A Guide to the Papers of Frederic R. Scott,
A Collection in
Special Collections
The University of Virginia Library
Accession Number 12632-a
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Special Collections, University of Virginia Library
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USA
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Processed by: Special Collections Staff
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.
Preferred Citation
Papers of Frederic R. Scott, Accession #12632-a, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
Acquisition Information
The collection was a gift from the Virginia Society of Ornithology, through Gene Sattler to the University of Virginia Library on August 1, 2003 and September 10, 2003.
Biographical/Historical Information
Frederick R. Scott was the editor of American Bird magazine from 1958 to 1979 and was editor of The Raven from 1969 to 1980. He was also editor of the Virginia Society of Ornithology Bulletin . He kept meticulous records of bird sightings from the mid-Atlantic states and consecutive field record notebooks. Using his scientific knowledge of ornithology and his field work, he made judgments about the validity of numerous observations from other bird watchers. He has been called the ranking ornithologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of the ornithological papers of Frederic R. Scott from 1929 to 1992. It includes bird banding statistics; bird field records; information on bird breeding forays; Christmas bird counts (in Mount Rogers, Chincoteague, Emporia, Cape Charles, and Hopewell, Virginia;) and the general correspondence of Frederick R. Scott. Mr. Scott was the Middle Atlantic Coast Senior Regional Editor for the American Birds , a publication of the National Audubon Society and The Raven , a publication of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. The collection contains ca. 4014 items in 15 hollinger boxes (6.25 linear feet).
There are frequent correspondents who write detailed accounts of bird sightings for Frederick Scott and Henry T. Armistead to publish in the American Bird magazine and The Raven . Among these are Townley Wolfe III; Dr. James J. Murray, Sr., Dr. James. J. Murray, Jr., Biology Department, University of Virginia, and President of the Virginia Society of Ornithology; Chandler S. Robbins, United States Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Services; Paul W. Sykes, Jr.; Charles O. Handley, Jr., Smithsonian Institute; Dr. Alexander Wetmore, Smithsonian Institute; James W. Eike; Frederick S. Schaeffer; Mrs. Jane Church; Mr. Brooke Meanley; Charles R. Vaughn; Dr. Mitchell A. Byrd, William and Mary College; Gilbert S. Grant; Dr. Ruskin S. Freer, Lynchburg College; Guy Friddell; John Pancake; Dr. Robert L. Ake, Old Dominion University; Dr. Richard H. Peake, Jr., Clinch Valley College; Robert S. Kennedy; YuLee Larner; Robert L. Downing; Walter Post Smith; Norwood C. Middleton; Dr. Robert J. Watson; Jim Gray; Bill Williams, James L. Riopel, Mountain Lake Biological Station; Fred J. Pierce, Thelma Dalmas, Treasurer, The Raven ; Dr. George A. Hall, University of West Virginia; Charles C. Steirly; Dr. Robert O. Paxton as well as many others. There is also some correspondence with T. E. Vassar, Lucy Rhodes, and Betty White at the Michie Company about the galley proofs for The Raven .
Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically by topic and chronologically within each folder, with the exception of the Breeding Bird Forays in boxes 3-5 that are maintained in their original chronological order.
Contents List
[Printed: Boating Access to Virginia Waters]
[Printed: The Blue Ridge Parkway Guide; Rocky Knob Nature Trail]
[Printed brochure on Kerr Reservoir]
[Printed: maps of Buchanan and Dickinson Counties; Kentucky Warbler]
Mostly correspondence between Frederick R. Scott and Robert S. Arbib about writing bird reports and meeting deadlines for American Bird magazine. There are also bird reports, blue lists and an article about Frederick R. Scott's retirement as editor.
Mostly bird reports, surveys, and Christmas Bird Counts from bird watchers for American Bird magazine in this notebook.
Bird reports from numerous correspondents to Henry T. Armistead for American Birds magazine.
Completed bird sighting forms.
Detailed bird accounts and reports from observers to Henry T. Armistead.
Chesapeake Bay Region bald eagle nest survey; Fall migration reports; Fall raptor survey; Chincoteague shorebird survey; bird sightings forms; detailed bird accounts; and reports from observers to Henry T. Armistead.
Detailed bird accounts and reports from observers to Henry T. Armistead, including winter season reports, Christmas Bird Counts for Lynchburg and Hopewell; Winter Census List; and Migration Tables. There are also bird slides from Robert L. Anderson.
Bird reports from observers to Henry T. Armistead.
Correspondence about bird sightings, field trips, and various bird related business.
Correspondence about books; identification of birds; advice on places to watch birds; Raven deadlines; and photographs of birds.
Correspondence about birds; nominations for officers; politics surrounding the Eastern Bird Banding Association; field lists; banding reports; field trips; and opinions about articles. There is also correspondence between Frederick Scott and the Michie Company about galley proofs..
Correspondence about many birds, including monkey eating eagles (which are actually the National bird of the Philippines;) questions about the Christmas bird counts; obituary information for Paul Delaney and James J. Murray Sr.; requests for certain books and catalogs; questions about research; field trip information; advice about birding; membership questions; shorebird migration; news clippings in The Richmond News Leader and the World News Roanoke about birding; information about the threat of a road through the Berger Memorial Sanctuary; concern about dyeing the canvasbacks; and information for The Raven .
Correspondence about bird information for The Raven ; descriptions of birds; membership information for the Virginia Society of Ornithology; courses offered at Mountain Lake; and requests for back issues of The Raven . Other topics mentioned are the preservation of Back Bay Wildlife Refuge; swainson warblers; bald eagles at Flowerdew Hundred; and field trips. There is also correspondence about difficulties with the office of the treasurer and concerns about who will take the leadership role at the Virginia Society of Ornithology.
Correspondence about bird sightings; requests for bird information to be published for The Raven ; advice on birding; drafts of the Virginia Society of Ornithology newsletters; discussion of board meetings of the Virginia Society of Ornithology; and plans for resolving back issues of The Raven . There is also a news clipping from the Wall Street Journal about duplication fees from libraries (February 26, 1975) and a news release from the United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service on a special survey for the Ipswich Sparrows at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Correspondence about bird sightings; field trips; and information on birds such as the blackbird roost survey; and locations of bald eagle nests. There are also birding recommendations; a draft of the VSO application form; ethics of the use of tape recorders; financial business; a deposit certificate for the VSO; politics involving some board members; membership forms; a note from Frederick R. Scott about the fiftieth year of Ruskin Freer's column, "The Rambler; " requests for issues of The Raven; the death of Arthur Fast; a news clipping about Frederick R. Scott in The Roanoke Times , titled, "Ornithologist Observes Bird Watchers " (May 17, 1976).
Correspondence includes requests for bird lists; identification of birds; information about the publishing schedule of The Raven ; information about board chairmen and meeting schedules; revisions to the Virginia Society of Ornithology application form; information about tax exemptions; an agreement with World Nature Tours; information about the upcoming Christmas Bird Count; financial concerns about The Raven and the Virginia Society of Ornithology; draft of a "Report of the Editor; " and an account of a meeting concerning NASA and their usage of land and their agreement with Accomack County.
Correspondence includes requests for information and identification of birds; submissions to The Raven ; requests for membership; a printing invoice; financial information; schedule of The Raven ; questions from Frederick Scott about claims made in American Birds ; plans for an annual meeting; draft of the "Report of the Editor; " a news clipping from The Virginian-Pilot , titled "Spectacular Bird Increasingly Rare " by Guy Friddell; announcement that the publication, Atlantic Naturalist has been suspended; a newspaper photograph in The Northumberland Echo of William and Mary biologist, Mitchell Byrd, on the Little Wicomico River; a news clippings from The World News , by John Pancake (June 1977); death of theVirginia Society of Onnithology's first president, C. O. Handley, Sr.; announcement of the Christmas Bird Count in the VSO newsletter; and the Kiptopeke banding report.
Correspondence includes submissions to Henry T. Armistead for The Raven ; an obituary for Dr. Alexander Wetmore; identification and sightings of birds; counts and surveys; an obituary of Professor D. Ralph Hostetter; a preliminary report on a breeding bird foray at Mount Rogers; blue bird census reports; letters from Frederick Scott to Yulee Larner about Tom Armour and the complaints of the Williamsburg Bird Club; and concern that twenty two eagles were shot and killed in the Mid-Atlantic region. There is also correspondence between Yulee Larner and Fred Scott about the administering of the Virginia Society of Ornithology.
There is correspondence about The Raven ; recommendations for birding; draft of the VSO newsletter; a manuscript titled, "Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary " by Christopher White.
Grant proposals to the Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries and The Bailey Trust for Natural History by Sue Ridd; correspondence about The Raven ; a trip to Chincoteague; a letter from Claudia Wilds about bird counts and comments about Sue Ridd; a letter from Fred Scott to Walter L. Pomeroy, President of National Audubon Society; a draft of a new membership form for the Virginia Society of Ornithology; and Brooke Meanley's request to use research from Frederick R. Scott.
Eagle Roost report; permission to observe birds; travel re-imbursement forms; memo notes about the Eagle roost; and a letter from Frederick Scott to Mitchell Byrd about communication.