OSBURN, Pingree Ives

From Islapedia

OSBURN, Pingree Ives (1889-1968), noted in his youth for his interest in ornithology, Osburn visited Los Coronados Islands at least twice in 1910, the second time with ornithologist Alfred B. Howell. That same year he also visited Santa Catalina Island and reported on birds he saw. Birds Osburn collected on Santa Catalina Island are in several museum collections.


Osburn collected on:






SANTA BARBARA ISLAND
ISLAND COLLECTOR INSTITUTION DATE NUMBER SPECIMEN
(off) Santa Barbara Island P. I. Osburn AMNH July 7, 1909 AMNH-121269 Ardennagrisea Birds


SANTA CATALINA ISLAND
ISLAND COLLECTOR INSTITUTION DATE NUMBER SPECIMEN
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn WFVZ July, 1907 WFVZ-12768 Lophortyx californicus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn AMNH August 20, 1907 AMNH-807982 Lophortyx californicus catalinensis Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn AMNH August 20, 1907 AMNH-807983 Lophortyx californicus catalinensis Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MCZ August 21, 1907 MCZ-67789 Pipilo erythrophthalmus Birds
~ trip ~
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MVZ February 1, 1910 MVZ-106787 Callipepla californica catalinensis Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MVZ February 4, 1910 MVZ-17206 Callipepla californica catalinensis Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn AMNH February 11, 1910 AMNH-140198 Larus californicus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn AMNH February 11, 1910 AMNH-142784 Larus canus brachyrnchus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn AMNH February 14, 1910 AMNH-139894 Podiceps nigricollis californicus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn DMNS February 15, 1910 DMNS-27919 Pipilo erythrophthalmus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MCZ February 15, 1910 MCZ-67788 Pipilo erythrophthalmus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MCZ February 15, 1910 MCZ-318595 Lanius ludovicianus anthonyi Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MCZ February 18, 1910 MCZ-318612 Turdus migratorius propinquus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MCZ February 18, 1910 MCZ-318613 Turdus migratorius propinquus Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn SDNHM February 18, 1910 SDNHM-11721 Turdus migratorius propinquus Birds
~ trip ~
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MVZ February 15, 1912 MVZ-107951 Pipilo maculatus clementae Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn YPM February 15, 1912 YPM-002990 Leiothlypis celata sordida Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn YPM February 17, 1912 YPM-002991 Leiothlypis celata sordida Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MVZ February 17, 1912 MVZ-107511 Vermivora celata sordida Birds
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn MVZ February 21, 1912 MVZ-106788 Callipepla californica catalinensis Birds
~ trip ~
Santa Catalina Island P. I. Osburn ROM May 22, 1912 ROM-51896 Thryomanes bewickii catalinae Birds


ISLA CEDROS
ISLAND COLLECTOR INSTITUTION DATE NUMBER SPECIMEN
Isla Cedros P. I. Osburn AMNH March 10, 1911 AMNH-131429 Haematopus bachmani Birds
Isla Cedros P. I. Osburn AMNH March 11, 1911 AMNH-131295 Larus heermanni Birds
Isla Cedros P. I. Osburn AMNH April 10, 1911 AMNH-131276 Podiceps nigricollis californicus Birds


ISLAS CORONADOS
ISLAND COLLECTOR INSTITUTION DATE NUMBER SPECIMEN
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn LACM June 3, 1908 LACM-13987 Oceanodroma leucorhoa willetti Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ June 4, 1908 WFVZ-89329 Larus occidentalis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ June 4, 1908 WFVZ-89330 Larus occidentalis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ June 4, 1908 WFVZ-201305 Larus occidentalis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ June 4, 1908 WFVZ-210306 Larus occidentalis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ June 4, 1908 WFVZ-2101307 Larus occidentalis Birds
~ trip ~
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn MVZ July 4, 1909 MVZ-4385 Oceanodroma leucorhoa leucorhoa Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ July 4, 1909 WFVZ-130284 Oceanodroma leucorhoa leucorhoa Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ July 4, 1909 WFVZ-130285 Oceanodroma leucorhoa leucorhoa Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn OSUM July 4, 1909 OSUM-4381 Oceanodroma leucorhoa willetti Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn OSUM July 4, 1909 OSUM-4382 Oceanodroma leucorhoa willetti Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn OSUM July 4, 1909 OSUM-4383 Oceanodroma leucorhoa willetti Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn OMNH July 4, 1909 OMNH-66 Oceanodroma leucorhoa Eggs
~ trip ~
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn MCZ April 23, 1910 MCZ-318522 Phalacrocorax pelagicus resplendens Birds
~ trip ~
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn MCZ June 13, 1910 MCZ-318626 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Birds
~ trip ~
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn MCZ June 22, 1910 MCZ-318621 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn MCZ June 22, 1910 MCZ-318623 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn MCZ June 22, 1910 MCZ-318624 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn MCZ June 24, 1910 MCZ-180243 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Birds
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn OMNH June 24, 1910 OMNH-69 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn OMNH June 28, 1910 OMNH-65 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Eggs
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn WFVZ June 28, 1910 WFVZ-204447 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Eggs
~ trip ~
Islas Coronados P. I. Osburn OMNH July 4, 1910 OMNH-67 Oceanodroma leucorhoa socorroensis Eggs


ISLA GUADALUPE
ISLAND COLLECTOR INSTITUTION DATE NUMBER SPECIMEN
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn NMNH March 1, 1911 USNM-305760 Ptychoramphus aleuticus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 1, 1911 AMNH-131287 Ptychoramphus aleuticus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn NMNH March 1, 1911 USNM-305907 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 1, 1911 AMNH-131719 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn & C. H. Townsend NMNH March 1, 1911 USNM-305907 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305906 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-1317214 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131720 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131721 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131723 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131726 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131727 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131728 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131729 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131734 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131735 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131737 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131741 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131742 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-13143 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131744 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131745 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn & C. H. Townsend NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305903 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn & C. H. Townsend NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305904 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn & C. H. Townsend NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305905 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn & C. H. Townsend NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305906 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn & C. H. Townsend NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305908 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn & C. H. Townsend NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305909 Carpodacus amplus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131817 Junco insularis Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131818 Junco insularis Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131820 Junco insularis Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-131821 Junco insularis Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305761 Oceanodroma leucorhoa Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn NMNH March 2, 1911 USNM-305762 Oceanodroma leucorhoa Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn SDNHM March 2, 1911 SDNHM-24700 Salpinctes obsoletus guadeloupensis Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-132024 Salpinctes obsoletus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-132026 Salpinctes obsoletus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 2, 1911 AMNH-132028 Salpinctes obsoletus Birds
Isla Guadalupe P. I. Osburn AMNH March 5, 1911 AMNH-131289 Ptychoramphus aleuticus Birds


ISLA TODOS SANTOS
ISLAND COLLECTOR INSTITUTION DATE NUMBER SPECIMEN
Isla Todos Santos P. I. Osburn MCZ March 31, 1910 MCZ-318480 Pandion haliaetus carolinensis Birds
Isla Todos Santos P. I. Osburn SDNHM March 31, 1910 SDNHM-11691 Podilymbus podiceps podiceps Birds
Isla Todos Santos P. I. Osburn MCZ April 2, 1910 MCZ-58391 Podilymbus podiceps podiceps Birds
Isla Todos Santos P. I. Osburn SDNHM April 2, 1910 SDNHM-11696 Pandion haliaetus carolinensis Birds



In the News~

February 22, 1911 [LAT]: “Pingree I. Osburn of Pasadena, who has given the past seven years of his life to the study of natural history, was signally honored yesterday by being selected field collector for the American Museum of Natural History, and also as the guide for an expedition which will sail Saturday morning for a four-month exploring tour of both coasts of Lower California. Osburn received a telegram yesterday from New York asking him if he would accept the position of guide, and also appointing him field collector for the great museum. He immediately accepted, and thus becomes the youngest field collector for the museum in the world. Osburn is only 22 years old. He is familiar with Lower California and its fauna. He has made twelve trips through the country and along its coasts. He says some of the rarest animals, fishes and birds in the world are to be found there, and it is to get these that the trip is arranged. There will be eight members of the party. All but young Osburn are famous scientists, who have traveled the world over in the quest for information on natural history… Osburn has assiduously studied natural history since he was 15…”


June 7, 1911 [LAT]: “Mexican fever gripping him. Young Osburn seriously sick in Baja California. Much uneasiness is felt by the friends of Pingree I. Osburn, the young naturalist, in this city and Pasadena, concerning his welfare at Mira Flores, Lower California, where he is ill with Mexican fever. As the personal appointee of Andrew Carnegie, Osburn went south early in March, under commission from the American Museum of Natural History of New York, as guide for a party of eastern scientists, and as field collector for the great museum. He is the youngest man ever receiving such a charge. They sailed from San Diego on the Albatross, Frank M. Chapman of New York being at the head of the party, and in due time arrived at San José del Cabo, which place they made their headquarters. On April 21, the eastern party returned on the Albatross, leaving young Osburn to go inland on a month’s collecting trip. He wrote home then, that he would go inland thirty miles on a tour, and return home on the Curacao May 23. They heard no more from him, but met the boat at San Pedro, expecting to greet him. He was not on board… This letter is dated at Mira Flores May 8, and informs his brother, Dr. P. P. Osburn, of his illness…”


June 14, 1911 [LAT]: “In receipt of an urgent telegram for help from his brother, Pingree I. Osburn of Pasadena, Dr. P. P. Osburn will leave tonight for San José del Cabo in Baja California, where the young leader of the expedition for the American Museum of Natural History lies very ill… The nature of his illness is not precisely known, although his relatives understand it to be an acute dilation of the heart following sunstroke and overwork. He is at present under the care of the municipal authorities of San José del Cabo.”


June 25, 1911 [LAT]: “Thought dead, is much alive. Pingree I. Osburn, the celebrated young naturalist, who has been conducting a party of famous naturalists on a trip through Lower California for the past four months and who was erroneously reported dead, will arrive at his Pasadena home this morning and celebrate his 22nd birthday by eating a reunion dinner with his father, mother and brother…He was selected last winter by Dr. Townsend of the American Museum of Natural History of New York to conduct a party headed by himself for an expedition to the southern part of Lower California… The party lest here February 25 on the Albatross…”


June 26, 1911 [LAT]: “Naturalist has hard experience. Pasadena man returns home broken in health. Fatigued and broken down by exposure to the terrible heat and by life in a country infested by semi-savages and unnamed wild beasts, Pingree I. Osburn, the celebrated young naturalist who left Southern California five months ago as a member of an expedition sent out by the American Museum of Natural History of New York, arrived at his home, No. 737 North Los Robles Avenue, this morning. He was accompanied by his mother, Mrs. Charles A. Osburn and his brother, Dr. P. P. Osburn, who had gone to Guaymas, Mexico, to meet him…”


July 30, 1911 [LAT]: “Huge Sea Elephants in California Gulf. Natural History Expedition, Under Guidance of Pasadena Young Man, Makes Discovery of Great Scientific Import—Herds of the Monsters Include Some Twenty Feet Long. One of the most fruitful and interesting scientific expeditions ever made in the Southwest was that recently to Lower California aboard the U.S.S. Albatross in the interest of the Museum of Natural History, and which is here described by Pingree I. Osburn, the Pasadena young man who led the way. By far the most important discovery was herds of huge sea elephants — monsters of the deep about whose present existence there had been serious doubt. Osburn had made a number of trips to that little-known region on is own account for the study of natural science, and had sent valuable specimens to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington. He thus attracted the attention of naturalists, and when the New York institution needed a guide for its party of scientists in the field, he was sought out for the post, and spent three months with them. At the end of that time he was commissioned to go inland on a thirty-day collecting tour in a dangerous land while the party returned home. It will be recalled that he became critically sick and came near to death, but with the aid of his brother, Dr. T. Priestly Osburn, who went south to meet him, he reached home and is now convalescing. Nothing about the valuable finds of the party has heretofore been given out.”


July 30, 1911 [LAT]: “In a Wonderland. by Pingree I. Osburn. The U.S.S. Albatross sailed from San Diego on the night of February 28, last, with a party of seven from the American Museum of Natural History of New York, on a scientific expedition to the coasts of Lower California and the adjoining gulf. This expedition has proved to be the most successful and noteworthy made in this territory. The ship is a converted cruiser of 1074 tons displacement, 234 feet over all, and with a sail area of 7520 square feet, which is used only in unusual conditions. It contains very complete scientific apparatus and is well equipped for use such as that to which it was out on this cruise. Capt. Burrage of the United States Navy was in command, and Dr. Charles H. Townsend of the museum was at the head of the party, with the following staff of naturalists: Dr. J. M. Rose, Washington, botany authority; Dr. Paul Bartch, studying the invertebrates, and with many side lines; L. N. Tongue, resident fishery expert of the Albatross, J. C. Bell, who was making casts of the rare deep-sea fish; Howard Anthony mammals; W. Schmidt, assistant, and the writer, specializing in ornithology. Among the Sea Elephants. Our first stop was at Guadalupe Island, where a strangely-interesting and unique sight met our eyes. Few other human eyes have have seen the sea elephant (Macrorhinus angustirostris) which until now was supposed to be extinct. The first sea elephant seen was a gigantic bull, lying prone on the sand under lee of an open sea cliff. This was on the morning of March 2. As soon as he sighted us he rose and made for the water, but before he reached the edge was killed by one of the men in the boat, it being quite impossible to take him alive. This was the largest bull seen and measured over twenty feet long. When our party in the surf boat returned to the Albatross, we found that Dr. Townsend had brought in five live young of the sea elephants. These young did not show a well-developed elephant-like snout, as do the adults, and they resemble very much the California sea lion. Their call, which is a concert of cries, is hard to describe, and the nearest approach to it would be a combination of a fox bark and a rooster crow. They all showed fight and wallowed about the deck with hardly a quiet period until they were shipped to the New York Aquarium from San Diego, on March 6. At Guaymus word was received that they all arrived safely and were living on live fish. The largest colony of sea elephants was visited on March 4, when probably fifty of all ages and both sexes were reposing high on the beach, and wallowing in huge comfort in the sand. The work of skinning and skeletonizing the specimens shot was done in the lee of a cliff 2000 feet high with a concave face, and our labor was interfered with by loose flying boulders from the top of the cliff. I have not doubt these falling rocks are the cause of death of many of the elephants while they are lying on the sand. The animals are sluggish and inactive while on shore. The fighting bulls waddle face to face, open their mouths, throw their long snouts up in the air, and roll their heads till they touch their backs, all the time letting out a hollow roar, something much like that of a caged lion. At times they emit from their mouths a small cloud of white vapor and roll their large black eyes about. Their eyes are often as much as three inches or more in diameter. When pursued they waddle, crawl and flap down to the waters edge with a most awkward gait, but when the sea is reached their powerful bodies are instantly graceful and rapid in strong swimming strokes. Skins and skeletons as well as live specimens were collected and thus was completed an important addition to science—the re-discovery of the sea elephant.

On Guadalupe Island we captured four kids of the herd of goats wich overrun the island, the kids to be used as mascots aboard. The old mascot, Bill, a goat from the Society Islands, died some time ago and he will be added to my collection of game heads. The ship's log writer kept an account of Bill's record. Once when the navigator was talking to one of the other officers regarding the payment of an account, the currency in his hand behind his back was spied by Bill and immediately grabbed, chewed and swallowed. At another time the captain stooped long enough to afford Bill the opportunity he evidently had been looking for. This gave the captain a season of rest in the hospital. Here is a case where a sailor instruction is no better for a goat than for the proverbial parrot. After our return to San Diego to ship the sea elephants, we turned south again, this time leaving the Guadaloupe well to the west and headed down the Coast to the many bird islands ands collecting grounds. In the course of the cruise we touched at thirty-seven points and only four towns. We landed at the following in their consecutive order...”


October 2, 1911 [WP]: “The recent American Museum of Natural History expedition to Lower California aboard the U.S.S. Albatross was the most fruitful and interesting scientific trip ever made in the Southwest, and its discoveries are of inestimable value. The results were not disclosed until today, when Pingree I. Osburn, of Pasadena, the young naturalist who was selected as guide for the party and who nearly lost his life in that little-known region, recovered sufficiently to give an account of the expedition. By far the most important find was made in a large hidden cove on Guadalupe Island, where the scientists came upon three herds of sea elephants… Osburn describes the sight as the most unique and fascinating any man in the party had ever beheld… At Pichilingue Island Osburn shot a black hare, found nowhere else in the world except on another island nearby…”


June 1, 1912 [LAT]: “Pingree Osburn, a well-known Pasadena naturalist, returned home yesterday from Catalina Island with some eggs of the San Clemente Bewick wren, which he claims to be the first ever secured.”


June 23, 1929 [LAT]: “For Sale. San Diego. Exclusive 12-unit Spanish court, completely furnished. Close in. Always rented. Income $6500. Price $50,000… Owner Pingree Osburn, 3548 5th Avenue, San Diego.”

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