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Bird Collections in the United States and Canada

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Bird Collections in the United States and Canada BIRD COLLECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA R•CHAaDC. BANKS,MARY H. CLENCH,AND JON C. BARLOW TH•s surveywas initiated in 1966 as a project of a subcommitteeof the A.O.U.'s Committeeon Research,at that time chairedby Paul H. Baldwin. The subcommitteeconsisted of the authors and Ralph J. Raitt. In 1968 the project was separatedfrom the Committeeon Researchand the temporaryCommittee on Collectionswas established,with the present authorsas its members.This paper is the final report of the committee. In the past,many studies utilizing museum materials have been handi- cappedby ignoranceof the existenceof potentiallyimportant specimens. We hoped,by meansof this survey,to enablefuture workersto take full advantageof all available material. The objectivesof the survey were to determinethe locationsof collectionsof ornithologicalmaterial with researchpotential, particularly skins, skeletons, fluid-preserved specimens, eggs,and nests;to assessthe sizesand particulargeographic or systematic strengthsof the variouscollections; to locate former private collections; to learn what collectionsinclude holotypes,and who is responsiblefor the collections. These basic points are generally well-known for the larger institutionsthat specializein maintainingresearch collections, but not for many smallercollections containing valuable material. The survey was inspiredby and patternedafter a seriesmade of mammal collections (see Andersonet al. 1963, J. Mammal. 44: 471-500). A survey form was preparedfor distributionto all known holdersof bird collectionsand to institutions and individuals that we felt might have suchcollections. Recipients were asked first to categorizetheir re- sponseby marking one of the following: A. If you have no collectionof bird specimens,or fewer than 25 (all local) pleasecheck here. Then completeitem 15 only, and return. B. If you have fewerthan 200 specimens,primarily local, for exhibition or teachingpurposes, please check here. If there are specimensof par- ticular interest,such as rare, extinct,or exoticspecies, state records,his- torical specimens,etc., pleaselist theseon reverse. Then completeitems 11-15 only, and return. C. If you have more than 200 specimens,please complete the rest of the form. The following15 questionswere asked: 1. Approximately how many specimens of birds are there in your private or institutional collection, in each of the following categories? Study skins, skeletons, preservedin fluid, mounted birds, egg sets, nests. 136 The Auk 90: 136-170. January 1973 January 1973] Bird Collections 137 2. Does the collectioninclude any type specimens(holotypes)? If so, how many? Has a catalog or list of these been published? Please give citation. Number added since catalog? 3. What geographicareas are most well representedin your collection? 4. What systematicgroups are most well representedin your collection? 5. Are special preparations represented? (give approximate numbers if convenient). Injected anatomical preparations, known age specimens, domestic birds, mounted skeletons, other. 6. Are original field notespreserved with the collection? 7. Are card files maintained to facilitate finding specimensof certain systematic groups? Certain geographicareas? Other categories? 8. Does your collection include specimens previously cited in the literature as being in a different collection (for example, a formerly private collection now in an institutional collection)? What collections have been combined with yours? 9. Is it usually necessaryto make arrangementsin advance to use the collection? Is someoneusually available to aid an investigator wishing to use the collection? May the collection be used other than normal working hours, as on evenings and weekends ? 10. Are specimensloaned for study? Skins, skeletons,fluid-preserved, eggs, nests? (This presumesthat loans are usually made to institutionsrather than to individuals, that the cost of shippingboth ways will be borne by the institution requestingthe loan in writing, and that adequateinsurance will be carried. The loan of type speci- mens is not expected.) 11. Is there an organized nest recordsscheme or banding program associatedwith the collection ? 12. Does the collection include files of original photographs? original paintings? tape recordings? 13. Do you consider this primarily a teaching, reference, exhibition, or research collection ? 14. Who is directly in charge of the collections? (title and address). 15. Form completedby (name, title, address,and date). Survey forms were sent to 1,456 institutionsand individuals,beginning in May 1969. Sourcesutilized in compilingthe list of addressesincluded the "Directory of biosciencedepartments in the United Statesand Canada" compiledby the A.I.B.S. (1967, Rheinhold Publ. Co.) and the "Mu- seumsdirectory of the United States and Canada" (1965, Amer. Assoc. of Museums). The Division of Wildlife Refugesof the U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheriesand Wildlife and the Office of Natural ScienceStudies of the National Park Serviceprovided us with lists of refugesand parks known to have collections.Survey formswere alsosent to all other persons and institutionsknown or suspectedby the committeemembers or col- leaguesto have collections.A numberof recipientsof the forms sug- gestedothers to whomforms should be sent. Announcementsof the survey publishedin journalsbrought a few additionalrequests for forms. A total of 860 individuals and institutions returned completed forms to us, a return of 59 percent. A brief checkrevealed that most of the 138 BAltics, CLE•rc•t, A•r•) BARLOW [Auk, Vol. 90 forms not returned had been sent to small institutions and we assume that most of these lack collections. In compiling this report from returned survey forms, we have at- tempted to condensea great deal of information into a relatively small spaceby using a telegraphicstyle and omitting minor aspects. Collec- tionswere divided into threecategories by size: (I) containingmore than 1,000 researchspecimens (study skins, skeletons,and fluid-preserved); (II) between200 and 1,000 researchspecimens; and (III) fewer than 200 researchspecimens. Principles and proceduresfollowed in compiling the results were (numberscorrespond to the questionsasked): 1. Number of specimens.--Most of the numbers reported are estimates. Minor holdingsare not included; i.e. fewer than 25 skins, skeletons,and fluids are not listed and fewer than 50 mounts,egg sets,and nestsare omitted. All numbersare rounded to the nearest 5. 2. Holotypes.--Thlrty-three collectionsreported holding holotypes. No collection with fewer than 10 holotypeshad publisheda catalogof them; collectionswith more than 10 are noted "no catalog"or a publicationcitation is given. This item is omittedfor collectionsnot reportingholotypes. 3. Geographicareas.--Cited as reportedon form. 4. Systematic groups.--Specialholdings are reported; otherwise collectionsare assumedto be of a general nature. 5. Specialpreparations.--Noted if the respondentgave an indicationof the number in each category;omitted if categorieswere merely checkedor if fewer than 10. 6. Field notes.--Cited here if the categorywas checked;details are included if given. It is likely that some respondentsconfused field notes with label data on specimens. 7. Files.--Reported as given on form. 8. Collectioncomponents.--Although we requestedjust the names of collections previouslycited in the literature as being elsewhere,some respondentslisted the separate componentsof their collections. These have been included in our report exceptfor a few instanceswhere respondentswere apparentlylisting collectors'names rather than collections. 9. Use of collectionby visitors.--It is always courteous,and often necessary,to make advance arrangementsto visit a collection. Virtually all collectionsindicated that if advancenotice were given visitorswould be welcome,someone would be availableto help, and the collectionmight be used outsidenormal working hours. Readersare remindedthat collegeor universitycollections might not be available in summer,and that collectionsin parksand field stations,etc., might be closedin winter. Only specialcomments are given for this item in the compilation. Pros- pectivevisitors and thosewriting for informationabout a collectionor requesting loansshould address their inquiriesto the title of the personin chargeof the collec- tion. Lettersaddressed solely to the nameof the respondentlisted in this reportcould be delayed if that personwere no longer associatedwith the collection. 10. Loans.--Most institutions are willing to loan skins, skeletons,and fluid-pre- servedspecimens, but not mounts, eggs,or nests. Institutions not willing to loan specimens are noted. January 1973] Bird Collections 139 11. Associated activities.--Collections with associated nest record schemes, banding programs, etc., are so reported. 12. Photographs,paintings, tape recordings.--Reportsof these holdings are given in the detail supplied on the forms. 13. Purpose.--Categoriesare listed as on the survey form unless the respondent ranked them differently. 14, 15. Responsiblepersons.--If only one name is given it indicates that the respondentis directly in charge of the collection. If two names are listed, the first is of the personin charge,the secondis of the respondent. Dates the forms were completed are omitted. Most were filled out during the summeror early autumn of 1969. Correctionsreceived through September1972 have been incorporated,but we have made no special effort to bring informationup to date. Many respondentswith smaller collectionsnoted
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