Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria 31
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^MEMOIRS of the NATIONAL I MUSEUM of VICTORIA 18 May 1970 %^ Registered at the G.P.O., Me MEMOIRS of the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF VICTORIA MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA No. 31 Director J. McNally Deputy Director and Editor Edmund D. Gill PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES 18 MAY 1970 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF VICTORIA Trustees Sir Robert Blackwood, MCE BEE FIE Aust (Chairman) Henry G. A. Osborne, BAgrSc (Deputy Chairman) James C. F. Wharton, BSc (Treasurer) Professor E. S. Hills, PhD (Lond) Hon DSc (Dunelm) DSc FIC FAA FRS Professor S. Sunderland, CMG MD BS DSc FRACP FRACS FAA The Hon. Sir Alistair Adam, MA LLM Sir Henry Somerset, CBE MSc FRACI MAIMM W. L. Drew, Secretary to Trustees Staff Director: John McNally, ED MSc Deputy Director: Edmund D. Gill, BA BD FGS FRGS Administration: A. G. Parsons (in charge) D. E. Quinn E. J. Peat G. H. Russell Patricia Rogers Nancie Wortley Gwenda Bloom Scientific Staff Geology and Palaeontology: Curator of Fossils: T. A. Darragh, MSc DipEd Curator of Minerals: A. W. Beasley, MSc PhD DIC Assistant Curator of Fossils: K. N. Bell, BSc DipEd Assistant: R. J. Evans Vertebrate Zoology: BSc (Hons) Curator of Vertebrates : Joan M. Dixon, Curator of Birds: A. R. McEvey, BA Assistant: A. J. Coventry Invertebrate Zoology: Curator of Insects: A. Neboiss, MSc FRES Curator of Invertebrates: B. J. Smith, BSc PhD Assistants: Elizabeth M. Matheson Ryllis J. Plant Anthropology: Curator of Anthropology: A. L. West, BA Dip Soc Stud Assistant: J. A. S. Holman Library: Librarian: Joyce M. Shaw, BA Assistant: Margret A. Stam, DipFDP Display and Preparation Staff: G. J. Browning (in charge) D. T. Morgan P. C. R. Boswell (Senior Preparator) L. J. Chapman M. G. Traynor B. Hall Education Officers: N. W. MORLEY, BSc BEd L. E. Leeson R. N. Mill i r, DipArt - Marii 1 hi ki si Murphy, DipArt Kaf: Sheridan, BSc DipEd Honorary Associates with year of appointment Geology: A. A. Baker, 1951 O. Baker, DSc, 1956 A. C. Con MS, FRAIA ARIBA AMTPI MACE, 1953 \s. J. O. O. Don, i MSc PhD, 1966 J. A. Talent, MSc PhD, 1966 D. J, Taylor, MSc, 1966 J. W. Warren, MA PhD. 1968 H. E. Wilkinson, BSc, 1970 Vertebrate Zool C. N. Austin, 1955 C. w. Brazenor. 1962 A. G. Brown, MRCS (Eng) LRCP (London), 1968 R. P. Cooper, I nia. 1952 N. J. 1 \\ w iiko, 1945 P. A. RAW! INSON, BSc, 1968 C. Tanner, 1953 R. M. Warm m . MSc BAgrSc, 1966 B. 1 H. N. Wl iiimim , Ml) BS MRCF FRACP, 1963 Invertebrate Zoology: J. Hope Bl \ck. MSc (nee Macpherson), 1966 R. F. Burns, 1962 A.N. Burns, MSc FRES, 1966 J. E. H. Crofts, I960 D. F. Crosby, l Rl s. 1968 R. A. DUNN, AAA AAIS, 1948 Florence V. Murray, MSc. 1969 R. L. JENSZ, BSc DipBd, 1968 E.T.Smith, 1960 Jeanette E. Watson, 1970 Anthropology: D. A. Casey, MC ISA. 1933 J. H. McNamara, MB BS, 1969 N. M. Wallace, 1970 1 CONTENTS COVER ILLUSTRATION Front—reticulated mass of columnar crocoite crystals from Dundas, Tasmania. Back—dodecahedral crystals of magnetite from Mt. Lucy, S. of Chillagoe, Queensland. E.R. ROTHERAM photos Page MINERALOGY 1. Growth of the mineral, rock, meteorite and tektite collections in the National Museum of Victoria. By A. W. Beasley 1 PALAEONTOLOGY 2. Miocene penguins from Victoria, Australia, and Chabut, Argentina. By G. G. Simpson. (Plates 1-4) 17 ANTHROPOLOGY 3. Painted Aboriginal rock shelter on Mt. Porcupine, NE. Victoria, Aus- tralia. By A. L. West (Plate 5) 25 ZOOLOGY 4. The reproduction and life history of Microginella minutissima (Tenison- Woods, 1876) (Gasteropoda, Marginellidae). By Florence V. Murray 3 5. Phyllidia (Phyllidiella) zeylanica Kelaart, a rare nudibranch from the Indian Subcontinent. By Robert Burn. (Plate 6) 37 6. Bassianobdella victoriae gen. et sp. nov. (Hirudinoidea, Richardsoni- anidae). By Laurence R. Richardson 41 Staphylinidae). 7. Two remarkable Stenus from New Guinea (Coleoptera, By VOLKER PUTHZ 51 Latreille (Coleop- 8. Revision of the Australian species of the genus Stenus tera, Staphylinidae). By Volker Puthz 55 catalogues of invertebrates types in the National 9. Catalogue of chiton (Amphineura, Mollusca) Museum of Victoria, Australia. By Brian J. Smith and Ralph C. 81 Robertson . of Victoria, 10. Catalogue of echinoderm types in the National Museum 91 Australia. By Brian J. Smith .«.,». the National Museum 11 Catalogue of triclad (Platyhelminthes) types in Convey 97 of Victoria, Australia. By Brian J. Smith and Leonie catalogues of vertebrates Mammalia) in the National Museum 12. Catalogue of mammal types (Class 105 of Victoria. By Joan M. Dixon housed in the National Museum 13. Reptile and amphibian type specimens 1 15 of Victoria. By A. J. Coventry catalogue of fossils Tertiary Mollusca (except chitons). By 14. Catalogue of Australian 125 Thomas A. Darragh GROWTH OF THE MINERAL, ROCK, METEORITE AND TEKTITE COLLECTIONS IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF VICTORIA By A. W. Beasley Curator of Minerals, National Museum of Victoria Abstract The rate of growth of the Collections has varied considerably during different periods since the Museum was founded 115 years ago. Growth was rapid during the period when the first Director, Professor McCoy, made numerous purchases of overseas minerals and rocks. When there was no full-time Curator of the Collections, and during periods when there was no Curator, the rate of growth was generally slow and erratic. The Collections began to increase markedly in size and importance following the appointment of a full-time Curator in 1946, and this increase has been maintained to the present time. Beneficial results also followed the appointment of Honorary Associates in Mineralogy, and through them many hundreds of specimens have been donated. During the past 115 years large numbers of speci- mens have been amassed, and the collection of overseas minerals and rocks is the most ex- tensive in an Australian museum. Much information is recorded for the first time, and references are given to publications associated with this historical research. As the Collections of minerals, rocks, meteorites and tektites have grown they have been arranged more systematically, and greater use has been made of them by the general public, students and research workers. This increase in use of the Collections is continuing and may be related to greater interest, particularly in economic geology, planetary science, gemmology and lapidary. Introduction During the past 19 years the author has gained a close knowledge of and witnessed considerable growth in the mineral, rock, meteorite and tektite collec- tions under his curatorship at the National Museum of Victoria. This paper places on record information concerning this growth together with that during the pre- ceding 96 years. The history of the first hundred years of the Museum has been recorded by Pescott (1954), but no specific research into the growth of any of the departmental collections has previously been recorded. Registers, catalogues, lists and correspondence dating back to the very early days of the Museum have been examined. The geological collections have been built up through the years in various ways. The nucleus came from purchases, but considerable additions came through dona- tions from individuals and mining companies. The collections have also been augmented by exchanging duplicate materials with organizations and private col- lectors. Additions have been made by Museum staff members collecting specimens on official field excursions and on other occasions. Foundations—1854 to 1870 The foundations of the present extensive collections were laid through the efforts of Professor Frederick McCoy, who was appointed Director of the National Museum in 1858. Prior to his appointment, and following the establishment of the Museum in 1854, a small collection of minerals and rocks had been assembled mainly through the efforts of Captain Andrew Clarke, Surveyor-General of Vic- to the staff. toria, and Mr William Blandowski, the first official appointee Museum Most of the specimens were of local origin and many were of economic significance, useful materials. as in the early colonial days there was a natural emphasis on Professor McCoy was the Professor of Natural Science at the University of Melbourne and Palaeontologist of the Geological Survey of Victoria, as well as 2 A. W. BE \M I V being Director of the Museum. He was largely responsible for having the Museum located in the University grounds from 1856 to 1899. Mc( 0)f had formerly been Professor of Geology and Mineralogy in Belfast, and he was particularly interested in geology. He built up the collections mainly through purchases from the German dealer, Dr August Krant/ of Bonn. Purchases of minerals, rocks and meteorites from Krant/ were made mainly between 1858 and 1868. In 1X58 a collection of 4,000 mineral specimens was purchased from Krant/. for £200. The hand-written lists of these specimens are still used by the Mineralogy staff to check information. In I860 a collection of 1.000 rock specimens was bought from the same dealer for £54. Almost all of the rock specimens had been trimmed to a size approximately 3 inches x 4 inches x 1 inch, which facilitated their storage in cabinets as card- hoard tray dimensions could be standardized: it also helped in the arrangement of attractive displays, particularly those of a systematic nature. 'I his rock collection Contained a wide range of types from many different overseas localities. Fortun- ately, the Krant/ numbers, printed on a small rectangular-shaped piece ot paper glued near a corner of the specimen, have not been removed from the rocks and minerals. Other purchases made from Krant/ were for smaller numbers of specimens. In 1858 a collection of 324 cut and polished minerals and locks (agate, serpentine, marble, etc.) and 60 'choice' mineral specimens were bought, i he first meteorites in the Museum collection were purchased during 1859 in a collection which con- tained 42 specimens of polished carnelian, sardonyx and onyx.