Reading Museum Service collection: Current services, history and description of collection

David G. Notton, Curator of Natural History, Reading Museum and Archive Service, Blagrave Street, Reading, RG1 1QH. [email protected]. http:\\www.readingmuseum.org.uk

2/8/2002

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this article is to introduce the entomology collections of Reading Museum Service and to outline key services that may be of use to anyone carrying out in depth study of insect specimens.

CURRENT SERVICES

The Study is a quiet area for members of the public to carry out in depth study and other creative projects using the entomology collection, which is stored nearby. Entry is free and by appointment with the curator. Visits are welcome from groups or individuals, specialists or beginners, naturalists and artists alike.

Collections available in the Study include: • The Museums collection of approximately 150,000 pinned and dried including material from Britain and overseas of all orders. • The Museum’s microscope slide collection - some 2,500 glass slides including many insect preparations dating from the 1900’s to the present day.

In addition • There is a small fluid collection principally of British specimens of aquatic orders, which can be examined in the research room of the Museum’s out of town store. • Butterflies from the Bretherton collection are currently on loan to the British Entomological and Natural History Society at Dinton Pastures where they may be examined by application to the curator. • The Museum Education Loan Collection contains a variety of insects packaged in glass-topped boxes so that they can be handled – these can be loaned out for educational activities to schools and other bodies.

Much of the collection is databased and indices are available.

Low and high powered binocular microscopes, a compound microscope and standard insect identification guides are available for use.

The Museum provides a number of other entomology/natural history related services including a natural history gallery, talks, education loans service and education sessions. Entry to the public galleries is free.

Loans

Loans of insects may be arranged to institutional addresses.

RECENT EVENTS

These have included: • The official launch of the Study at the Museum was well attended by members of the BENHS, with a fitting tribute to the life of Brian Baker, former Deputy Director of the Museum and Curator of Natural History and a dedicated member of the BENHS. • visit by the Berkshire Network for Invertebrate Conservation to study the insect collection • Year of the Artist project ‘Brilliant Creatures’ sponsored by Southern Arts to produce jewellery and run education sessions inspired by the insect collection.

MAKING AN APPOINTMENT

Please contact David Notton, Curator of Natural History for an appointment or to discuss your project on 0118 939 9800, or e-mail on [email protected]. General information on opening hours and services including booking loans boxes may be found on 0118 939 9800 or the Museum’s website www.readingmuseum.org.uk.

HISTORY OF THE COLLECTIONS

The collection currently comprises about 150,000 insects representing most orders, focussing on Berkshire and the South of England. It has been built up since 1883 when William Holland presented a major collection of Reading and butterflies.

The first museum ledger records the Holland collection ‘A series of – (butterflies and moths) mostly taken in the neighbourhood of Reading. The collection was offered through Dr. Stevens to the Free Library and Museum Committee, conditionally that a suitable cabinet should be provided for it by the Committee. Cabinet of 40 drawers subsequently furnished by Mr. Joseph Brady, 3 Tanners' End, Edmonton. Price of Cabinet £26.’

The Museum has had a long relationship with the Reading and District Natural History Society since the foundation of the Society in 1881 by Dr. Joseph Stevens, the first Honorary Curator of the Museum. Much of interest relating to the Museum’s collections may be found in the society’s publications, particularly the entomology recorder’s reports in the Reading Naturalist.

A large number of publications exist which give biographical details of entomologists associated with Reading and the Museum’s collections including: Brian Baker (Carter, 1984; anon, 2000; Grinstead, 2000a; Notton, 2000a; Young, 2001), Mrs E. Bazett (Baker, 1994), Eric Burtt (Carter, 1984; Baker, 1987), G.C.Champion (Philp, 2002), Frederick Cocks (Anon, 1929a & b), Henry Dolton (Baker, 1969, 1987 & 1994; Carter, 1984), C. G. Eastwick-Field (Baker, 1994); William Fowler (citations in Gilbert, 1977; Earley Local History Group, 2000), Edward Ernest Green (anon, 1949; Laing, 1949; Wigglesworth, 1950), Albert Hamm (anon, 1951; Hobby, 1951; Richards, 1951; Carpenter, 1951 & 1952; Smith, 1986; Baker, 1994), Philip Harwood (Brown, 1958; Worms, 1958), William Holland (Wallis, 1929; Tarbet, 1930; W., 1930; Carter, 1984; Smith, 1986; Baker, 1987 & 1994), Mary Kimber (Baker, 1994), Donald Leatherdale (Baker, 1987), Frank Lees (Worms, 1974; Lees, 1975), Newton, J. (Anon, 1995); L. M. Parlett (Carter, 1984), Edward Poulton (Carpenter, 1948; citations in Gilbert, 1977; Smith, 1986), Arthur Price (Carter, 1984; Baker, 1985), Lewis Rudland (Carter, 1984; Baker, 1987), Conrad Runge (anon, 1962; Baker, 1987 & 1994), R. Degge Sitwell (Carter, 1984; Baker, 1994), William Smallcombe (Baker, 1987 & 1992), John Tomlin (Carter, 1984; Trew 1990 and citations therein).

DESCRIPTION OF COLLECTION

Carter (1983) published a previous survey of the entomology collections and Baker (1994) gives details of the Lepidoptera. The following provides much new details and is arranged by broad taxonomic groupings and by classified categories.

Collections by taxon

Coleoptera

The beetle collection comprises about 10,000 specimens of which about 9,300 specimens are currently databased. The collection mostly dates from the 1885 to 1925 when there was a major concentration of coleopterists living in the Reading area. This group included: W. E. Butler, F. W. Cocks, C. E. Collins, A. Dowsett, W. W. Fowler, W. Holland, N. Joy and J. R. le B. Tomlin - exchanges of material and publications show that they collected around Reading and collaborated closely (Tomlin, 1916; Cocks, 1917; Fowler, 1920b; Joy, 1930).

The greater part of the Museum’s beetle collection is that of F. W. Cocks, made between 1900-1929 from localities in Berkshire and Oxfordshire, accompanied by his collecting diaries, and including specimens from Joy, Fowler, Tomlin, Champion and Butler. Cocks’ specimens were numbered and arranged according to the list of Beare and Donisthorpe (1904). Cocks was no doubt spurred on by the Berkshire list of Holland & Joy (1906) and, having built up a substantial collection, may have assisted Joy in the preparation of his magnum opus (Joy, 1932).

Other, smaller but nonetheless important, collections include those of Butler, Collins and Price. W.E. Butler was a local businessman, politician and the Honorary curator of Entomology at Reading Museum and his collection, made between 1887-1913, includes specimens from A. Dowsett and like Cocks’ collection, was numbered according to Beare and Donsithorpe’s list. Butler’s entomological collecting notebooks are to be found in the Butler family archive in the Berkshire Record Office. The Charles Edwin Collins collection was made between 1880’s and 1918 and includes the first British specimen of Medon dilutus, one of only two verified British specimens (Peter Hammond pers. com.). Arthur Price’s collection is small but included the Reading spectacular and rare Reading speciality Carabus auratus and his natural history diaries. Price published a list of water beetles collected at light at the Museum’s field station, Woolhampton (Price, 1961).

A number of groups have recently been redetermined: Meligethes (Nitidulidae) by Ashley Kirk- Spriggs (Kirk-Spriggs, 1996); Elateroidea by Howard Mendel; Scaraboidea by Darren Mann. A selection of stag beetles and other larger Coleoptera are on display in the Green Space natural history gallery and tropical beetles form a popular item in the education loans collection.

Diptera

The fly collection comprises about 16,000 specimens of which about 14,000 specimens are currently databased. The greater part of the collection was made by Dr Eric Burtt, honorary curator of entomology, and Hugh Carter, keeper of natural history, and comes from Berkshire and Oxfordshire. More recent acquisitions include a reared series of Volucella zonaria from Berkshire. The Carter material is supported by his list of Diptera of the Reading area and supplement (Carter, 1978 etc.), also manuscripts relating to this list, correspondence on translations of Hennig’s keys to Anthomyidae and manuscripts on the etymology and pronunciation of the names of Diptera. Other collectors represented include Jonathan Cole, P. N. Crow, J. P. Dear and R. G. Leeke. Representatives of some groups have been authoritatively determined including: Nematocera by R. I. Vane-Wright; Mycetophilidae by Peter Chandler; Brachycera by H. Oldroyd (Oldroyd, 1969); Dolichopodidae by A. E. d'Assis Fonseca (Assis Fonseca, 1978); Syrphidae and Pipunculidae by R. L. Coe (Coe, 1953); Conopidae, Empidae and Syrphidae by K. G. V. Smith (Smith, 1969); Anthomyidae by N. Wyatt (Notton, 1999b); Anthomyidae, Muscidae and Sepsidae by Adrian Pont (Pont, 1979); Acalypterata by B. H. Cogan and Chloropidae by John Ismay. In addition there is a drawer of tsetse flies from Central Africa collected by Dr Burtt when he worked for the colonial service.

Hymenoptera

The Hymenoptera collection comprises about 4,000 specimens of which about 2,700 specimens are currently databased. Much of the collection was made by Dr Eric Burtt and by Hugh Carter and comes from Berkshire and Oxfordshire (see Carter, 1982: Hymenoptera of the Reading area) although many of the aculeates of other collectors are from the south coast, particularly Dorset. Other collectors represented include: Roger Leeke, general; P. Harwood, Symphyta; Brian Baker, Symphyta, Vespidae and Apidae and the first British specimen of the ichneumonid genus Rhynchobanchus now transferred to the Natural History Museum, London (Fitton, 1987); Notton specimens of Neorhacodes enslini: (Notton & Shaw, 1998), bee-wolf, Philanthus triangulum (Notton, 1999a); H. H. Banks aculeates, including a small amount of material from A. H. Hamm; G. E. J. Nixon, Vespa crabro; M. E. Archer, Vespula austriaca; Arnold, Vespidae; W. L. Rudland, Apidae; Halberstadt, Bombinae. Of historical note is that some of the earlier parts of the collection were labelled by E. Saunders. More recently representatives of some groups have been determined including: Symphyta by John Quinlan; a few aculeates by O. W. Richards; Apidae and some other aculeates by I. H. H. Yarrow; Chrysididae by Michael Archer.

Lepidoptera

The Lepidoptera collection comprises about 80,000 specimens of which about 61,000 specimens are currently databased. The collection mainly covers the South of England with a focus on Berkshire. The core of the collection is made up by the collections of William Holland, Frederick Cocks, Richard Degge Sitwell, H. L. Dolton, Jack Newton, Russell Bretherton, Brian Baker and L.M. Parlett. Reference to local lists may be found in Chalmers-Hunt (1989) but the best Berkshire list is that of Baker (1994) which also includes the history of some local men and women. A local item of social history interest, is a warning sign, prohibiting moth collecting on the Blount estate, north of Reading (Runge, 1944).

The Holland collection, donated in 1883 was the first insect collection acquired by the Museum and while of historical interest, is less useful than it might be as, although most come from Reading, few of the specimens are labelled. Among his more unusual specimens Holland (1884) mentions Argynnis paphia v. valezina, Satyrus janira with white borders, Sphinx ligustri with the pink pigment replaced by yellowish-white and Liparis dispar from Odiham as being in the Museum’s collection. The collection is supported by items of correspondence. Holland published a Berkshire list of Lepidoptera (Hamm & Holland, 1906) and numerous small articles about his moths in the Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation, also, some of his variations of Xanthia aurago collected at Reading were figured by Barrett (1899: 371-372, pl. 232). Fowler (1920) published some notes by Holland on the rearing of the purple emperor, Apatura iris, always a great prize for Reading entomologists.

The extensive Sitwell collection is supported by detailed notebooks, also Baker (1979) published on selected species from this collection. The Dolton collection is supported by notebooks, extensive correspondence, some leaf mines, and a number of publications (Dolton, 1914-1963).

The John (Jack) Newton collection contains much material from Gloucestershire and is supported by his collecting diaries and numerous publications (Newton, 1950-1983; see also Stoner, 1980) which detail many new county records. Of particular importance is Newton & Meredith’s (1984) list of Macrolepidoptera of Gloucestershire for which the collection contains many vouchers.

Russell Bretherton’s collection is made up of a large number of British moths, with much material from Surrey, and also European and world butterflies. The butterflies are currently on loan to the BENHS at Dinton Pastures. Relevant publications include (Bretherton, 1940-1985; Bretherton & Chalmers-Hunt 1979-1983; Bretherton & Crawford, 1962; Bretherton, Ellison & Manley, 1952; Bretherton, Goater & Lorimer, 1979 & 1983; Bretherton & Hayes, 1976; Bretherton & Manley, 1954; Bretherton & Worms, 1953 & 1963). Bretherton evidently received manuscript material from G.H. Mansell on his death in 1984, on whose behalf he had a paper published posthumously (Mansell, 1987).

Brian Baker, as the former Keeper of Natural History and Deputy Director, was responsible for much development of the collection, particularly for rationalising much of the British collection into one series, and obtaining material of less well collected groups and Berkshire specialities based on his extensive field knowledge. A speciality of Brian’s was the clearwing moths (Sesiidae), of which the Museum has an excellent collection of imagines and borings due to Brian rearing most of the species himself. A number of publications are relevant including Baker (1954-1998) and Baker & Parfitt (1960). In addition Brian's photograph of the larva of Trisateles emortualis is reproduced in Porter (1997). The Museum holds the figured specimens of Sesiidae for (Baker, 1985); Brian’s Berkshire list of Lepidoptera (Baker, 1994) is particularly noteworthy as a mine of information on all Berkshire Lepidoptera. In addition the Museum holds Brian’s notebooks and other manuscript material.

A small amount of material including some Pine hawks came from E. B. Poulton, a Reading entomologist of note, he became the Hope Professor of Entomology at Oxford in 1893 (Carpenter, 1948; Smith, 1986). Although at Oxford he always retained his Reading connection by marrying Emily Palmer in 1881, daughter of George Palmer of Huntley & Palmers the famous Reading biscuit makers. This ensured him a generous supply of Huntley & Palmers biscuit tins in which he stored his unset butterflies!

Other collections include: H.H. Banks, Berkshire Lepidoptera; F. W. Cocks Berkshire Lepidoptera; Edward Ernest Green collecting notebooks, of insects, mainly Lepidoptera, from Camberley, Surrey. Related publications include Green (1932 & 1941a-b). Green is better known for his work on Coccidae (see section on Hemiptera); Frank H. Lees, rare including British specimens of Cetephia alchemista, Luperina zollikoferi, Conistra erythrocephala and furcifera s. furcifera; the Parlett collection of world butterflies with catalogue; Conrad Runge, goat moths Cossus cossus with manuscript and photos of field trip to Battle Farm nr. Reading to a goat moth tree; W. A. Smallcombe’s manuscript records of Lepidoptera; E. P. Wiltshire, Berkshire moths – other parts of his collection including genitalia slides are at the Natural History Museum, London. A recent addition is a Berkshire specimen of Agrotis trux lunigera noted by Notton & Honey (1998).

Small orders and Hemiptera

Currently about 5,300 specimens are databased and there is good representation of the smaller British orders. Notable collections include:

The Orthoptera includes British material from L. R. A. Grove, Conrad Runge, Eric Burtt and a manuscript by Grove (see Grove, 1938, on Orthoptera of the Middle Thames basin, which also mentions C. E. Collin material). A macropterous Metrioptera brachyptera taken by Burtt was mentioned by Wise (1966). There is also some spectacular African Orthoptera collected by Burtt (Burtt, 1951; Burtt & Uvarov, 1944) - Dr Eric Burtt was formerly the Museum’s Honorary Curator of Entomology (Burtt, 1951; Burtt & Uvarov, 1944) but was a prolific collector in Africa. His influence is shown by the number of new grasshopper taxa named after him (Yin, 1996) including the genus Burttia Dirch, 1951 and the species Anischnansis burtti (Uvarov, 1941), Chromousambilla burtti Jago, 1981, Eleutherotheca burtti Dirsh, 1951, Euschmidtia burtti Descamps, 1964, Eyprepocnemis burtti Dirsh, 1958, Hadrolecocatantops burtti (Dirsh, 1956), Mecostibus burtti Dirsh, 1957, Oncothericles burtti Descamps, 1977, Physocrobylus burtti Dirsh, 1951, Swaziacris burtti Dirsh, 1953, Trilophidia burtti Hollis, 1965, Truxalis burtti Dirsh, 1950 and Truxaloides burttianus Dirsh, 1954. In addition W. W. Fowler (1918) published notes by H. M. Wallis, honorary curator of Zoology on protective resemblance in the immature stages of an African grasshopper.

Amongst the Hemiptera there is a collection of U.K. Coccidae by Edward Ernest Green (see Green, 1927 & 1930) who also worked on Lepidoptera q.v. There is also a collection of British Corixidae collected and published by Hanney (1958).

Trichoptera collected by Brian Baker mainly from Woolhampton, Berkshire where the Museum had a field station, converted from wartime concrete blockhouse (Price, 1961; Baker, 1962). These are supported by Baker correspondence on Trichoptera. Studies were made on the in collaboration with the Zoology Department of Reading University and faunal lists for the Reading area published (Crichton, Baker & Hanna, 1956 & 1957; Crichton & Baker, 1959). D. E. Kimmins identified some specimens.

Collections by classified categories

Economic/educational

The education loans collection contains many boxes on the topics of: insect camouflage, insect colour, pests and useful insects, butterfly conservation, tropical beetles, freshwater mini-beasts, insect life histories, British butterflies and moths, bees, silk moths, earwigs, ladybirds, grasshoppers and crickets, flies, life history of the goat moth, wasps nests and others. The general collection also contains a number of historic display cases produced by Harold Bastin illustrating insect pests.

Survey voucher material

The Gibbs collection of voucher material from the Kennet and Avon Canal Survey 1984 supports a number of reports (Gibbs, 1985 & 1987; Brown, 1988).

Galls

There is a small collection of galls made by Donald Leatherdale, some of which may be insect generated. Leatherdale made numerous publications on galls and the that caused them, particularly eriophyid mites and Cecidomyidae flies (e.g. Leatherdale, 1957-1970).

Manuscript resources

Apart from those manuscript resources already mentioned in the taxonomic sections above there are a number of other such resources including: • card indices • S. O. Ridley entomological notebook • W. L. Rudland manuscript 1999.60.8 • Conrad Runge notebook • T. Stansfield, entomological records from 1899 onwards • N. G. Webb diaries on insect around Bradfield College, Berkshire

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the Heritage Lottery Fund for funding the development for the Study facility; Heather Baker and The Friends of Reading Museums who funded the purchase of a compound microscope; This paper arose from a joint project with Reading University funded by the South East Cross Sector Challenge Fund.