Re: [MDOsprey] Yellow Book Index--NOT

Robert (robert@csa.com)
Wed, 28 Jul 1999 13:45:18 -0400


Jim, 

I am vote for no index in the yellow book.  I know the checklist order at
the family and (mostly) at the genus and even sometimes species level.  I
don't mind learning the exact new order by simply leafing through it
repeatedly.  

It is unfortunate that you have to start from scratch for the next version!  

Best, 

Rob Hilton
robert@csa.com
Bethesda

At 07:33 AM 07/28/1999 EDT, you wrote:
>Hi Folks!
>
>I will take the entire credit for NOT having an Index on the Yellow Book. 
>Marshall wanted one, and I believe Bob was not opposed, but I had the final 
>word and decided against it. My reasoning was simple: if there was an Index, 
>many fewer world learn the checklist order.  
>
>The order in the current Yellow Book is essentially what had been in use for 
>many years. The next edition, whenever that may appear, will have all of the 
>changes recently adopted by the American Ornithologists Union [AOU}.
Vultures 
>will be moved to storks, the ducks rearranged, vireos will be after crows
but 
>before chickadees, and the "cardinal finches" moved to after the
blackbirds.  
>If I have my way again, there will be no Index!   :-)
>
>On another note. The  computer graphics program used to create the Yellow 
>Book was developed in 1985. It does not support modern printers. It is not 
>Y2K compliant.  The 486 that I ran it on has died and my 188 does not have a 
>5.25 floppy drive. The next edition will have to be made from scratch. 
>
>Good Birding!
>
>Jim
>
>Jim Stasz
>North Beach MD
>jlstasz@aol.com
>