3 The New York Years (1931–1953)

Birdwatching 17
Fig.1.5. ErnstMayr’sGermanyduringthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury
From 6 to 14 September 1925, he rode his bicycle across southern Germany over
most of the distance between Hof (Bavaria) in the northeast and Lindau on Lake
Constance in the southwest (Fig. 1.5), only occasionally using the train for short
hops when the weather was really bad. He wrote a detailed diary in 4 days. On the
first evening, he slept in a barn on straw and was on his way again at 4 o’clock in
the morning after a cold night:
7 September (transl.): “It had stopped raining but a strong western storm was
raging. It was pitch black but the old alley trees marked the way. Konradsreuth
was still completely quiet, only some dogs were barking. The clouds rushed very
low over the road. However, as a happy promise, the morning star then appeared