to a letter from Thomas Stephens: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9cv4br39.
Report for the Iowa Fish and Game Commission. In this report Logan J. Bennett discusses factors creating a decrease in Duck nesting from 1933 to 1934. This report was published in Transactions of the American Game Conference, vol. 21.
Letter to I.T. Bode dated January 3, 1934. The letter's author, an Assistant Biologist for the Bureau of Biological Survey, expresses his appreciation for the assistance he received while in Iowa. Included with this letter is part of the Waterfowl Survey for 1933, including the section that pertains to Iowa.
Letter from William Praeger to Philip DuMont dated April 6, 1934. In this letter Praeger responds to DuMont's request for information for the "Revised List of the Birds of Iowa" by describing some specimens.
Report for the Iowa Fish and Game Commission. In this report Neil Hotchkiss counts Ducks and Coots at Iowa lakes and notes a drastic decline in the numbers from 1933 to 1934.
Report for the Iowa Fish and Game Commission. Philip DuMont reports on some Iowa lakes, describing their size, water level and vegetation, and notes their suitability for hunting.
Report for the Iowa Fish and Game Commission. In this report Philip DuMont provides wildlife descriptions for natural areas around Iowa and makes some recommendations for park development.
A handwritten list of birds. This is a list of birds that Philip DuMont has yet to sight in Iowa. Included with the handwritten list is a "Daily field checking list" checklist dated 1934 with the birds marked that were sighted by DuMont in that year.
Bird checklist with various dates. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont and Kenneth Nelson on June 3, 1929 and Philip DuMont and Janetta DuMont on May 13, 1934. Included with this checklist are tallies of birds sighted by Philip DuMont and others on May 20, 1928, May 19, 1929, and May 17, 1931.
Report for the Iowa State Fish and Game Commission. In this report Philip DuMont describes the opening of shooting season at Dan Green's Slough. He notes the weather, the number of hunters present, the birds shot, and the use of decoys and dogs.
Report listing bird specimens collected. This report submitted by Philip DuMont lists the specimens he collected during 1934. These birds, eggs and nests are stored in his home in Des Moines with the exception of some specimens that were forwarded to Myron Swenk at the University of Nebraska for study.
This document is a report describing a mounted bird collection. Philip DuMont describes a private collection of 74 mounted birds secured by Clifford Blum, listing some noteworthy specimens. This report was included in the article "Private bird collections in Iowa" published in Iowa Bird Life vol. 5, no. 3.
Myrle Jones to Philip DuMont dated June 24, 1934. Jones reports on Starling sightings from March 4, 1933 to March 20, 1934. He also mentions his current activities while attending Iowa State College.
Bound journal with entries from April 12, 1934 to November 28. In this journal Philip DuMont recorded his activities from April 12, 1934 to November 28, 1934, focusing on his travels and birds he sighted.
Draft article. Sightings compiled by Philip DuMont from multiple observers containing locations, dates, numbers, and whether nests were present. Published in Iowa Bird Life, vol. 4, no. 4.
Letter from Anna Wild to Philip DuMont dated March 20, 1934. In this letter Wild says that Winifred Gilbert has checked the specimens housed in the museum at Iowa State Teachers College. Included with this letter is a list that was reviewed by Gilbert who found bird specimens that DuMont had been looking for.
Bound journal with entries dated from December 7, 1933 to April 11. In this journal Philip DuMont recorded his activities from December 7, 1933 to April 11, 1934, focusing on his travels and birds he sighted.
Letter from Harlow Mills to Philip DuMont dated January 11, 1934. Mills responds to DuMont's request in Iowa Bird Life for Starling sightings by reporting that a pair of Starlings collected west of Le Grand on December 25, 1931 had been given to Prof. Guthrie.
Letter from Philip DuMont to James Peters dated May 16, 1934. DuMont sends more Savannah Sparrow specimens to Peters for review, and discusses some birds he has recently sighted in Iowa. This document is in response to a letter from Peters: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w96688q00.
Letter from Harlow Mills to Philip DuMont dated May 8, 1934. Mills lists Starlings he has sighted between March 24 and May 3.
Letter from Allen Green to Philip DuMont dated May 9, 1934. In this letter Green reports sighting 25 to 30 Snowy Egrets in August 1930 and seven Black Ducks in 1929.
Letter from Mabel Tate to Philip DuMont dated July 30, 1934. Tate reports to DuMont that she hasn't been able to locate the article published in the Winterset News about a Starling that was killed in Macksburg. This letter is related to a follow up letter by Mabel Tate: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9np1wj1w.
Undated list of specimens. A list of Savannah Sparrow specimens collected in 1934, annotated with location and date of when it was collected.
Letter from James Peters to Philip DuMont dated October 8, 1934. Peters tells DuMont that the Sparrow specimens will be returned to him in a few days and that they will all be identified with labels. This document is in response to a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w90z70w65.
Letter from Robert Campbell to Elwood dated December 24, 1934. Campbell's letter mentions sighting a pair of Starling September 26, 1932 in between discussing fox hunting and setting up a Quail shelter.
Letter from Mabel Tate to Philip DuMont dated August 24, 1934. Tate reports that a Starling was shot by F.W. Cochran on March 4, 1933, and was one of a flock that had moved into his barn outside Macksburg in February. This letter is a follows up on an earlier letter by Mabel Tate: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9vd6p45z.
Letter from Oscar Allert to Philip DuMont dated May 20, 1934. Allert reports on Starling sightings from February 26 1930 to December 14, 1933.
Letter from William Praeger to Philip DuMont dated May 28, 1934. In this letter Praeger tells DuMont that there were three bird collections in Keokuk that he knew of: the Shafer, the Davis and the Heiser. None of the men who owned the collections knew much about their birds and Praeger helped out with identifying some of the specimens.
Letter from Philip DuMont to James Peters dated October 1, 1934. DuMont asks Peters if he has finished reviewing the Sparrow specimens yet, and asks for the specimens back since he is preparing to publish the 2nd edition of the "Revised list of the birds of Iowa". This document is answered by a letter from Peters: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9pn8xf22.
Letter from Harold Holland to Philip DuMont dated May 9, 1934. Holland reports sighting Starlings near Ray Lake on September 15, 1933 and mentions that Allen Green had sighted a small flock on his farmland.
Letter from Harlow Mills to Philip DuMont dated April 16, 1934. Mills reports Starlings sighted between the 9th and 13th of April. He also mentions the sighting of a Bald Eagle.
Press release dated October 11, 1934. In this Outdoor Iowa news release from the Iowa Fish and Game Commission Philip DuMont discusses options for people who wish to go Duck hunting.
Open letter dated February 1934. As Philip DuMont prepares for a revision to the "Revised list of the Birds of Iowa" he notes that 35 of the species listed had not been verified with specimens collected in Iowa. He is still looking for Iowa specimens for 25 of the species listed.
Press release dated November 8, 1934. In this Outdoor Iowa news release from the Iowa Fish and Game Commission, Philip DuMont notes that the European Starling has now been sighted in 94 of the 99 Iowa counties.
Letter from Philip DuMont to the Open Forum Editor dated August 18, 1934. DuMont responds to an article published August 12th by saying that the American Egret is not an unusual bird in Iowa and that Little Blue Heron reports are more interesting. This letter was published in the Des Moines Register August 26, 1934.
Press release dated December 20, 1934. In this Outdoor Iowa news release from the Iowa Fish and Game Commission Philip DuMont notes that Prairie Chickens should nest in Iowa in increasing numbers as a result of the Waterfowl restoration program.
Press release dated December 20, 1934. In this Outdoor Iowa news release from the Iowa Fish and Game Commission Philip DuMont notes the largest Magpie presence in Iowa since the winter of 1921-1922.
Radio script dated November 21, 1934. This radio script delivered over WOI by Philip DuMont, Game Technician for the Iowa Fish and Game Commission, describes the twenty-five year conservation plan adopted by the Iowa State Planning Board and appeals to the public for help.
Draft article. Contains summary results for the Des Moines Audubon Society Christmas bird count held December 26 1934. These results were included in the article "Christmas bird censuses from Iowa" published in Bird-Lore, vol. 37, no. 1.
Manuscript dated February 1, 1934. This is an edited manuscript for the revised edition of the book "The Revised list of the birds of Iowa" published by the University of Iowa and issued as University of Iowa studies in natural history, vol. 15, no. 5. This work lists all the bird species known to have occurred in Iowa. This item ends on manuscript page 92.
Continuation of a manuscript dated February 1, 1934. This is an edited manuscript for the revised edition of the book "The Revised list of the birds of Iowa" published by the University of Iowa and issued as University of Iowa studies in natural history, vol. 15, no. 5. This work lists all the bird species known to have occurred in Iowa. This item begins on manuscript page 93 and ends on manuscript page 238.
Letter from James Peters to Philip DuMont dated January 2, 1934. Peters informs Philip DuMont that he has not finished reviewing the Sparrow specimens sent to him, but gives a preliminary assessment. Included with this letter is a letter from Janetta DuMont, who is forwarding Philip DuMont's mail, discussing the DuMont family's activities around Christmas. This document is in response to a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9n00zs9f. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w97m04048.
Continuation of a manuscript dated February 1, 1934. This is an edited manuscript for the revised edition of the book "The Revised list of the birds of Iowa" published by the University of Iowa and issued as University of Iowa studies in natural history, vol. 15, no. 5. This work lists all the bird species known to have occurred in Iowa. This item begins on manuscript page 239 and ends on manuscript page 328.
Draft article. In this article Philip DuMont recounts witnessing a flock of over 600 Starling in Mahaska County. Published in the Oskaloosa Tribune, August 31, 1934.

1935
Letter from Max Stempel to Philip DuMont dated January 13, 1935. Stempel replies to DuMont's request for additional details about some bird specimens. This document is in response to a letter from Dumont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w90v89h0d This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w97d2q693.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Max Stempel dated January 28, 1935. DuMont asks for more details about the Water Ouzel especially since he is concerned about having to correct any claims once they have been published. This document is in response to a letter from Stempel: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9rb6w210.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated July 15, 1935. Rosene discusses writing an article for Bird Lore, asks about duck migration and wonders what DuMont thinks about Mourning Dove hunting. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9ng4gr5m.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Walter Rosene dated July 27, 1935. DuMont discusses article writing, duck migration and dove hunting. This document is in response to a letter from Rosene: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9jq0sv1q.
Report organized as a table. A table created by William Schuenke, the chief game & warden supervisor, lists game management areas in Iowa by area number, type of game, county, township, acreage, number of farmers and key farmer.
Letter from Hugo Schroeder to Philip DuMont dated January 2, 1935. In this letter Schroeder says that he has seen DuMont's book "Revised List of the Birds of Iowa" and his article in the Oologist listing the breeding birds of Iowa and wishes to help by supplying a list of birds that he has seen nesting in areas around the Mississippi River. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9542j793.
Letter from Louis Bishop to Philip DuMont dated October 15, 1935. In this letter Bishop responds to DuMont's request for information about the Walter Savage egg collection. Included with this letter is an inventory of the specimens that Bishop purchased from Savage.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Hugo Schroeder dated January 10, 1935. In this letter DuMont thanks Schroeder for notes about nesting birds in Iowa and informs him that the information will be used for the revised edition of the "Revised List of the Birds of Iowa." DuMont also mentions that the Starling is now present in ninety-six of the ninety-nine Iowa counties and lists some other birds that have increased in numbers in Iowa. This document is in response to a letter from Hugo Schroeder: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w90k26b1c.
Research notes dated March 26, 1935. This is a list of Iowa lakes and sloughs annotated with county, water level and the presence of water birds.
Letter from Myron Swenk to Philip DuMont dated January 16, 1935. In this letter Swenk tells DuMont that he is returning the Horned Lark specimens but plans to continue studying the Chickadee and Sparrow specimens. Included with this letter is a list of the subspecies that Swenk associated with each Horned Lark specimen.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Ortha Green dated May 8, 1935. In this letter DuMont asks Green for more details about some specimens in her collection.
Research notes dated April 23, 1935. This is a list of bird specimens found in the Ortha Green collection. Some bird specimens are annotated with number. The Ortha Green collection also contains some mounted animals and Indian relics.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Malcolm McDonald dated May 20, 1935. DuMont urges McDonald to write up an account of his sighting of a Starling in Jefferson County in December of 1930 and submit it to Fred Pierce for inclusion in Iowa Bird Life. This document is in response to a letter from McDonald: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9jw86m76.
Letter from Malcolm McDonald to Philip DuMont dated May 15, 1935. McDonald recounts his first sighting of Starlings in Jefferson County on December 23, 1930. He continues on to describe subsequent sightings of Starlings. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9kw57h8x.
Letter from Philip DuMont to William Jarnagin dated May 23, 1935. DuMont gives a brief history of the European Starling in the United States and Iowa and asks William Jarnagin to publish a notice in his newspaper asking for information about Starling sightings in Buena Vista County.
Draft article. In this article Philip DuMont reports that since publishing the list of "The Breeding Birds of Iowa" in the April 1934 edition of the Oologist, five more species have been added to the list creating a total of 149 bird species that breed in Iowa. Published in the Oologist, vol. 52, July 1935.
Report dated April 1935. In this report Philip DuMont, Game Technician of the Iowa Fish and Game Commission, lists species that should be collected in order to substantiate their presence in Iowa. While some species may be needed to study variation and sub-species there are other species that are not needed and should not be collected.
Press release dated January 31, 1935. In this Outdoor Iowa news release from the Iowa Fish and Game Commission Philip DuMont notes that a recent study by Olin Sewall Pettingill indicates that the Woodcock is rebounding nicely in Iowa since its recent protection.

1936
Letter from Percy Taverner to Philip DuMont dated January 2, 1936. In this letter Taverner responds to DuMont's article "Red Shafted Flicker Secured at Des Moines, Iowa" published in the Wilson Bulletin, vol.47, no.2 by discussing Flicker hybrids.
Undated telegram from Philip DuMont to Burt Gresham. DuMont relays that Northbound geese where sighted at Mondamin Iowa and reports on Snow and Blue Goose migration at Sand Lake Refuge for Spring 1936.
Draft article. In this article Philip DuMont recounts information he received from Ed Currier regarding his collection of bird nests. Published in the Oologist, vol. 53, no. 1, January 1936.

1937
Letter from Helen Peasley and Florence Thornburg to Philip DuMont dated July 22, 1937. Peasley and Thornburg inform DuMont about some interesting bird and nest sightings they have had in the summer.
Letter from Martin Grant to Philip DuMont dated May 17, 1937. In this letter Grant asks DuMont to look over the key he is using to teach students to identify bird species in the lab. Included with this letter is an edited copy of "A Key to and synopsis of the orders and families of Iowa birds."

1938
Letter from Fred Pierce to Philip DuMont dated December 25, 1938. Pierce discusses family, acquaintances, the Christmas bird census, and the upcoming Iowa Ornithologists' Union annual meeting.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Burt Gresham dated April 4, 1938. Philip DuMont reports on Snow and Blue Goose migration and inquires about stopover sites. This document is answered by a letter from Gresham: https://avian.lib.iastate.edu/documents/3518/view.
Letter from Burt Gresham to Philip DuMont dated April 9, 1938. Gresham responds to a request for route and stopover data on Goose migration. Included with this letter are the compiled migration reports for 1938. This document is in response to a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9q23r036
Letter from Oscar Root to Philip DuMont dated August 11, 1938. In this letter Root tells DuMont he was impressed with the book "Revised List of the Birds of Iowa" and includes a list of birds he sighted recently on a visit to Ottumwa.
Telegram from Philip DuMont to Burt Gresham sent March 1938. Philip DuMont reports the Snow and Blue Goose migration has arrived at Missouri Valley.
Telegram from Philip DuMont to Burt Gresham dated March 18, 1938. Philip DuMont reports on Snow and Blue Goose migration at Sand Lake Refuge and relays migration information from Omaha.

1940
Letter from Philip DuMont to Walter Rosene dated November 3, 1940. DuMont describes using Goose measurements in the identification of species and subspecies, and discusses family matters. This document is in response to a letter from Rosene: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9dz0317r.
Letter from Walter Rosene to Philip DuMont dated October 25, 1940. Rosene asks for help in identifying a goose, describes photographing and banding Bell's Vireos, and discusses family matters. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9sb3wz1t.

1943
Letter from George Hendrickson to Philip DuMont dated December 13, 1943. Hendrickson believes that DuMont had published articles updating his Revised List of the Birds of Iowa and asks for reprints of these papers along with any other additional information that would update the number of species found in Iowa. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9z31nn75.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Fred Schwab dated September 8, 1943. In this letter DuMont offers corrections for errors he has spotted in the Jack Musgrove book "Waterfowl in Iowa".

1944
Letter from Philip DuMont to George Hendrickson dated February 9, 1944. DuMont responds to Hendrickson's request for updated information to the 1935 publication of the Revised List of the Birds of Iowa by listing journal articles where additions can be found. This document is in response to two letters from Hendrickson: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w94f1mh9x and https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9b56d43m.
Letter from Myrle Jones to Philip DuMont dated March 3, 1944. Jones tells DuMont that some of the birds listed as uncommon for Iowa may be fairly common and just not properly documented. In particular, he has frequently seen Summer Tanager around Fremont County. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w96d5p98c.
Letter from George Hendrickson to Philip DuMont dated February 2, 1944. Hendrickson asks DuMont why a Water Ouzel from the Stempel collection was not included in the 1935 edition of the Revised List of the Birds of Iowa. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9z31nn75.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Myrle Jones dated April 29, 1944. DuMont responds to Jones about the sighting of a Summer Tanager by saying that many birds listed as rare in Iowa may have more to do with the lack of observers rather than the lack of the species. He encourages Jones to publish his observations so that more accurate records can be developed. This document is in response to a letter from Jones: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9f18sf02.
Lecture notes delivered May 13, 1944. In this paper read at the 22nd annual meeting of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union, Philip DuMont reviews the history of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union and recommends some future goals. These notes were published as: "DuMont's proposed objectives for the Iowa Ornithologists' Union" Iowa Bird Life, vol. 14, no. 3 and "A Review of ornithology in Iowa" Iowa Bird Life, vol. 14, no. 4.

1945
Letter from Fred Pierce to Philip DuMont dated June 25, 1945. Pierce asks DuMont to review a questionable sight record for a Swallow-tailed Kite. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9gq6r205.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Fred Pierce dated June 29, 1945. DuMont responds to Pierce's request to review a questionable sighting by saying that sightings of rare birds should only be published if they were made under ideal conditions. This document is in response to a letter from Pierce: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9kp7tr0x.

1947
Lecture notes presented May 10, 1947. Includes the paper "The Use of bird records." These papers were used for a presentation given at the 1947 annual meeting of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union and describe why bird records are kept, announces the launch of the periodical "Audubon field notes" and establishes deadlines for when field notes should be submitted for each season.

1954
Letter from Philip DuMont to Woodward Brown dated April 26, 1954. In this letter DuMont comments on the checklist that supplemented the March 1954 issue of Iowa Bird Life, and sends his own version that he thinks reflects the need of Iowa birders.
Bird checklist dated May 16, 1954. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont annotated with weather, locations visited, and number sighted.
Bird checklist dated May 17, 1954. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip DuMont on a trip from Des Moines to the Salt Plains Refuge, annotated with number sighted.
Checklist dated April 22, 1954. A list prepared by Philip DuMont of the 275 species commonly found in Iowa, with an additional 65 species that are rare or accidental in the state.

1956
Letter from Philip DuMont to George Hendrickson dated November 29, 1956. In this letter to George Hendrickson (copied to Martin Grant and Harold Ennis) DuMont details some changes that he made to the revised checklist and notes that he had Fred Lincoln, who is in the process of reviewing the American Ornithologists' Union checklist, double check his corrections. Included is Philip DuMont's edited revised Check-list of Iowa Birds. This document is in response to a letter from Hendrickson: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9w08wg2d.
Letter from Philip DuMont to George Hendrickson dated July 1, 1956. In this letter to George Hendrickson (copied to Martin Grant and Harold Ennis) DuMont discusses the layout and nomenclature changes for the revision of the Checklist of Iowa Birds suggested by Grant. This document is in response to a letter from Martin Grant : https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9w37kv5q.
Letter from Philip DuMont to Olivia McCabe dated March 25, 1956. Philip DuMont answers Olivia McCabe's questions regarding nestlings, subspecies and identifying birds in the field.
Letter from Philip DuMont to George Hendrickson dated May 31, 1956. DuMont offers suggestions on how to edit the Check-List of Iowa Birds based on work he has recently done for two other checklists. This document is in response to a letter from Hendrickson: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w97659f3f This document is answered by a letter from Martin Grant: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9w37kv5q.
Letter from Martin Grant to George Hendrickson dated June 25, 1956. In this letter to George Hendrickson (copied to Harold Ennis and Philip DuMont), Grant discusses the layout and nomenclature used for the revision of the Iowa Birds checklist. This document is in response to a letter from Philip DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9nk3647v.
Letter from George Hendrickson to Philip DuMont dated October 8, 1956. In this letter Hendrickson reports that the revised checklist has been agreed on at the fall meeting of the Iowa Ornithologists' Union and asks DuMont to do a final review. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9g15t996.
Letter from George Hendrickson to Philip DuMont dated May 22, 1956. In this letter Hendrickson asks for Dumont's help in revising the Iowa Bird checklist in order to ensure that it conforms with American Ornithologists' Union practice. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w9nk3647v.

1957
Letter from Philip DuMont to George Hendrickson dated May 24, 1957. In this letter DuMont congratulates Hendrickson on creating a flawless checklist, and notes that splitting Dowitchers into two species would be a good subject for an article in Iowa Bird Life.

1962
Letter from Philip DuMont to Martin Grant dated December 7, 1962. In this letter to Martin Grant (copied to Peter Petersen) DuMont offers suggestions on how to how to change the Iowa checklist that Grant has sent him. This document is in response to a letter from Grant: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w91v5bd14.
Letter from Martin Grant to Philip DuMont dated October 17, 1962. In this letter Grant asks DuMont to review the newly-prepared Checklist of Iowa Birds before it is published. Included with the letter is a copy of the Checklist of Iowa Birds compiled by Martin Grant and Pauline Sauer. This document is answered by a letter from DuMont: https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w99c6s08j.

1977
Bird checklist dated August 18 to 21, 1977. A checklist of birds sighted by Philip and Jean DuMont in Des Moines and Ames, annotated with number sighted.

1980
Biography dated December 1980. A short biography of Philip DuMont recounts his life in ornithology and wildlife conservation.