Searching the CAS Ornithology Collection Database

Overview

The query form enables you to retrieve specimen records by virtually any combination of fields present in the database. Wildcard characters for text fields are % which represents zero or more characters, and _ which represents exactly one character.

Query feedback. The query parameters entered on the form are summarized in query language at the top of every result page. Read the query statement to be sure that the query being processed is what you intended. Some browsers have a tendency to "remember" parameters from previous queries. Press the Clear button between queries to clear previously used parameters.

Number of records. The number of records retrieved by the query is reported immediately after the query feedback (near the top of the page) while the results are formatted. If the number returned is much larger than you expected or want to wait for, press the Stop button on your browser to cancel the query. You can create a more restrictive query by adding additional criteria to the form.

Downloading of datasets. Search results can be downloaded as a tab-delimited text file by clicking the button in the upper left of any search results page. The file will be either the brief record dataset or the full record dataset, depending on which one you are currently viewing.

Input Types On The Form

Text Box

a text box

A simple text box accepts a string of alpha-numeric characters and compares it against values in the database. The input string must match the entire value, unless wildcard characters are used. Wildcard characters are the percent sign (%) and the question mark (?). The percent sign matches zero to many characters, whereas the question mark matches one and only one character. For example, searching the species field with rhino% will match "rhinoceratus" and "rhinostoma".
 

Single-Select List Box

 

[any] 1st choice 2nd choice 3rd choice a single-select list box

A single-select list box displays all the values that occur in the database, but allows only one value to be used in a given query. The default value, "<any>", causes the field to be ignored.
 

Multi-Select List Box

1st choice 2nd choice 3rd choice 4th choice a multi-select list box

A multi-select list box displays all the values that occur in the database and allows multiple values to be used in a given query. Use Ctrl-Click to toggle individual selections on and off; i.e., hold the Control key down (Windows), or the Command key (Macintosh) when you click on a value. Note, clicking a value without holding down the control key (i.e., a simple click) clears all other selections in the list box and leaves the most recently clicked value as the only selection. Note also that some browsers "remember" selected values between queries even though the selected values are not visible in (i.e., have scrolled off) the list box. Press the Clear button to clear the form.
 

Check Box

a check box

A check box allows a particular criterion to be turned on or off (ignored).
 

Radio Button

a pair of radio buttons

A radio button must have one and only one selection chosen out of two or more choices.
 

Taxonomic Fields

Family

A multi-select list box. The scientific name of the family in which a specimen is classified.
 

Subfamily

A multi-select list box. The scientific name of the subfamily in which a specimen is classified.
 

Genus

A text box. The scientific name of the genus in which a specimen is classified.
 

Species

A text box. The scientific name of the species in which a specimen is classified.
 

Subspecies

A text box. The scientific name of the subspecies in which a specimen is classified.
 

Type Status

A multi-select list box.

Collection Fields

Continent or Ocean

A multi-select listbox. Includes the continents and oceans and their major subregions.
 

Country

A multi-select listbox. The primary political unit where the specimen was collected.
 

State / Province

 A text box. The name of a secondary geo-political unit, typically a state or province, where the specimen was collected. Wildcards automatically appended to front and back.
 

County

A text box. The name of the tertiary political unit -- i.e., county, parish, district, municipio in Mexico, etc. -- when known. Wildcards automatically appended to front and back.
 

Locality

A text box. The textual description of where the specimen was collected; often includes one or more references to a named place and an offset -- direction and distance from the named place. Wildcards are automatically appended to the front and back of the search term.
 

Collection Date

A text box. Use dd/mm/yyyy format. Date ranges can be specified by separating dates with a hyphen, e.g. 5/1/1995-5/31/1995. To include unknown days or months use 00, e.g. 5/00/2002 or 00/00/2002.
 

Collectors

A simple text box. The name of the collector(s). This is a full-text search, meaning that it will search for whole words and not fragments of words. Thus wildcards are not accepted.
 

Collector's Number

A text box. The collector's alphanumeric designation including any prefixes and suffixes.
 

Specimen Characteristics and Identifiers

Catalog Number

A text box. The CAS Ornithology collection number.
 

Accession Number

A text box. A number usually assigned to a collection of specimens upon acceptance into the collection.
 

SU Number

A text box. The collection number used when the specimen was part of the Stanford University collection.
 

Preparators

A text box. The person who prepared the specimen. This is a full-text search field, meaning that it will search for whole words and not fragments of words. Thus wildcards are not accepted.
 

Preparator's Number

A simple text box. Preparator's alphanumeric designation including any prefixes and suffixes. Wildcards automatically appended to front and back.
 

Remarks

A text box. General remarks about the specimen, locality, preparation, methods, data, etc. Wildcards automatically appended at front and back.
 

Sex

A single-select box. The sex of the specimen, either female, male, or unknown.
 

Age

A text box. The age of the specimen. Wildcards automatically appended to the front and back.
 

Tissue Taken

A check box. Indicates whether tissue samples have been taken from the specimen.
 

Display Options

Page Style - Multiple Pages/Single Page

A pair of radio buttons. Choose Multiple Pages if you would like the results displayed 20 per page, one page at a time. If you would like all the results displayed on one page, choose Single Page.
 

Record Style - Brief Records/Full Records

A pair of radio buttons. Brief Records will display only a few fields of data for each record. Full Records will display all of the data for each record. Be warned that choosing Single Page and Full Records can take a long time to download if there are a large number of records.