Bailey, Vernon

Special field agent, 1887, and chief field naturalist, 1890-1933, Bureau of Biological Survey, USDA.

Vernon Orlando Bailey (1864-1942) was born in Manchester, Michigan. At an early age he and his family moved to Elk River, Minnesota, where he developed an interest in natural history. Around 1885, Bailey began sending collections of birds and mammals to Clinton Hart Merriam, Chief of the newly created Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the United States Department of Agriculture (in 1896 the name was changed to the Bureau of Biological Survey). In 1887, Bailey was appointed special field agent for the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy. His title was changed to chief field naturalist in 1890, and he remained with the Biological Survey until his retirement in 1933. Bailey's chief biological interest was the study of the life history and distribution of mammals. During his career with the Biological Survey, he made field investigations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including intensive biological surveys of Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon. His bibliography numbered 244 titles and included scientific monographs, as well as publications for the general reader.

Vernon O. Bailey was the first Chief Field Naturalist for the National Biological Survey. He began sending specimens to Clinton Hart Merriam, Chief of the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy, about 1885. He joined the Division in 1887 (it became the Bureau of Biological Survey in 1896) and continued with it until his retirement in 1933. He authored many studies of bird and animal life in the western United States.

Vernon Orlando Bailey, naturalist and mammalogist, was born 21 June 1864 at Manchester, Michigan. He was the sixth of eight children born to Hiram and Emily (Taylor) Bailey. He completed high school in Elk River, Minnesota. After farming for several years, he attended the University of Michigan from 1893-1894 and Columbian University (now George Washington) from 1894-1895.

From 1887 to 1896 Bailey was a field naturalist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy. In 1897 he became Chief Field Naturalist and Senior Biologist of the Department of Agriculture’s Biological Survey Bureau, making many field trips throughout the west and southwest until his retirement in 1933. He authored several books on mammals, birds, and plants, including Wild Animals of Glacier National Park, Animal Life of Yellowstone National Park, and Animal Life of Carlsbad Cavern . He was also responsible for adding specimens of North American mammals to the U.S. National Museum collection and writing technical descriptions of new species.

Vernon Bailey founded the American Society of Mammalogists in 1933 and was president of both that society and the District Biological Society. He was also a member of the American Ornithologists Union.

In 1899 Vernon Bailey married Florence Merriam (1863-1948), who herself was an accomplished naturalist and author of several books on ornithology. They had no children. Bailey died at his home in Washington, D.C. on 20 April 1942.