David Schmidly, author of Vernon Bailey: Writings of a Field Naturalist on the Frontier
Book Signing
Friday, April 5, 2019
5:30PM
Front Street Books
121 E Holland Ave
Alpine, Texas 79830
For the first time, this volume presents Vernon Bailey’s correspondences and field notes spanning the majority of his life and career, collected and annotated by Dr. David J. Schmidly.
Vernon Bailey was the first person to conduct extensive biological surveys in Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota and Oregon. Bailey was one of the founding members of the American Society of Mammalogists and also pioneered the humane treatment of animals during fieldwork, developing and patenting traps designed to limit injuries or unnecessary stress. During his long career, Bailey kept detailed field notes, chronicling his travels and wildlife observations, which provide fascinating insight into people’s relationships with wildlife as well as the ways the country was rapidly growing and changing at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Dr. David J. Schmidly, is a native Texan, prolific author and prominent mammalogist. With a B.S. and M.S in Zoology from Texas Tech University, as well as a Ph.D. in Zoology from University of Illinois, he is an internationally respected researcher and scientific author and the recipient of numerous awards throughout his distinguished career. He’s the author of nine books on the natural history of mammals, including Natural History of Texas; The Mammals of Texas; The Mammals of the Trans-Pecos; and The Bats of Texas. He was formerly the president of the University of New Mexico, Oklahoma State University, and Texas Tech University. Dr. Schmidly has been inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame for Science, Mathematics, and Technology, which recognizes Texans who have played a major role in significant scientific accomplishments.
NOTE: There will be 2 signings: 5:30 pm & 7:00 pm for the maximum capacity of the room. Once the room is full (@5:30), people will have to wait for the 7:00 signing.