DECEMBER 15, 1962

Regi~tered at the General l>o'lt Office. Sydney. for transrnb~ion by poM a~ a periodical VoL. XIV, No. 4

PRICE, THREE S HILLINGS THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM HYDE PARK, SYDNEY

BO A RD OF TR STEE

PRESIDENT: LMERITUS PROFESSOR A. P. I LKII'., M .A. l'h.IJ CROW TR STEE: F . B l>PE C I-I{ OFFICIAL I'RUSTEES: T il E liON. Tl·l l::. C HI EF J U TIC I::. . 'I H E HON. T i l E PRESIDE T 01- TI-l E LEGI SLA'IIVE CO UNC IL. Til E liON. THE C HI E F SECR ET A RY. !"H E liON. T H E ATIOR EY-GE ERA L. ril E HO . T H I::. TREASUR ER. 1 H E HO . Ti l E t.IIN ISTER FOR P U BLIC \\o O RKS. TH E HON. T ilE 11 1 ISTER FOR EDUCATI0 ' . T H E A UDITOR-GE E RAL. 1 11 E PRESI DE T 0 1· TH E NEW SOUTH WALES t.II::.DICA L BOARD. TH E SURVEYOR-G E ERAL A D C HIEF SU RVEYOR. THE C ROW SOLI C ITO R. t:U:CTI\' E TR STUS: 0 . G . VIC K ER Y. B.E .• M.l.E. (Ausl.). FRA 'K \\ . I Ill L. LMt:.RITUS l'RO I-l::.SSOR r\ . P I LI-..It-., M.A , (,, A. JOH 0:--. . P h.D. PI{O F ESSOR J . R. A. lllct.IILLA:--. , 1\l.S., F . McDOWE LL. D.Sc.Agr. R. J . NOBLE, C.B.E., B.Sc.Agr., M.Sc., Ph. D. E. A. J . II YDE. E. J . K ENN Y, M.Aust. l.M .M. I'ROFI-.SSOR 1{. I . C ROCKLR, O.Sc. F. L. S. BELL. M .A .. F.R.A. I. S. H AVILANIJ. C B.E.

DlR.ECTOR: J . W. E ANS, Sc.D. DEPUTY D IRECTOR: H. 0 . F LETCH ER. M .Sc. SCIE TJFI(; STAFF: B ~rd.: H. J de S DISNEY. M .A. Curator. Roptiles and Amphibian.: H. G. <.OGGI R . M .Sc. <.uratnr Mammals: B. J . M A RLOW. B.Sc .. Curator. Fishes: G. P. WHITLEY, F. R.Z.S., Curator. Insects and A rachnid•: C. K SM ITH ERS, t.l.Sc .. Curator: D. K. J\lcALPI, E. J\ l.Sc .. Ass,;tant Curator. Molluscs: D . F . 1\tcMICH AEL, M.A.. Ph.D., Curator. Crustacea and Coelcmeratcs: J . C YALDWYN. M.Sc .. Ph.D. Worms and Echinoderms: ELIZABETH C. PO I' E. M .Sc .. Curator. Minerals and Rocks: R. 0. CH ALMERS. A.S.T .C .. Curator. Fossils: l-1. 0 . F LETCH ER, M.Sc .. Curator. nthropology: F . D. 1\lcCARTHY, Dip.Anthrop .. Curator. EDITORIAL SSISTANT AND P BLIC EDLCATIO:\' OFFICER: RELATIO ' S OFFICER PATRIC IA M . i\lcDO,ALD. B !.c .. D •P cd. PETER COLLIS. EXHIBITION OEI'ARTI\IENT, A l{'f A D OESIG ' SECTIO : F. J . BEEMAt-.. LIBRA RIA PHOTOGRAPH E R AND VIS AL A IDS OFFICER: \>I ARY DAV II- ~. B c L.A A H. J-I UG III' !.. A R.P. H O O I(ARY SCIEo TIFIC STAFF: Zoolo~i>l>. E. A. BRIGG . D.Sc. JOYCE A LLAN. 1-. R.Z.S. 11. LE IG I-ITON K ESTEVEN. D . c .. M.D. . J . COPLAND. M.Sc. J\I ELBOU I{, E WARD. F.R.7 .S .. F.Z.S. FLLIS TROUGIITO'. C.M.Z. l OJ\1 IREDALE. A. A. RACEK. Dr.rer.nat. (Brno). A. J . M A I{SIIA I L. D .Sc .. D.Phol. F A. J\Jc:--.I:: JLL. I'.R.Z.S. Ornithologis t. l' hlhllelist. 1-. . A. III N DW()()I>. C. F .A.O .. I R .7.S. I RA 'JK W. Hil l . 'Pbooe : 61 4284

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(ii ) Australia11 Natural lli.1Wrv This issue is devoted entirely to the A ustralian Museum and its activities.

CONTENTS Paf(e T ilE TII EM E OF TilE AUSTRALIAN M USEU M 105 Til E N E\V W1 G-1. W. E vans 106 T 11 E TRUSTEES-A . P. Elkin 108 AN OPEN EXIIIBIT 110 T il E FIRST H UNDRED Y EA RS-G. P. Whitley I I l STORI ES B E lli D T il E M usE u M 's COLLECTIONS-R . 0. Chalmers 1 16 B ooK R EVI EW 120 B Elli D T ilE SeE E 12 1 FIELD EXPEDIT IO s-H. 0. Fletcher 122 B EAUTY A D T ilE B EASTS-B . J. Mar/ow 127 OBITUARY : WI LLIAM B AR ES 132 OTES A D EWS 133 EDUCATIO SERVICES-Patricia McDona/d 134 (Photography, unless otherwise stated. is by Howard Hughes.)

-= • FRONT COVER: The Australian Museum, with its new seven-storey wing at left. The fine new building will house staff, collections, exhibits and a restaurant for the visiting public. The drawing is by Oavid Hac, of the Museum's Exhibition Department.

VoL. X LV. o. 4 DECEMBE R 15. 1962 NEW AUSTRALIAN BOOKS

DESERT PEOPLE by M . ) . Meggitt This is the first full-l ength study of a n Aboriginal tribe to be generally published since 1937. Dr. Meggitt li ved for more than a year in clo e contact with the Walbiri tribe of Central Austra li a. Hi wife also took part in the inve tigation. gathering informati on not ea ily available to a man about the women's attitudes and acti vitie . ln addition to covering history, economic, political and rcligiou life, sexual attitudes and cultural institutions. the a uthor examines the a simila­ tion question. Illustrated...... 52/ 6 ( post 1/ 3)

CHARLES HARPUR : AN AUSTRALIAN by ) . Normlngton Rawllng The story of Cha rles Harpur. Australia's first poet, is at once the record of a rema rka ble ma n and a part of Australia ·s litera ry and national hi story. T here is much interesting materia l on the truggles for self-government a nd the franchise, and among the men who figure in the book a re Henry Pa rkes, J ohn Robertson, D. H . Deniehy, N. D. Stenhouse and Henry Kenda ll. 45/ - (post 1/ 3)

THE WINNING OF AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTICA by A. Grenfell Price An account of Mawson's B.A.N.Z.A.R.E. voyages, told principally by extracts from Mawson's journa ls, with introductory comment and concluding chapters a nd a commenta ry by Dr. Price. Illustrated with many photographs. mainl y by the late Frank Hurley. and maps, evera l of which are Mawson's own work. 50/ - (pot 1/ 8)

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Australian arural H /story AUS IAN NATUR I STORY

Published Quarterly by the Australian Museum College Street, Sydney

Editor : J. W. Evans, Sc.D . A nnual Subscri ptio n, Posted, 14/ -

VoL . XlV, No. 4 D ECEMBE R 15, 1962

The Theme of the Australian Museum

T i-US i::sue of Australian Natural History T he text o n the other side of this no tice commemo rates an event of the greatest reads as follows :- importance in the lo ng hi sto ry of A us­ The Theme of this Museum is tralia's oldest and largest natural histo ry The fll tcr-relatiollship of all Livi11g Thi11gs. museum. Its M essa!(e: This event is the completio n of a new Co11serve, Do11 ·1 D estroy. wing. which is described elsewhere in these pages. and wh ich is the first majo r additio n The Animals and Pfallts of Australia are our heriW!(e 10 be held in trust for future to be made to the M useum in over half a f.!enera tiOIIS. Ce!1tury. They re present the culminario11 of hundreds of lt wil l be seen from the pages wh ich millions of years of e1•olurionary developm elll. fol low that. altho ugh the Museum is old, As ll'ell as hein!( related to each other, all p/an1s it is acti ve a nd progressive. Moreover. it a11 d animals, i11cludinx M an. rile m osr abun- is co ncerned with matters of the very danr large mammal, are imerdependenr. greatest importance as affecting the future Unless rhese 11 ·ell established scientific FACTS welfare of mankind. come to he ll'idely understood and their signifi­ cmiCt' appreciared so that MA N CAN LEARN Recently there has been installed in the TO LIVE IN BALANCE W IT H H IS ENVIRON­ entrance hall a la rge no tice which welcomes MENT, !here is a very real danger that grow rh visitors. O n o ne side information is given of human populations. accompanied by the of some of the Museum's functions-in misuse of rite limited resources of our planet, 11 ·iff 1hrearen the conti11ued exisrence, not only particul ar, those having to do with study of o ur 0 11'11 species. bu1 also th(l/ of most o1her collectio ns, education and research. animals and plants.

Decem her, J 962 Par:e t05 TliE NEW WING By J. W. EV ANS JN the Annual Report of the Trustees of The new wing which is a continuation the Museum for the year 19 11. it was of the north a nd oldest part of the stated that plans had been prepared fo r a n M uscum, has seven sto reys. The two expansio n of the main building to provide lowest provide u p-to-d ate labo rato ry much needed accommodatio n fo r the acco mmodation for the greater part o f the library. scientific work-rooms and offices. scientific staff and. a well. storage accom­ These pla ns were not implemented. and modation for some of the Museu m's study in reports for the co nsecutive yea rs 19 17. collections. They al o ho use the Art and 191 8 a nd 19 19, the fo llowing statement Design Depart nient. was repeated :- Each of the remaining fl oors, with the "Every po rtio n of the building i now exceptio n o f the top one. will be used. in occupied, either for exhibitio n. administra­ part. fo r exhi bi tion purpose and. in part. tion. bibliographic o r storage purposes. a nd for storage. as a result of this the affairs o f the Institu­ The to p one . whence there is a magnifi­ tion are ha mpered a nd in some respects cent view over the city of Sydney. has been brought to a sta ndsti ll . No d egree o f equipped as a restaurant fo r the use of re-arra ngement can a lter this state o f affairs. the visiting public. The o nl y relief possible is to considerably There ha been much comment o n the extend the building". lack of windows in fo ur of the noors of the Fo rty year we re to pass before such new buildinQ. The reason fo r this lack is relief was granted a nd now. at long b st. that most ~effective museum display is the Museum has room for expansio n. achieved with the aid of artificial light and,

Pa~e 106 A ustralia11 atural H islory over the past few years, as li ght has been installed in an ever-increasing numbe r of exhibits so have the windows in the old building been progre sive ly o bscured.

Ethnological And Geological Exhibits Modern museum displays take much time to plan and prepare. hence it will be severa l year befo re the whole of the new galleries arc open to the public. First p riority is being given to a fl oor whi ch will be devoted to ethnological exhibit , a nd thew will be d isplayed with the emphasis o n good design. Next to receive a llention will be the fos il noor. and the prepa ration of mmtature dio ra mas, illustra ting the life of fo rmer geological ages. is a lready in hand. o t o nly is new sto rage accommodation now available fo r part of the museum's study coll ectio ns but much needed library extensio n has also become possible. The space which has been made avail­ a ble as a result of transfer of staff to the new wi ng is being _!') Ut to good use. Fo r example. in some vacated room which have high ceiling . mezzanine fl oors have been installed and the e are used fo r sto r­ age purposes. A new photographic studio Pan of an exhibitio n of children's natural is being equipped in a nother vacated room. history work held at the Museum during and a new office fo r the library staff and Edl:cation Week, 1962. The entrie . for a reading room in two o the rs. Then. added which the Mu eum Trustees awarded prizes. pace has made it possible to a emble were from schoob which vi it the Museum regularly as pan o f their class work. together collection belo nging to the several departments. and many of these fo rmerl y were wid ely scattered. In re12ard to mo re immediate benefi ts to the vi iting public. the New Guinea gall ery, which for several years has had to be used as a sto:-e. will ho rtly be re-ooencd. EXPEDITIO N TO SWAIN RE EFS In conclusio n. mentio n sho uld be made of the lecture theatre and some adjoining T he A ustralian Museum's expedition to th

D ecem !>er, 1962 Page 107 THE TRUSTEES

By E~IERIT S PROFESSOR A. P. ELKIN

President of the ~ lusc u m 's Board of Trustees

HOUSANDS of persons. adults and T chi ldren. visit the Austra li an Mu eum every week. They are interested in displays illustrating the natural history and anthro­ po logy of Au tra lia and the Paci fi c. They a re often fascinated by the "genealogical trees" of li ving forms. a nd by route-maps of the migration of ma n and animal, of bird and in ect. But. quite under tandably, they are unaware of the admini tration, resea rch and techn ical work required to maintain the Museum's activities. The li t of po ition a nd name on the inside of the front cover of thi magazine shows that the organization i twofold. There is a Director with a scientific, tech­ nical a nd administra tive taff , whose task is to carry out research in the fi eld and in the laboratory; to collect a nd p reserve T he Pre ident for 1962 of the Australian specimens of natural history and anthro­ Mu eum·s Board of Trustees. Emeritu Pro­ pology: and to pas on knowledge to the fe sor A. P. Ell..in. has been a Trustee for 16 public by displays, lectures and publica­ } ears. He is a Fellow of the enate of the University of Syd ney and wa head of the tions, by classes for school pupils, and by Depa rtment of Anthropology in that University a nswering questions from hundreds of for 23 t years. He has been honorary editor inquirers. of the anthropological journal Oceania for 30 yea rs. Positio n~ Profe or E lk in ha held in But behind all this act1 v1ty 1s the Board scientific societie include Chairman of the of 24 Tru tees, a corporate body e tab­ tate Division of the Au tralian ational lished by Act of Pa rliament. Eleven of Resea rch Council for 10 }ears and the these. the Official Tru tees. hold office by Council"s Chairman. 1954-55; Presidem of the Pan-lndian Ocean Science Associa­ virtue of a particul ar Cabinet or other tion. 1954-57: a nd Australia n member prescri bed po ition which they fil l. In of the Council of the Pacific Science general. however. onl y one or two of these Association. 1946-58. of "hich Association take an acti ve part in Mu eum affairs. Of he is an Ho norar} Life Fello". Pro­ fe sor Elkin i Chairman of the Australian the remaining J 3, one i appointed by the Commillee on Road and Traffic igns of the Crown and the othe r elected. as vacancies w nda rds A s~oc i atio n of Australia. has been arise, by the remaining Trustees in . pecial Vice-chairman of the Aborigines· Welfare meetings. Board since 1942, and was Ho norary Secre­ tary of the J ubilee Congress of the Australian In practice. the Trustees' work i per­ and ew Zealand Association for the Advance­ formed by these 13 . They a re re pon ible ment of Science held this }car. Profe or EU..in is th~ author of '>cveral booJ,.s on anthro­ for the Mu eum 's general po li cy. for the pology and history. He has been awarded the care of it property and collection .. and Medal of the Royal Society of ew South for the expenditure of the Government's Wales. the M ucller Medal b) A.N.Z.A.A.S .. appropriations for the Mu eum' activities and the J ame'> Cool.. Medal for "outstanding contributions to cicnce and human welfare and of any moneys whi ch may be cntru ted in the Southern Hemisphere."' and was. in to them. 1961, the fir t recipient of the Herbert E. Grcj!Or\ Medal fflr di~tineuishecl services to With regard to policy. the Trustees a re ~cicncc in thz Pacific. [Photo: The Wynyard concerned with the balanced development Studio. Sydney.]

PaRe 108 Australian Natural History of research, collections, display and educa­ tion. They are a lso concerned with the relations between the Museum on the one hand, and the Government and the public " LIFE THROUGH on the other : with the extension and improvement of the buildings; with pro­ THE AGES" vi sion of adequate facilities for the staff to do their varied work ; and indirectly with A second edition of " Life Through recruiting, and especially with holding, the Ages", a coloured chart showing staff of hi!!h calibre. ln such matters, the the progress of life through geological Trustees m~a ke representations to the appro­ time, has been published by the Aus­ priate a uthorities. tralian Museum. ln all their deliberations and work, the The chart (34 in. x 24 in. ) relies on Trustees coll aborate with the Director, on illustrations more than on wording, whose reports they rely a nd whose advice and is designed for hanging in schools and opinio n they respect. T heir aim is to so that it may be seen by all children, support him and the staff in implementing whether they are studying the bio­ the po licies and programmes they have logical sciences or not. lt can also be mutually agreed upon. used as an aid in the teaching of The Elective Trustees, by custom , science, and will be of value to lay include city businessmen, university people interested in biological subjects. scientists, and persons with administrative responsibility in G overnment Departments The chart illustrates the kinds of life or other organizations. In this way, the that have existed from the primitive Museum draws on a varied pool of ex pert­ invertebrates of more than 800 million ness in the fie ld s of finance, of official and years ago to the present. It shows the public relations, and of science. All, how­ geological periods and their durations. ever, are especially concerned with main­ It is on sale at the Museum, price taining and advancing the Museum's basic 6/ - (6/ 9 posted) . functions. that is, with increasing our knowledge of natural histo ry a nd passing that knowledge on. The Trustees, with only occasiona l exceptions, are very busy p ersons. being appreciated ; but over the years they a re directors of companies, heads of Govern­ few in number and small in total amount ment Departments or of semi -Government for a city such as Sydney and for the State instrumenta lities. a nd uni versity professors. of New South Wa les. The pro bable reason They are leaders in their respective fields. for this is that the needs of the Museum But they gladly devote time, thought and a re not known. But, as President, I can energy to the Australia n Museum as a assure a ll readers that the Trustees and voluntary, but very important. service to staff would be much encouraged and helped the State and na tio n. The Board meets by such donati ons for the fundamenta l monthly and so does the sta nding com­ work of the Museum. mittee, wh ile other special committees The Australian Museum is a " to p-line" meet fre4 uently. a nd individual Trustees investment by Government and people, a re call ed on from time to time to help in bearing dividends in the acquisition and various ways. dissemination of knowledge. The T rustees Donations are sometimes made to the act for the in vestors, that is, for the tax­ Museum by citizens and business firms to payers, the Government, a nd all contri­ improve its equipment or to enable a par­ butors, ensuring that those dividends a re ticular piece of research o r coll ecting to as high as possible a nd that the capital of be carried out. T hese donations are much knowledge never ceases to grow.

December, 1962 The reaction of v i~itors to a Museum exhibit of a Red Kangaroo which they can touch i\ sho" n in thb series o f unposed photo . The kangaroo i'> dbplayed without a gla'>'> ca~e ~o that vi\itor may examine it closely. and their interest in it prove<, the educational value of open exhibits. Many adults ~eem to be puzzled at fir'>t by the ab\ence of a "Do ot Touch" notice. but the re~pon~e of children is delightfully uninhibited.

Pa11e 110 Australia11 atural History H yde Pari... looking east. oon after the fir t Au ~ t ralian Museum building (the north wing of the present building). seen at top right. was completed. (From a photo .. in the Mitchell Library, of part of a pa norama painted by Jo hn Rac about the middle of last century.]

The First Hundred Years

By G. P. WHITLEY

IN 1827. Ralph Darling, Governor of collecting specimens in J 830, and fo ll owin3 New South Wales. was info rmed by the his death the Museum for everal years Colonial Oflicc that £200 a year h3d been was " In a State of O rpha nage' '. Fro m !!ranted to c tabli h and maintain a museum abo ut 1834 to 1841 the collections were in in Sydn;!y, and Alexander Macleay. the charge of John Roach. a ticket-of-lea ve Colonial Secretary at the time. was prob­ man who received the title of '·Co llecto r ably respo!l ible fo r its institution. a nd P rc ~ e r vcr" or "Collecto r and Bird­ The erection of a suitable building was stutfer". He received Is. 9d. per day in lieu no t con idered at that stage and the early of rations and clo th ing and was asststcd collections of the ·'Colonial Museum''. a s part of the time by a parliamentary me')sen­ it wa then known. were housed at va rio us ger. William Galvin. times in many buildings. These included In the Sydney Herald fo r January 28. the ''J udge Advocate's O ld Office". Loftu 1836. it was stated. " We understand that Street. the "Old Post Office" . Bent Street. the Colonial Museum in Macquarie Street. the home of Chief Justice Forbes in Bridge is now open under the directi on of George Street. and the "New Court House. in Bennett, Esq. The Museum conta ins a Wooll oomooloo" (now Darling hurst). number of specimens in Natura l History. T he fir t c ustodian of the Museum was coll ected by Major Mitchell. 011 his last William Holmes. who was appointed trip. and heretofore unknown ...." ''Colo nial Zoologist" with a salary of £ 130 In 1836, the Estimates for the Museum a year. Holmes was accidentally shot while amo unted to £200. This included £ I 0 fo r

Decemher, 1961 Page Ill the man in charge. £31 J 8s. 9d. for a Deposited in the Australian Museum, second employee and a sum of£ 15 8 J . 3d. 183 7, by Dr. George Ben nett. Thi was the fo r providing specimens and incidental fo rerunner of more than 200 Catalogues, expenses. Records. Memoirs, Reports, Magazin es and Ln its early days the M useum was Leafl ets in which the treasures of the managed by a co mmittee. the ro lls of whose Museum have been described. info rmati on members. as well a the li ts of Tru tee made public. o r scientific di coveries fro m the 1850' to modern times. embrace anno unced. So me of the specimen listed many name famou in Australia n hi tory. in the Catalogue of 183 7 had been col­ lected o n Majo r T. L. Mitchell' expedi­ The first Mu cum committee of J 836 tion, and o mc of them are still in the consisted of the Ho n. A lexander Maclcay, Museum coll ectio ns. Si r John Ja mi son, Phil lip Parker King, Willi am Maca rthur (youngest son of Jo hn The Maclcay fam ily was connected with and Elizabeth Maca rthur). J . V. Tho mpson, M useum affairs over a lo ng period. T he Charles St un. Edward Deas Thomson, Ho n. Alexande r Macleay, appointed Gco rge Po rter. R . A. Wauch a nd Gco rge Colo nial Secreta ry of ew So uth Wa le . Macleay. a di tingui hed array of men of arrived in Syd ney in J anuary. 1826. He whom many are immortal in the hi to ry has been termed the fo under of the Aus­ of Australia. Later committeemen o r tralian Mu cum, but that title might be Trustees were the Rev. W. B. Clarkc, mo re pro perly bestowed on the third Earl "Father of Au tralian Geology". Dr. Bathurst, who. in 1827, a uthorized its Gcorge Bennett, Sir W ill iam Dcnison estab li shment. Macleay, however. presided (Governor-G eneral and a keen marine over the infant Mu cum's destinie . becom­ 'biologis t). Archiba ld Liversidge (a di - ing chairma n of the early committee. tinguished chemist), Professor T . W . Edge­ Sir Wi ll iam Macleay. a nephew of the worth David. Sir William Maclcay. Rev. Ho n. A lexander Macleay. joined the Board J. E. T eni son-Woods, Sir Alfred Stephcn of Trustees in 186 1. taking over the chair and ma ny other eminent citizens. fro m the G overno r, Sir Willia m Deni. o n, who had left fo r Madras. Sir William Mac­ leay had a large p ri vate zoological collec­ First Museum Director tion, the later nucleus of the Maclcay In 1845. Dr. Gco rge Bennett was Museum at the Uni versity of Syd ney. Sir styled Directo r of the Museum. He wa Willia m was keen o n dredging. a nd a wi dely travell ed urgeon-naturali t a nd thro ugh hi endeavours ma ny ma rine had been ho no ra ry secretary to the noveltie were di covered in Sydney H ar­ Museum's committee between 1836 a nd bour. He per o na lly compiled a ba ic 1838. Besid es his duties a Director. Dr. Descriptil'e Catalogue of Australian Fishe.1 . Bennett. in his capacity as surgeon. had An E ngli sh gardener. G eorge Maste rs. to a ttend hanging. . and the Museum who had coll ected insects fo r Sir William exhibited casts of the head of ma lefactors. Macleay was. in 1864. a ppointed collecto r the earliest known cast specimens in to the Australian Museum. He travelled Australia. extensively in western ew South Wale . Dr. Bennett was friendly with Richard Queensland. South Australia. We tern Au - O wen in England. who was influenti al in tralia a nd Lo rd Howe Island. At Mary- obtaining boo ks and pecimen fo r the bo ro ugh, Queensland. he o btai ned Mu cum and in recommending staff . specime ns of the newly discovered Bennett had severa l official titles during hi Queensland Lungfish, and somewhere o r term of office. a nd it is to his effo rts that o the r he secured the "preserved skin of a we are grateful fo r the ho no ured place the Black Gin". When Macleay's collectio ns Museum was to occupy so soon in the were transferred to the University of Sydney scientific world. he looked a ft er them until hi death in The first Museum publica tion wa A 1912. Catalogue of the Specimens of atural The erectio n of the first Museum build­ History and Miscellaneous Curiosities ing, the no rth wing of the present buil ding.

Australian atura/ Histon· Above: The arrival of the Governor-General, Sir Charl es Fitzroy, to open the Museum's fi rst exhibition at its present site. in 1854. T he exhibition was in what is now the foss1l gallery. Below: The scene at the opening. [Contemporary woodcuts, Mitchell Library, Sydney.]

December, 1962 o n the corner of College and William name one of the greatest zoological discov­ Street . was not commenced until 1846. e ries in Austra lia. the Queensland Lungfish. On September 8, 1849. the famo us archi­ Krefft had an unhappy time endeavouring tect Edmund Tho mas Blacket inspected and to administer the Museum and keep har­ reported o n the work so far done under the mo ny with those in a utho rity. A dispute supervision of M. W . Lewis, the Colo nial arose as to whether the Trustees of the Architect. At that time it consisted of the Museum o r the Colo nial Secretary had the part around the William Street entrance, rig ht to appoint a Curato r, and as a resul t which was fl anked by two pilla rs that were there were several resignations fro m the later tra nsferred to Centennial Park. The Board of Trustees. K refft stated that none site at that time was " high ground that of the Trustees was properly gazetted and had a creek running along o ne side of it, had as much legal standing as members of where boys fi shed fo r eels". The a ppear­ a church synod. a nce of the building can be seen from the In 186 1. the Colo nial Secretary. the Ho n. old illustratio ns acco mpanying this a rticle. Charles Cowper. asked to be info rmed of lt co nta ined a basement a nd two floors. the manner in which the vacant positio n of util ized fo r offices, residentia l qua rters of Curato r of the Museum might be ad van­ the staff and an exhi bitio n hall ( now the tageously fill ed . The Trustees in reply stated fossil gallery) . their intentio n of taking immediate steps to The Curator of the Museum at this time fill the vacancy. l n the Colo nia l Secretary's was W. S. Wall. He had been in offi ce fro m reply occurred this significa nt passage: the early 1840's a nd was succeeded by " Yo u wi ll .. . .. understa nd that any S. R . Pittard. who had come from E ngland arra ngement proposed wi ll be subject to in 1860 to take cha rge of the Museum. the approval of the Government''. T o this Pitta rd di ed a ft er being in office fo r less letter the Trustees, under da te of December than a year. and the ne.xt appointment was 5, replied by quo ting the 7 th clau e of the Gerard K refft. a G erma n naturalist. who Act of Incorporation, which gave them remained in office until 1874 . The a nnua l power to "appoint a ll Officers and servant salary of the early Directors was very li ttle of the M useum". a nd a n a rg ument between even for those early days. Wall received the Trustees and the Government ensued . £ I 00 a year. Ben nett £200. while Pittard's However. o n April 28, 1864. there was a salary was £500. complete surrender on the part of the The first exhibitio n in the large hall of autho rities in these words: " The Crown the newly e rected Museum building was Law O fficers. who have been co nsulted o n of articles, illustrative of the resources of thi s point. have ad vised that the office of the colony. which were intended for the Curator should be left in the hands of the French Gove rnment's Uni versal Exhibition T rustees of the Museum". in Pa ris in 1855. The G overno r-G enera l, A considerable a mo unt of friction and Sir Charles Fitzroy. escorted by troo ps. disharmony in the Museum continued un til. arrived to open the exhibitio n and two of the in December, 1873, some gold was stolen large woodcuts in the Illustrated Sydney from the Museum gallery o n a day that the News of November and December. 1854 , Curator had gone to Botany to o bta in a (reproduced here by courtesy of the Mitchell small whale. The gold was never recovered. Libra ry. Sydney) depict the scene. In 1874, the Trustees fo und it necessary to remove Gerard Krefft fro m his positio n In 185 3. a n Act to lncorpora te and and to close the institution to the public fo r Endow the Aust ralian Museum was passed a sho rt pe riod . In the Museum's Annual by the Government and 24 T rustees were Report fo r 1874 is related the official ver­ duly appointed as custodia ns. sio n of the acrimonious diffe rences between the Tru tees a nd K refft. K refft. among o ther Disputes At Museum things, accused the Trustees of obliging their ln 1860, Gerard Krefft was A cting friends at the expense of the public by giv­ Curator of the Museum. He used to corres­ ing away valuable specimens. pond with Darwin. was a specialist on Krefft refused to accept his di missal. reptiles a nd fi shes, and was the first to ba rricaded himself in his room and fo r some

Paxe J 14 Australian Natural History time stood siege. Unable to o btain Crown however, an econo mic depression hit the Autho rity to eject him, the Trustees pro­ State, 12 members of the staff were retren­ cured the services of a " ba iliff", who re­ ched. and severe reductio ns made in expen­ moved Krefft in his cha ir and placed both in diture. For some time work was do ne by the street. Legal actio n resulted in a verdict ho no rary scientists a nd volunteer assistants. for Krefft fo r £250, a nd subsequently Parlia­ who were impressed with the fact that ment voted £ 1,000 in satisfaction of his theirs was gentlemen's work and they claims. sho uld not expect much emolument. The unhappy events of the Museum In 1894 it was reported that " the Gov­ d uring G era rd Krefft's time must have been ernment retrenchment scheme has caused discouraging to those who had the scien­ the Museum to suffer severely"; neverthe­ tific interests of the institution at heart but less. in 1896, £6,000 was voted by Pa rlia­ better times a nd then bad again were to ment fo r further building extensio ns. In fo llow in succession. spite of this appropri ation the Museum was In 1874. Edward P. Ramsay was appoin­ not at that time receiving adequate fin a n­ ted Curato r of the Museum. But a disaster cial support, and in a review of the Annua l occurred in 1882, when the Museum's ethno­ Report in The Surveyor for November 7, graphical collections a nd many other impo r­ 1896. it was stated that the R e port was "sad ta nt specimens were lost when the Garden reading". "For in a new co untry rapidly Palace in the Bo tanic Gardens was destroyed becoming settled", co mmented the writer. by fire. "and where the ma ny species of mamma ls. reptiles, fish, insects. etc., are necessarily Period Of Great Progress being either changed by the introductio n of Ra msay was a keen and energetic curator fo reign species or entirely exterminated in a nd he had built up the collectio ns to a the a ltered conditio ns of their habitat. col­ marked extent, being responsible fo r 17.600 lecting should fo rm one of the la rgest items bird skins a lo ne being added. When in Lo n­ in the Annual Report of a Museum." don. he acquired Francis Day's coll ectio n of This report was published a year a fter India n fi shes. one of the first of its kind the appointment of Robert Etheridge, Jnr.. and ri ch in type specimens. Ramsay ina ug­ as Curator. He had been palaeontologist at urated the Records of the Australian Mus­ the Museum since June, 1887. and when eum, which for 70 years have published he took over his new duties he continued much of the research work of the staff and a nd encouraged scientific research. Ether­ studies by others on the Museum's col­ idge, during his lo ng term of office . co;n­ lectio ns. pleted a _grea t deal of impo rtant research Problem s of space to ho use the growing o n Australian fossil s. He was a lso instru­ collecti o ns were a continual worry to Ra m­ mental in the building up of the natio nal say a nd the Trustees at that time, even collecti o ns and in having the south wing tho ugh the west wing, o pened in 1868, had added to the Museum building. It was com­ provid ed a considerabl e a mount of addit­ pleted in 19 10, and now ho uses the io nal space. Ramsay was instrumenta l in anthro pological and skeleton exhibits and, ha ving a further ha ll added to the Museum on the gro und fl oor. worksho ps a nd storage­ building in 1886. This hall is now the space fo r collectio ns. Hallstro m Theatre. Two years later, Ram­ The First Wo rld Wa r then intervened . say and his family had to vacate the ir Vario us members of the Museum staff residential quarters (now the libraria n's served overseas, and the activities of the office and new periodicals room) so that institutio n we re fo rced to remain static dur­ additio nal space could be o bta ined for the ing the war years a nd the fo llowing period torage of specimens. of economic recovery. The prestige of the Museum was at this Robert Etheridge, J nr.. died earl y in time very high. The coll ectio ns and library 1920 after 33 years' association with the were ra pidly expanding. fruitful co ntacts M useum. Dr. Cha rl es Anderson was appoin­ had been made in all pa rts of the world, ted Directo r in February, 192 1, just six and publications were numerous. In 1893. year before the centenary of the Museum.

December, 1962 Paf

Stories Behind The Museum's Collections

By H. 0. CHALMERS

J T i a pparent from reading the minute Island. Moreton Bay and Po rt Macqua rie. of committee meetings in 1836, only to furni h the Mu eum with specimen of nine year after the inception of the Aus­ natural hi tory. lt was re olved al o tha t tralia n Museum, that the trustees o f the applicatio n be made for convict se rvants to infa nt establi sh ment were taking their duties be employed " in stuffing and preserving serio usly a nd attending to them conscien­ o bjects of atural Histo ry for the Mu c um". tiou•ly. Among their number were suc h celebrities o f the time as Charles Sturt. Donations By Famous Explorers Alexander a nd G corge MacLeay, Captain Famous explo re rs are listed as having Phillip King and Edward Deas Tho mpson. given specimens. ln the Museum's first pub­ O ne read that it was resolved that com­ lication. Cmalot:ue of Specimens of Narural municatio n be sen t to the Governors of Hisrory and Miscellaneous Curiosities, of Van Diemen's Land. Western Australia. 1837, we see that Mitchell presented exte n­ King George's So und a nd So uthern Aus­ sive coll ections of ma mma ls. birds a nd tralia, and to the Commanda:1ts of o rfo lk ethnological pecimens obtai ned on hi

Pal(e 116 Australian atural H isrorv expeditions of 1835 and 1836 into the Antarctic explorati on of J ames Cla rk R oss interior. In the Muse um archives we find in H.M.S. Erebus. copies of letters written to M itchell in J 852 Cook and Banks, during their voyages, thanking him for having presented rocks acquired ma ny Polynesian ethnological <.:o llected during his surveys of the gold­ specimens, outstanding among wh i c~ are a fie lds beyond Bathursl. and tropical pla nts chief's feather cloak and a serpentme-type collected in J 846. lt is interesting to note greenstone ornament. p resented personally that in these earl y days both the Australian to Cook by a Maori chief. In 1890 the New Museum and the Botanic Gardens were South Wales Govern ment purchased all under the same committee of trustees. ln these Cook and Banks specimens a nd pre­ 1847 the secreta ry reported to the trustees sented them to the Museum. that a nu mber of very interesting o bjects of natural history. including seeds, had been R everting to the 1850's, in 185 1 the presented to the Museum by Dr. Liechhardt secretary was instructed to write to. the Col­ (sic). Jn 1848 the explorer Kennedy pres­ onia l Secretary " requesti ng that ht s Excel­ ented a valuable collection of birds, quad­ lency the Governor would be p l ~ased to rupeds, insects a nd reptiles o btained during instruct M r. Stutchbury the Colomal Geoi­ hi s expedition. T he names of figures of O!!ist to place himself in communication hi storical signi ficance crop up time witho ut wi th the Committee and from time to time number. The Rev. W. B. Clarke, " Father transmit specimens pro perly labell ed ". of Australian Geology", presented rocks Samuel Stutchbury (1797- 1858), an Eng­ and fossil s in 1843. Captain Phillip King lishman, had been appointed not lon.g b ~­ presented a n albatross egg collected on the fore this as the first official geologts.t m New South Wales. He travelled extenstvely a nd did much valuable pioneering geolog­ ical work. There a re records of several con­ signments of geological specimens having been received from Stutchbury. ln acknow­ ledging the receipt of such a consignment,

Two of the specimens collected by Capl. J ames Cook and Joseph Ba nks and now in the M useum. Left : A greenstone ornament, 13t in: long, one of the fi n es ~ of its type known. lt was g1 ven to Cook by a Maon chief. T he tassel is of reddish-brown flax fibres. Above: A feather cape given to Cook by an Hawaiian chief. The border of red and yellow triangles is made of Ho neyeaters' feat hers. T he long feathers o n the back a re those of the Tropic o r Boatswain Bird, and, probably, the Frigate Bird.

Decem ber, 1962 Page 11 7 Mr. Wa ll. the C ura to r, no t being sure o f ' 'iguana·· fro m L a ne Co ve. M a ter Wa ll , Mr. Stutchbury's exact address. "entrusted perhap the C urator's o n, gave us a blind­ hi letter to a respectable party proceeding worm fro m the Old Bo tany Road. and to Bathur t." but. a he mentio ned in a fro m Master J . Sma rt came " two fi shes letter to the Co lonia l Secretary, "1 now caught in Mossman's Bay." One to ugh learn with re!!ret that it never reached its young fello w. M a ter B. Olliffe. gave us a destina tio n". A t this time Stutchbury pro b­ Death Adder. Pro bably his mother wo uldn't ably had no fi xed residence since he wa let him keep it at ho me. Objects hawing engaged in surveying the ma ny gold-fields cha nce resemblances to familia r things fo und ince H argraves' initial d iscovery at attracted the attentio n o f people then a Lewis Po nds in 1851. Stutchbury. however. now. We received a " rema rkable radi h root tho ug ht that the M uscum was no t suffic­ grown in the fo rm of a huma n hand" a nd iently interested to acknowled ge receipt. "a re ma rkable group o f po tato tubers g rown and a certa in acrimo ny d evelo ped . All was in the Hawkesbury district." And so it went eventua lly settled by ano ther letter being on : Ncd the boatma n, whoever he might ent to Stutchbury which he appa rently have been, presented some oysters. Mr . received . The Colo nial Secreta ry evidently Jo hn o n gave the "skeleton o f a Bengal had been d rawn into th is minor d ispute Tiger in the fl esh·· (whatever that might becau e a letter fro m the Museum to him mean) a nd we bo ught a ·'sea- erpcnt" fro m ended o n th is d ignified note: " L a m further a sail o r fo r 9 / -. Strange freaks of nature di rected to tate that no communicatio n o r fo und their way into the collections. such dona tion to the Trustees of the M uscum a the head of a ma n ter la m b and a live fail s to receive d ue ack nowledg ment." Ln­ he rma phrodite goat. T he register records cidenta lly. the o utgoing correspondence of that the latter wa tolen in a very ha rt the Museum at this period averaged o nl y time (one wonders if it was eaten), o it fro m three to five letters a mo nth. sexua l pccul iaritic were never tudied. Then. as now. care was taken in the rcgi - Odd Donations ter to record all pertinent info rmatio n­ At thi peri od. too. the public was sta rt­ fo r example. a bird specimen is recorded ing to appreciate the existence o f the Mu - as having been fo und o n a la mp-po t in eum. Fro m the li sts o f d onatio ns published Red fe rn. mo nthly in The Sydney Morning Herald we glean much inte resting info rmatio n. Appar­ Ph ilanthropic Gifts e ntly in those days the Museum gladly accepted anything and everything in addit­ Turning fro m the unusual and the qua in t. io n to the many valuable natural histo ry the Mu c um has been much indebted to specimen prc ented . Amo ng the d onatio n the generosity of p rivate dono rs ever ince in the mid -1 850's we read o f a Turki h it beginning. In additio n to tho c a lready la ntho rn. a Z ulu beer-strainer a nd a po rtion mentio ned. such as early explo rers. there o f a sto ne desk o n which Martin Luther a re ma ny examples in later times. W. H . translated the Bible. T he Museum was not Ha rgravcs. a son of H a rgraves, the d i - unknown to foreign scientists. because coverer of payable gold in N.S.W . in 185 1, De cloil'eaux. a fa mo us French minera logist. was an enthusia tic shell collecto r. In his presented a collection of E uro pean mineral . day Sydney was frequently visi ted by i. la nd So me o f the entries convey the prim mid­ trading vessels. and Ha rgravc had a n Victorian disapproval o f native goings-on­ arrangement with someone at the Observ­ for example, " An ancient cava bowl used atory to let him k now p ro mptly when such by the priests in the heathen temples. Vita a ship was due. He would row o ut to it Lcvu. Fccjces". a nd "2 heads of ido ls fro m and gel first selectio n o f any cho ice she ll Paci fi c Islands". Boys in Sydney in those specimens they might have. H e offe red his days apparently practi sed the same divers­ coll ectio n fo r sale a t a greatly reduced price io ns a they do to -day. Fro m R yde came a o f £800. provided the purchaser pre entcd ne t of a White-shafted Fa ntail conta ining it to the Mu eum. Such a public-spirited a young cuckoo. presented by M aster C. d o no r wa fo und in the pe rson o f Tho mas Blaxland. Master J. Buchanan gave us an Wa lker. o f Ya ralla. in 1877.

Pa11e 118 Australian (1/ tlra/ H iHon· had other benefactors who have provided funds fo r Museum expeditions a nd exhib­ itions if not actually for the acquiring of specific collections. Members of the H ordern fa mily, Sir Hugh Denison, Orwell and A. E . Phillips, Ernest Wunde rlich, Farmer and Co. Ltd., Sir Kelso King, Sir Ja mes Burns, T . E . R ofe, Dr. J . R. M. Robertson and George Smith have a ll donated in this way. Sir Hugh Dixson's son, Sir William Dix­ son. was one of the Museum's most nota ble benefactors. He is known as a public figure principa ll y fo r having bequeathed his out­ standing collecti on of Austra li ana to the na tion a nd to ho use which the N .S.W. State Gove rnment built the Di xson wing adjoin­ ing the Mitchcll wing of the Public Libra ry. Over a period of 30 years before his death in 1952 at an advanced age, he presented some 1,500 Australian a nd Pacific Island curios to the Museum. Outstand ing among these is a magnificent collection of adzes. mere, hei-tiki a nd other objects made of New Zeala nd greenstone. Shell Collections Presented As in the case of the Dixsons, various members of other famil ies have p resented collections. Mrs. M . J. Waterhouse was a noted shell collector. She presented her col­ lection to the Museum , and an outsta nd ing group in it conta in s 100 cowries collected r_.:::;.. ~ ali ve in Sydney H arbour in 1895. T hese •J" t.i:• comprised 17 species, nine of whi ch had Paraknightia magnifica Evans, from rocks of never been found before in the H arbour. the upper coal measures ( Permian geological One of her sons who hel ped in the shell age), at Belmont, New South Wales. is o ne of collecting was Dr. G . A . Waterhouse. who the many perfectl y preserved specimens in the Knight collection of fossil insects. which was subsequently became President of the Board - presented to the Museum. of Trustees. H e was a noted lepidopteri st, and to-day his fin e coll ection of butterflies Ma ny other philanthropic acts have en­ enha nces our extensive in sect collections. riched our collections. In the early days of Choice ethnological specimens from the Broken Hill , J ames A ldridge. proprietor of Pacific collected by hi s fathe r, G. J. Water­ the Duke of Cornwall H otel there, built up house. who made ma ny trips on island trad­ a fin e coll ection by the si mple expedient of ing vessels. were also presented by the trading drinks for minera ls brought in by fa mily. thirsty mine rs coming off shift. T his col­ Other examples of notable collections lection was purchased by Sir Hugh Dixson, having been p resented by indi viduals who well-known Sydney benefactor in the first went to great personal trouble, and spent decade of this century. Portion of this col­ much of their time, come to mind. Surgeon lectio n came to the Museum. On numerous Lie utenant Commander W. E. J. Paradice occasions he made financial contributions presented large collections of fi shes and when valuable collecti ons had to be pur­ marine invertebrate organisms while chased or when expensive ha bitat groups attached to the Naval survey ship H .M .A.S. had to be constructed. The Museum has Geranium in Northern Australi an waters in

December, 1962 the mid -1 920's. He also co llected widely 1t should not be thought that such donat­ in Port J ackson a nd other estuaries of the ions have ceased to come to the Museum. Sydney district. Unfortunately. he was drow­ While this article was being written a re­ ned in the Greyclif}e disaster in Sydney H a r­ tired shearer, Mr. Percy Gresser, presented bour at the earl y age of 30. his collection of 6,000 Abo riginal artefacts In the fi eld of palaeontology the indiv­ collected while working in va rious pa n s of idual efforts of four nota ble collectors­ eastern Austra lia over the past 45 years. John Mitchell , T. H. Pincombe, Malcolm This article deals o nly with outstanding S. Stanley and 0 . le M . Knight-at diff­ donations and acquisition of coll ecti ons by erent times over a period of 50 years in the phi lanthropic acts. The story of the ma ny Wa rner's Bay-Belmont districts of Lake collectio ns o btained by purchase and ex­ Macquarie, N.S.W., has resulted in the Mus­ change and by the unceasing a nd pains­ eum possessing a large and most nota bl e taking co llection by Museum scientific and collecti on of fossil in sects of Permian age. preparatoria l staff must await another A . D. Combe, a native of Sydney, was a occasion. geologist on the Geological Survey of Uganda from about 1920 until his death in 1949. In his younger days in Australia he was such a n enthusiastic mineral co ll ector that he worked as a miner at Broken Hill, BOOK REVIEW Mount Lye ll , Yerranderie in the Burra­ gorang Valley and Mount Pa inter in the far Marine Molluscs of Victoria, by J. Hope Macpher­ son and C. J. Gabriel. Melbourne University north-eastern portion of the F linders R a n­ Press in association with the National Museum ges, and collected very discriminatingly. H e of Victoria, 1962. Pp. I-XV, 1-475, 486 lexl kept adding to hi s collection when he went figures. Price, £3 3s. to Africa and a lso when he visited other T hi book is without doubt one of the most countries on furlough. Thus, he acquired a important steps in the study of Australian M ol­ lusca which has occurred this century. I n any superb collecti on of some 900 specimens. science, it is necessary that, from time to time, particularly rich in African minerals and handbooks summarizing pre ent knowledge should Australian mine rals that a re either no longer be published in order to keep those not directl y o bta inable or occurred at mining centres involved in the pa rticular fie ld of research up-to­ date with developments. Unfortunately, the which have long since ceased to work. T he science of malacology has not been over-supplied Museum had stored his co llection on loan with good, well ill ustrated books to keep pace for him for some time for safe-keeping, and with systematic re earch, and thus it is a matter only a year before his death he came to of considerable satisfaction that the pre ent Sydney and said simply, " How's that col­ volume is a fir t-c lass example of its kind. lection of mine going? l think you'd better The authors have described in deta il the com­ moner shells of the Victorian coastl ine, giving keep it. " typica l localities at which they may be found. One could keep writing a bout the many habitat notes. average sizes and excellent line drawings by G. J. Browning which ensure recog­ other generous donati ons, such as the mag­ ni tion. In addition, the species known from Vic­ nificent minera l that formed the official toria which are not illustrated are a t least li sted. collection of the Broken Hill Pro prietary with their loca lities a nd diagnostic characters Block 14 Ltd., the opals from P ercy Ma rks, briefly indicated as a rule. Original references are not given, but all authors' names and da tes the fine minera l collection from the family of introduction a re cited, while the reference list of W. H. Yates, archaeological specimens, will lead the scientific worker back to o rigina l particularly Egyptian. from Ernest Wunder­ sources for the most part. lich, fo rmer President of the Board of Trus­ There is little to criticize, a pa rt from a few tees, the C. C . Towle Abo rigina l artefacts, mis-spellings and, perhaps, the inadequacy of the reference list. which should have included at least the stamp collecti on from Miss A . A. those papers · cited in the text. However. this is Vickery, and meteorites. those o bjects of of li ttle importance and the book's main purpose rarity and great scientific interest, from var­ i.e., to provide a well illustrated a nd simply des­ ious individual donors who have usua lly cribed account of the Victorian sea-shells. is achieved admirably. lt should be a boon to all found them or seen them falling on their collectors a nd scientists interested in the Australian properties in the country. Mollusca.-0 . F . McM.

Page 120 A ustra/ian Natural History Behind the Scenes

In the Museum's Exh ibition Department. where exh ibits are prepa red for display to the public. Above: The prepara tors' wdio. where taxidermy. articu la tion. painting, mod elling and mock-up work are carried out. Be low: In the artists' st udio exhibits are desi gned and drawn and their layouts prepared, labels a re d raughtcd and murals are painted.

I TWZ.--~EU--~--·- ~ •

I

December, 1962 Page 12 1 A n exped itio n. in which a n Austra lian Museum scientist tool- pan. o n Lake M urray in the Fly River a rea o f Papua. [Photo: Fra nl- H urley.]

FIELD EXPEDITIONS

By H. O. FLETCHER

T HE natio nal coll ectio ns o f the Au - there a rc few places into which they have tralian Museum include vast serie o f not penetrated a nd returned with large and natural histo ry. geological and a nthro po ­ importa nt collectio n . including many forms logical specimen . These at present to tal new to science. almost two million in number. They have M uscum collecting is to -day mad e com­ been assembled during the past and present pa rati vely easy as a result of the use of century, a nd are being continually added to aero planes. helicopters, four-wheel-drive as g ift , purchase and exchanges fro m o ther vehicles and radio communication. In the n'uscums. In additio n. many specimens a re past. however. the histo ry of fi eld exped ­ o bta ined as the result of field collecting itio ns and of individual collecto r has been expeditio ns. Field expeditio ns are an impo rt­ o ne of adventure, courage. hard to il a nd ant and e ential part of a mu eum's acti v­ hazard even to life to bring back pcci mens it ies. These a rc planned as visits to a reas which have made it possible to reach o ur o f pa rticul ar intere!:. l. where the specimen present knowledge o f the plant and a nimals coll ected will no t o nly add to the study of the world . Even on the earl y voyages va lue of the national collectio ns of the Mus­ of discovery. scientist usua lly accompanied eum but will. at the same time. enabl e mem­ the expeditions a nd endured a ll the accom­ bers o f the scie ntific sta ff to stud particula r panying hard hi p . This enabled la rge col­ a nimal groups in thei r natura l enviro nment. lectio ns to be mad e. When Sir J oscph Ba nks Every part o f the world i a po tentia l accompanied Capta in Cook o n hi fi r t voy­ treasure ho u e fo r Museum collector and age a ro und the world. he returned with

Page 122 Australian atural H islory One intrepid collector. travelling o n foot and by canoe thro ugh what was at that time " unknown' ' Africa. bro ught back tho usands of specimens of mammals and birds, incl ud­ ing 60 new species. It was dur ing this o ne­ ma n fi eld expeditio n tha t the gorilla was discovered in -West Afri can fo rests, but the collector's vivid reports on this creature were fo r a lo ng time disbelieved. A llan Hume. a devoted coll ecto r and observer of birds. gathered together in lndia , about the time of the Indian Mutiny, a collectio n of 80.000 birds a nd eggs a nd 400 mammals which he later presented to the British Mus­ eum. Other notable coll ecti o ns incl ude the Pascoe Coll ectio n of 49,000 beetles ; the Ja mes Stephens Collecti on of 90,000 British insects: 275,000 centipedes a nd millipedes from G uatema la ; 50.000 birds from the Arctic and the tropics, and 50.000 fo ram­ inifera (single-cell ed protozoans visible o nl y under the microscope). Mo re tha n a cen­ tury ago a fa mo us coll ector named Hugh C uming spent almost the whole of his life in coll ecting shell s a long coasts of the Pac­ ific a nd the Philippine islands. His coll ec­ tio n is still considered to be the la rgest and most im portant ever gathered . lt was later purchased by the British Museum fo r £6.000, and sti ll forms the ma in basis of its huge collection of shells. The planning of fi eld expeditions by the Australia n Museum is determined la rgely by the fin a nce made available for this p urpose. With o nl y limited fu nds it is impossible to o rga nize la rge expeditio ns to cover wide a reas of co untry and to rema in in the fi eld fo r any considerable length of time. On occasio ns. however, public-spirited men have provided fin ance fo r fai rly la rge-scale expeditio ns. One of these was the Au tral­ ian Museum Expedition to no rth-west Aus­ tralia in J 952. This expeditio n was o rgan­ An A ustralian M u eum expedition in the ized fo r genera l collecting and also to visit Northern T erritory met with this sign-post a nd collect fossil s of Permian geological age (and bottle!) on the road between Tana mi and fro m a li ttle-known geological ho rizon near Gordon Downs. the Po rt Keats Missio n a bo ut 135 miles south of Darwin . A pa rty of fi ve, travelling mo re than 20.000 species of plants. The e in two vehi cles, traversed central Aus­ are still preserved in the coll ection of the tra li a, the Northern Territo ry. north-west Briti sh Museum of Natural H istory. Austra li a and Queensla nd. covering mo re The a mazing size of some of the collec­ th an 12.000 miles during the jo urney. tions of natural-history specimens made Ma ny natu ra l-histo ry specimens, including almost a century ago a nd acquired by the species of rare mammals, were co llected , British Museum is of conside rable interest. together with a large series of mari ne fossils

Decemher, 1962 Page 123 Above: Australi an Museum ~cie n tist~. watched by by~ t a n ­ der , co ll ectin~ speci­ mens o f ma nne life between tidemark ~ at Shell harbour. New outh Wa le ~. Right : An Aus trali an M u - eum expedition's camp in a Queensla nd coas- tal forest.

fro m Po rt Keats. This a rea is accessible Queen land coa t. la t October. This wa o nl y by sailing lugger o r aeroplane, and it financed by a leading Sydney busine s firm. was nece ary fo r the exped ition to cha rter David Jones Ltd. These reefs. which have a pla ne so that members could be fl own in never previo u ly been visited by scientist . a nd later picked up with their collecti ons. are situated on the o uter Great Barrier Reef. Numero us colo ur photographs were taken They a re therefo re free fro m continenta l and a considerable footage of film exposed sed imentation a nd. consequently. subject to o n vario us aspects o f the expedition· work: true oceanic conditio ns. Collectio ns of later a 30-minute film. in sound and colour, marine life were made and individual peci­ was p rod uced and <' d ded to the Museum's men were pho tographed in colo ur, as far as film Ii bra ry. possibl e in their natural environment, and deep-sea photography and skin-diving were Expedition to Swain Reefs undertaken with a ir-ta nks. lt is planned to An Australian Museum expeditio n vi ited reco nstruct a oortion o f a cora l-reef in a Swain Reefs. situated approximately 150 Mu eum galle-ry. using information and miles no rth-cast o f Glad tone. o n the pcc1men obtained by the expeditio n.

Pal!e 124 Australian m ural H i~ton· Apart fro m , uch large field expeditions, Ma ny localitie in central Australia a nd much fi eld wo rk is done by parties of two the Northe rn Territory have been visited o r three. and even by individual cientists, in past years by a number of Museum field who n:ay travel to selected area to prose­ expeditions. As a result the collections have cute a research project. Fo r example. in been enriched by large eries of specimen . oder to complete a study of bird speci­ which represent interesting and character­ ation. a Museum biolo.5ist visited many istic types fo und only in the interio r of Aus­ parts of Australia to investigate the natural tralia. At the same time the general ecology barrier which tend to isolate bird popu­ of this vast a rea was studied, particularly lation an:l enable peciatio n to take place. in regard to the reptilia n fa una. and many In the furtherance of this project vi it- were basic facto rs governing the di tributio n a nd made to centra l Queensla nd, Bass Strait radiatio n of de ert pecies of reptiles have Isla nds. the Kimberleys. coastal No rthern been recorded. Some of the mo re important Territo ry. no rth Queensland, Victo ria. cen­ a nd better known local itie where collections tral Australia, south-eastern So uth Aus­ have been made include the Musgrave tralia. western cw So uth Wale . incl uding Ranges, Mt. Conno r, Mt. Olga, Ayer' the mallee regions. o uth-western Australia Rock. the McDonnell Range . Coniston and the Ba rlee Range in mid-western Aus­ Statio n, The G ranites and Tana mi gold­ tralia. During these expeditions specimens fie ld s. and the Barclay Tablela nd. On these were collected and at the same time distrib­ expeditions it has been fo und that the Abo­ utio na l limits of bird species. their degree rigines can materi ally assist in the collectio n of attachment to particular habitats. and of mall reotile and mammal . but at time aspects of their sea onal movements were the results may be disappointing. One studied . repuL d hunter. o n his return fro m a clay's search and after covering ma ny mile of country, very proudly handed over a. hi Sucking Bugs contribution a small bird's nest containing two eggs. On another occasio n a Museum scientist made visits to New Caledonia and Lord The Cape Yo rk Peninsul a has al o been Howe I land to determine the possible dis­ vi ited by a Museum expeditio n, whi ch tributio n of an interesting gro up of primitive travelled as fa r north as Coen district. The suckinp, bugs known as the Peloridiidae. material co ll ected Oil that occasion included These in secis. which li ve in saturated moss. 2.000 insects. of which several were new have been recorded fro m Chile. New Zea­ to cience. In additio n. many new record la nd. T asmania and certain other localities fo r the are3. were obtained. The mammal on the Australi an mainland. uch as the obtained co:nprised some 20 species. includ­ Macpherson Ra nges, where remnants of ing specimens of marsupial mice no t pre­ the cold. wet southern fauna and llo ra per­ vio usly rep re en led in the Mu eum co llect­ sist. The e sucking bugs cannot fl y. as they ion and, as well , an intere ting serie of lack hind-wings. and they provide a link fo rest-l iving ro:lent . in the chain of evidence which uggests that at o ne time the southern continents. includ­ Collections Of Marine Life ing Antarctica, were joined to each other. A search for the insects in New Caledonia During fi eld expeditions to va ri o us pa rt proved unsuccessful. but o n Lord Howe of the eastern coast of Australia. large col­ Island. where more than 30 yea r ago a lecti ons of ma rine life have been o btained. single immature specimen had ·been found, O n these occasio ns Museum scientist have they were located o n the to p of Mo unt carried o ut ecological studies to determine Gower. 1. 800 ft. above sea-level. The the facto rs governing the zonation of inter­ specimens coll ected, comprising two species tidal o rganisms. new to science. furnished im portant con­ Sometimes Museum scienti t have been clusio n bearing on the orobable former invited to accompany urvey ships of the a sociation of Lo rd Howe Island with o ther Royal Australian avy on cruise to the land a reas. Great Barrier Reef and o utlyi ng reefs a nd

D ecem i>er, 1962 Page 125 cays. and collectors have also made regula r fa unas and, on o ne occasion. cientists trips o n trawlers to various fi shing g ro unds we re ma rooned o n Heard J land for eight off the ew So uth Wa le and Victorian days because of gale-strength winds which coa t . The specimen obtai ned have in­ forced the shi o from her anchorage and into creased o ur knowledge of the deeper-water the afety of -the o pen sea. ma rine fauna. The specimens obtai ned on expeditio ns Field expeditio ns have also been carried such a -this are usually kept intact as a o ut ·in New G uinea. One staff member single official collection. Later the material pent a total of six mo nth in the field is critically examined a nd sorted into animal during two vi its to the isla nd to complete g roups, and these are sent to special ists fo r a tudv of freshwater mollusca of Aus­ study. The result of their research are pub­ tralia a·nd New Guinea. He visited 3 1 local­ li shed in pecial scientific report. of the ities in va rio us parts of bo th Austra lian expedition concerned and in many cases and Dutch New Guinea and returned wi th the e fill numero us volumes. a comprehensive collection of pccimens. The e had been obtained only after much Simpson Desert Expedition arduous and. at times, hazardo u work. Travel wa by plane. ''jeep" a nd canoe, One Museum cientist wa cho en as and o n foot into the surro unding mo untains, second-in-comma nd of the Simp on Desert ra in-fo rest and jungles. Expcd ition. which. in 1939, under the lead­ er hip of the late Dr. C. T. Madigan. spent Antarctic Expedition three month in the field and wa the first party to succes fully cross the Simpson Sometime member of the cientific staff Desert. Camels were u ed for ridi ng and are invited to accompany a nd take an acti ve the transport of equipment during the 427 part in private and officially organi7ed col­ mile crossing of the de ert to Bird villc lecting expeditions. One, fo r example. was and the 400 mile return journey through selected to accompany the British. Aus­ the Lake Eyre country to Marree in So uth tralian and ew Zealand Antarctic Re earch Austra lia. The Simp on Desert largely Expedition. which. during the years 1929 occupie the south-eastern corner of the to 193 I, visited the A ntarctic Continent Northern T errito ry. but a lso extends east­ and many sub-antarctic isla nds under the wa rd into the south-western corner of leadership of the late Sir Douglas Maw o n. Q ueensland and o uth into South Au tralia Although the work of thi expeditio n was as far as northern Lake Eyre. The de ert primarily one of explo ration. its programme is famed for its fixed and high and-dunes of . cientific work was a large and a mbit­ ( many more th an I 00 ft. in h~ ight) extend­ io us o ne. Oceanographi cal work was car­ ing in a more o r le no rth and o uth direc­ ried o ut regul a rly whi le at sea and d uring tion for about 200 miles. In the course of the working of stations many fa ci nating the expedition 754 andridges. spaced about fo rms of ma rine life were obtained from fou r to the mile. were crossed. the ocean depths and fro m varying levels to the surface. Dredgings of the sea-noo r. During the expeditio n it wa found that carried o ut in shallower waters but occas­ the desert fa una was restricted in number iona lly at considerable depth s. produced and variety. Nevertheless. the specimens tons of material which was sorted. tentat­ collected later proved to be of considerable ively clas ified, pre erved and packed. interest. Difficulty was experienced in col­ Fo llowing the dredgings and the working of lecting the smaller type of mammals which oceanographical station the cientists of the at night emerge from their underground expedition worked a many as 16 ho urs a ne t and frequent the crest of the sand­ day to complete the sorting of the speci­ d une . Numero us traps were et. but when mens and be ready for the next catch. caug ht the mammals were quickly removed Landings were made on Kerguelen. Heard. by dingoes which thro ugh the day con­ Macquarie and Crozct Islands to collect stantly followed the camel train in packs reprc entatives of the interesting i land and at night surro unded the camp.

Paf!.e 126 A 1/Jira/ian a111ral Hi.uon· A de criptivc display in the new mammal gallery which shows the main groups of Australian ma mmals and the history of their arrival in this country. On the right. a furth::r display illustrates the biology of the monotremes and compares the l1fe-historie of mar upial a nd placental mammals. BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS Reorganization of the Museum's Mammal Galleries By 8. J. MARLOW

THE mental image that was normally At last the a ntiquated type of museum. evoked in the past by the word with its dull exhibits and unimaginative "museum" . was. for the general p ublic, display techniques. is being replaced by a rather dark musty place in which it was the modern museum with its bright a nd possible to kill an ho ur o r so o n a wet attracti ve exhibitio n halls. Sunday afternoo n. Such a transformatio n is occuring at the As may be seen fro m modern ad vertising. Australian Museum. whe re the mammal gal­ the art of selling ha become " big business" lery has recently undergone extensive reno­ in which attracti ve and up-to-date materi als vation. and methods arc employed. Museums througho ut the world are beginning to ap­ preciate the need for this modern approach F unctio ns Of A Museum Of Natural which will attract customers, fo r museums. History too. have a commo dity to sell. or rather The work that i carried out in a mu - to give, to the public. This commodity i eum of natural histo ry in volves educatio n in Education. its broad est en e. and may be considered

Decem ber, 1962 Page 127 under three ma in headings-Di play, Col­ D ioramas po rtray a mo unted animal or lectio n and Research. The function and series o f animals exhibited in a natural set­ method o f modern display a re the main ting. Such exhibit are aesthetically plea - subject of this article. and will be dealt with ing. but impart relati vely little information in greate r detail later. There are in mus­ about the animal apart fro m indicating its eu ms. in additio n to the specimen o n view habitat. All additio nal info rmation has to to the general public, large reference col­ be inco rporated in a label. Dio ra mas are lectio ns which arc available to students fo r costly both in materials and time taken for study. At the same time. research into var­ insta llation. so that they pos e a n element io us pro blems is carried o ut both by the of perma nence which is no t always desir­ ta!f and by visiting cientists. able. Systematic exhibits show a series of re­ The A ims Of Museum Display lated a nimals to indicate the variations in Any attempts that are made to learn a structure wh ich may exist between the m. new subject will be rendered either impos­ Ln fo rmer times. the specimen were crowded sible o r extremely irk o me unless an initial closely together in unlit cases. while the stimulation of intere t has been achieved. expl anatory labels were lo ng. technical and lt is in thi field that the main educationa l in small print. Attempts were o ft en made qualities o f the public galleries of a mus­ to exhibit every species within the group eum lie. fo r it is there that the first interest o n display. The modern trend is a drastic in natura l history may be awakened. Once reduction in the number o f pecimen this tagc has been pa cd, the galleries shown. combined with the u e of large fulfil their second function. that of impart­ cleu la bels and bright colo ur and lighting. ing info rmatio n o n the subject to the visito r. Additional info rmatio n o n the specimens Once again , the initia l interest must be may oft en be given by the use of distrib­ mainta in ed at thi stage. so that fact must utio n maps and ha bitat photographs. A again be presented in a stimulating manner. comparison o f the o ld and new types of The visual impact o f a specimen in a mu - display in the mammal gallery of the Aus­ eum will frequently upplement info rmatio n tralian Museum i shown in the photograph o btained fro m other o urccs. such a text­ o n the next page. books. while the nature o f the coll ectio ns permits the exhibiti o n o f specimen which In recent times there has been a n increas­ are no t read ily available in other education­ ing use o f d escriptive exhibit in the gal­ al in titutio ns. lc rie o f natural hi to ry museum . In thee exhibits many fa cinating a pects of bio l­ Specimen in a museum gallery may thus ogy a re portrayed with the u e of models. invo lve the who le pectrum of ed ucatio n pho tographs and specimens. so that a better fro m the stimulation o f initial interest to understanding o f general bi o l o~ ical prin­ advanced studies a t uni versity. U nder these ciples may be obta ined . Such displays can circumsta nces. it i im perati ve that the d is­ ranee fro m a discus ion o f the major diag­ play be arra nged so that they will a ppea l no t ic features o f mammals to a compari o n to visito rs in all categories; they must not o f the life histo ries of ma rsupia ls a nd plac­ be too technical for the untra ined visito r, ental mammals. Like the systema tic exhibit. no r so elementary that they lack appeal fo r descriptive displays teach a great deal more students at unive r ity level. The ubject about the bio logy of animals a nd do no t ma tter of la bels must al o be adjusted to have the element o f cost a nd pcrmanance confo rm to the degree of knowledge and tha t is so characteristic of dio ra mas. age-level of the visitor. and care mu t be taken that a bstentio n fro m technical term does not introduce ambiguity or erro r. M ethods Of Modern Display A great many people on the Mu eum Types O f M useu m Display staff a re involved in the productio n o f Museum d isplays may be classified into attractive modern display . and it is only the fo llowing categoric : Dio ramas. yste m­ thro ugh continuo u co-operation a nd li aison atic exhibits and d escri ptive exhibits. between them that good display can be

Pal(e 128 Australian llfural H iuory Right : In this modern systematic display in the new mammal gallery th:: specimen are widely spaced and the expla na­ tory labels are large and clear. An additio nal technique is the use of .1 map in the background showing where the ani­ mal occur. Below: The o ld-fashioned type of display. in which sp::ci­ mens were crowded to­ gether in unlit cases. In this past scene in the mammal gall ery the cases were too clo e to­ gether and the descrip­ tive labels were small and difficult to read.

Dcce111 ber, J 962 Pal(e 129 achieved . Included a mo ng them are artifi­ Special Problems In Mammal Display cers, who a re concerned with the carpentry and painting of backgro unds in show-cases, When compared with display of othe r prepara to rs. who mo unt specimens, artists groups of animals. certa in pro blems which and modellers. photographers. ticket-writers a re peculiar to ma mmal display require who prepare labels. and many o thers. Once special considerati on. The larl!e i7e of a particular display has been selected. the many mammal makes their preparation as curator of the group concerned explain to mo unted specimens a matter of ome diffi­ the designer the type of information that he culty a nd co t. In addition, these large wishes to po rtray, and a discussion en ues mammals require a great deal of room in regarding the most effective way of pres­ the gallery a nd in storage space once they enting it. Pl ans are then drawn uo a nd sub­ have been wi thdrawn from exhibition. As far as Australia is concerned. an additiona l m~tt ed to the Director fo r approval. Once thts has been o btained. install rttion of the pro blem of avail ability of specimens also new exhibit begins. The designer supervises presents it elf. Here. many pecies of native the work of the many technicians in volved mammal are now extremely rare and peci­ and controls the develo pment of the whole ~lens fo r the galleries are often difficult to project. The labels are composed by the obtai n. Similarly. Australia's unique mam­ curator and are ubmitted to the Educatio n mal fauna lack many o rders of placental Officer for comment. Thro ughout the con­ mammal which a re q uite common o versea . structio n of the exhibit. close liai. on is and these can only be obtained by exchange effected between the desi!!n er a nd curator · with o ther institutions abroad . Such speci­ this i essential fo r uccessful display. • mens are needed urgently to complete the

- This mod.crn descriptive display i.n the new mammal gallery explains the comergence o f marsupials and placental mammals by means of mounted pecimens in stylized habit a t ~.

Page 130 /.: ~: : . · . 1·:.1.'1 i!.::.tr:t! 1/isJOry over-a ll picture of the scope and ra nge o f show the remarkable convergence that has the who le class o f mamma ls. occured between these two gro u ps. A d ior­ The problems of large size and lack of ama which d epicts Common Wo mbats in specimens d escribed above are not easy to their natural habitat has been retained from overco me, but they can at times be solved the o ld display. by the use of models o r fi gures. While it The rema ind er o f the new mammal gal­ is appreciated tha t members of the p ublic le ry is concerned with di play of the p lac­ may wish to see a mo unted specimen o f ental mammals o f Australia. ln o ne of these the real a nima l. this is not always possible. exhibits. a systematic acco unt is given of and occasio nally models are used instead. the rodents a nd bats of Austra lia, while lt frequently happens that a well construc­ the marine mammals. such as seals. whales ted mo del of a n animal has a mo re pleasing and d ugongs, a re illustrated with models. a ppearance than a decrepit mo unted speci­ Fina ll y. a descriptive exhibit o n whales and men that cannot be replaced. Wherever po - wha ling has been in tailed, which contains iblc. mounted specimens a re used in the excellent scale models of wha les a nd also galleries. a large mod el o f a pelagic factory ship engaged in commercial whaling. The New Australian Mammal Gallery The new A ustra li a n mamma l gallery a t Plans For The Future the Museum combines all the majo r ty pes o f di play which have been considered above. Altho ugh much work has already been The introductory exhibits are in the fo rm do ne in the reo rganization of the Australian of a serie of de criptive displays in which mammal gallery in the o ld wing of the Mus­ several topics o f mamma li an biology a re e um, it is hoped that it will be possible to d iscus ed. The first pa nel shows the ma jo r install further exhibits in one o f the galleries feature of mammals and compares them in the new wing. lt is envisaged that these wi th reptiles. the class of vertebrates from new exhibits will include descriptive dis­ which mammals evolved. The visito r is then plays. o ne of which will d eal wit h adapta­ shown examples of the o rders of living tio ns in mammals and other organisms to mammals. and thi s classifi catio n is combined life in a va riety o f habitats. The techniques wi th an evolutio na ry hi tory of the class. which will be in volved here will be a com­ A serie of models then depicts the o rders binatio n of sty li zed dio ra ma and no rma l of mammals which arc fo und in A ustralia, descri ptive display. while the hi tory of their arrival and iso­ The pro ble m of a systemati c account of latio n here is discussed with the use of the ma mmals in other parts of the world large model glo bes. There a re two theories will be solved by the introductio n of an concerning the arrival o f marsupi als in Aus­ exhibit which will ill ustrate the geographical tralia, and both of these are pre ented . T he distribution of ma mmals o n a co m parative mono trcmcs o r primitive egg-laying mam­ basis. lt will thus be possible to compare ma ls, such as the Platypus a nd Spiny Ant­ the ma mmals of Africa with tho e of the eate rs. a re displayed in an exhibit which Orient. and a lso those of North America combines features of both a systemati c and wit h those o f no rthern Eu ra ia. since their descriptive type, since a n acco unt is given fa unas have much in commo n. Other COLill­ of the majo r characteristics o f the o rder, tries. such as South America and Mad a­ while . at the same time. info rmatio n i given gascar, which d o not make for easy zoo­ a bo ut the appearance and biology o f these geographic comparison, wi ll be dealt wi th species. separately. In this way. it will be possible Much space in the gallery i devoted to to show visito rs the va riety o f ma mmals the marsupia ls. which are the major clement which exists overseas, a nd. at the a mc in the Austra lian ma mmal fa una, and. in time, to introd uce them to the fascinating addition to a systematic display o f the subject o f zoogeography, which is o f great ord er. there a re also d escri ptive exhibits evolutio nary significance. Displays d ealing whic h compare the li fe hi sto ries of marsup­ with the vital subjects of ecology and con­ ia ls and placental ma mma ls a nd which servation will a lso be p repared.

December, 1962 Page 131 In this present technologica l age. it is appreciate the e principles and begin to essential that everyone who would con­ conserve the dwindling natura l re o urces side r that he has had a reasonable educatio n of this planet and to L7se them wisely. the sho uld have a working knowledge of the future existence of humanity. whose num­ va rio us disciplines of science. Thi applies bers arc increasing a t an a larming rate. particularly to biology. since we o urselves wi ll be precario u indeed. The g reatest a rc livi ng o rgani ms. Perhap the two mo t threat to the continued survival of man on important asoccts of biology that can be thi p lanet is. paradoxically. the numbe rs learnt in a museum of natural hi tory are of ma n him elf. the intcr-relation!> hip of a ll living o rgani ms thro ug h the process of evolutio n. a nd the If. throug h the gallerie of thi Mu eum. complex inter-dependance tha t o rganisms thi most important lesson can be learnt have. o ne fo r ano ther. thro ugh the prin­ befo re it is too late. the work that .vas ciples of ecology. !Jnles humans learn to involved wi ll not have been in vain.

OBITUA RY- f!VILLIAM BAR ES A 90-ycar peri od of service to the Aus­ bamesi) were named in honour of Wi llia m tra li an Museum by members of o ne fa mily Barncs. wa ended by the death of William Barnc There wa a tradition that " there will in Califo rnia. U.S.A .. at the age of 76, on a lways be a Barnes at the Au tralian September 30. 1962. ~ Mu eum". It began in 1860, when Henry William Ba rnes was a ppointed to the Barne wa appointed to the Museum taff: Museum's statf o n February 11. 1907. and he was a rticulato r. modeller a nd photo­ became an attenda nt ; he was transferred to grapher until 1897. His brother. Ro bert. the taxidermy department in 1922. was appointed in 1866; he was a rtificer. carpenter and smith. and he died in 1906. A man of warm persona lity. " Billy"' Henry Barnes. J nr.. who joined the taff in Ba rnes had a great interc t in the social side 1878. took over hi late father's duties in of staff affair . He loved his work. in the 1897: he died in 1913. A cou in of Henry old craftsman tyle. whether it wa mo unt­ Barne . Jnr.. Mr. Arthur Barnes. a la bo urer ing pecimens, making cases for them o r in 1897. became First Attenda nt. and combating such museum enemie a mould. retired in October. 1926. A po rtra it of dust a nd decay. and he had a fl air fo r put­ him. seated besi de a Diprotodon skeleto n. ting them away in orderly fashio n. whether appeared in the Australian Museum Maga­ skins. birds' eggs o r bottles of fi she . A :ine, October-December. 1924. page 114. po rtrait of him. ho lding an eel. appeared in A second cousin of Arthur Ba rnes, Miss the June I, A ustra/ian Museum Maga:ine. Grace Barne , wa Wo ma n Attendant in 1946. page 63. the 1920's a nd 1930' and si ter of the sub­ William Barncs· enthusia m was com­ ject of this notice. Willia m R . Ba rne . who municated to coll ector who visi ted the retired in Ja nuary, 1950. a nd went to li ve Museum: fo r example, hi friendship with in Sa nta Mo nica. Califo rnia. not far fro m Captain cd Blood resulted in o ur receiv­ where his o n a nd grandson li ve at Bel Air. ing some fine collecti o ns from almost unex­ Ho llywood. plo red regio ns of ew Guinea. The Au tnllian Museum owe much to A Bird of Pa radise (Astrarchia bamesi) the patient work over the years of William and a deep- ea Lantern Fish (Gonichthys Barne and his fo rerunner .-G.P.W.

Pape 132 rlustralian mural 1-1 i.1ton• Part of the Museum Library's reading room. sho"ing a display rack for current i ues of periodicals. The libra ry is regarded as the best natural-history library in Australia. 1t contains 40.000 volume and a great number of unbound periodicals. It is consta ntly used b y the staff of the Mu eum and students. and books a re sent on loan to research workers in other parts of Australia.

NOTES AND NEWS FILMS AT THE MUSE M Australian ant fauna, referred to the Mu se um ·~ atural history films. mostly in colour. will be ant collection in connection with h is work. and screened for ch ildren. parents and teachers in the Dr. B. Moore. of the C.S. I.R .O.. Canberr:.l, Hallstrom Theatre at the Museum at 2.30 p.m. referred to our collection of Carabid beetles. on week-days from J anuary 7 to January 25. D r. Moore is undertal--ing revisionary work of the Each programme will la t about 30 minutes. Australian membe rs of this large beetle family. Admi~s i c n will be free. Subjects of the films will a nd wa<, particularly intere ted in tud} ing some include: sea•hells. the piny Ant-eater. the Black of our o lder type specimens. Swan. the da nces of the Brolga. insect-collecting. JAPANESE VISITOR a nimals and plant in northern Canada. the life Professor ltiro Tomiyama. Director of the o f the Aborigines in central Australia. Aboriginal MisaJ..i Marine Biol ogical Station. Japan. vi sited cave paintings in western New South Wales. native the Australian Mu ~e um in Augu t. He had village life in the Pacific Island , the locomotion previo usly spent ome time in Sarawak classifying of snakes. camounage in nature. fishes and came to ydney to examine certain INSECT COLLECTIONS Au'lra!ian and Indian fi he for comparison. During A. .Z.A.A.S. Congress weel... 1962. SHARK ATTACKS several visiting entomologist took the opportun­ Dr. Perry Gilbert. Professor of Zoology. Cornell ity to come to the Australian Museum's Entomo­ U ni versity. and C hairman of the Un ited State;, logy Department to look at the coll ections. the Shark Research Panel. visited the Australi an new insect storage cabinet and the expanding Museum in August a nd showed a coloured fi lm collection of spirit-pre erved material. Mr. L. and lides to ill ustrate his lecture o n ·'Shark Koch. Curator o f Insects at the Western Au - Attads and Shark Repellents" in the Hallstrom tralian Museum. was interested in the collection Theatre. The lecture was given under the auspices arra n ge ment ~. Mr. R. T aylor. who is at present of the Post-Graduate Medical Foundation working at Harvard Un iversity. U.S.A .. on the Uni versity of Sydney.

Decem her, I 962 Page 133 chool-child ren Sue a nd Mar!. Turner studying a live lizard in the Museum· C hild ren·, Rcorr.. \\ h ich. durin~ chool vacations. provide special facilities for tho c interested in natural history.

EDUCATION SERVICES

By J>ATRICI A ~ 1. McDONALD

W H IL E the education services o rga nized that visitors will gain some understand ing at the Australian Muse um are many o f o ur uniq ue fa una and that this wi ll stim­ and varied. they are all based o n. a nd ulate a mo re intelligent appreciation o f its directed by. fundamental educatio nal a ims. scientific and intrin ic worth a nd the neces­ The first o f the e is to create interest in the sity fo r its con c rvation. subject matter being studied. eithe r to The Museum exhibits arc threaded to ­ awaken a new interest in the mind of the gether by the unde rlying theme of the evol­ visito r o r to develop an already present utio;, of a ll li vi ng thing . fro m the first inclination into fresh and fruitful channel . beginning of life to the complexitic o f Leading from this creation o f interest, it i the later fo rms. Thro ug h its education pro­ hoped. will come not o nly a n increase in gramme. the Museum hopes that this evol­ factual knowledge u eful to the stude nt. utionary concept of life will be under tood but also a o urce of enjoyment for leisure­ and accepted by its visito r . thus giving Lime activitic bo th now and in later life . them a better under t:mding of man's place A s t:1is Museum i. primarily concerned in the natural world and hi re. ponsibilities wi th Australian natural hi sto ry. it is hoped toward a ll li ving things.

Australian 'lllural History Gro up · fro m ma ny different sectio ns of tio n sheets. which are d esigned to d irect the community arc catered for by the Mus­ their attentio n to the mo re impo rtant and eum education services-not o nl y schools. relevant exhibits. After correction. these but adult gro up . teachers' coll ege!. and uni­ sheets arc retained by the pupils a nd pro­ versity students. Scouts a nd Guide!.. play­ vide bo th a permanent record of the visit centre a nd many o th ers. However. as o ne and a basis fo r fo llow-up work would expect. the greate r number come from So me classes make regular monthly the p rimary a nd eco ndary schools. visits. each fo llowing their own individual Trained education staff are available to programme. whi ch i correlated by the as i t teacher and pupil and this assistance teachers with their no rmal cl as work . begin with advance planning of the visit. Others make a crie of two or three visi ts. T eacher a rc advised that previo u exper­ o r perha ps o nce in each of the three school ience has shown it is best to have o me terms. Where possible. the Museum eel uca­ specific purpose in visiting the Museum, tion staff take cla ·ses in the field ; these field uch a o me particula r topic to be stud ied excursio ns are usua lly associated wi th a or a problem to be solved ari ing o ut of p reparato ry vi it to the 1u cum. their class work. Such o bjective crvc to Vi it by educatio n staff to chools are focu the attention o f the pupils. thus mak­ ab o made. but unfo rtunately lack o f time ing thei r visit more interesting and info rm­ prevents many visits of this kind Thi is ative tha n merely touring the galleries in regrettable not o nl y because the M useum aimle s fashio n. canno t provide a service o f this nature. but During uch a p lanned visit. the pupil s also bccau c it is a n opportunity lost to u ually begi n in the Ha ll stro m Theatre, mai nta in closer contact wi th actual condit­ where specimen relating to their chosen io n within the classroom. T he mo re the topic arc avai la ble fo r study and handling. Mu eum knows of teachers' needs the better. Di cu ion a ri ing fro m these may be illus­ the ch:1nce of providing adcq uatc services trated by fi lms a nd then fo llowed by a visit fo r them. to the appropriate gallery. Here the pupils A specia l effort is made in the case o f may pursue further the points rai ed in the teachers' colleges. where lectures o n the discussion. find the answers to their o rig­ use o f the educatio nal services are given ina l problem o r be given mo re fo rmal ques- to g rad ua ting students. It is felt that the e

Young and old a like enjoy the natura l-history films for children hown a t the Museum. Free sc reening~ are held o n week-days during ~c h ool holiday .

D ecember, 1962 Page 135 Vi;it; to the M useum 10 s wdy venom ous animals a re a regular part o f the tra ining cour;e for me n of the cw outh W ale Ambulance T ransport . e n ice.

lecture not only acquaint future teachers varied. the po licy adopted when choosing with what is ava ilable for them at the Mus­ films i to correlate. a fa r a po sible, the eum, but wi ll also enable them to make ubject matter o f the film witn the exhi b­ more intelligent u e o f the service its in the Mu c um galleries. In this way the Loan Collection :llldicnce. having seen the film . may fo llow thi up with a study of the actual pecimens. Bccau e of the la rge size o f the State of ew So uth Wale and the difficultie. of Before inclu!.ion in a programme. a ll transpo rt within the city of Sydney itself. film a re p reviewed to a certain their it is o bvious that the majority of schools c:entific accuracy a nd technical standard canno t visit the Museum to take part in and, above all. their appeal to child ren. these ola nned vi its. Fo r this reason, a loan The uccess o f this procedure is evid enced coll ecti on o f specimen a nd photograph ha by the large number o f both children and been as cmbled and the e are avail:lble free adults who attend and. further. by tho e to chools fo r period up to three weeks. who return year aft er year. Wh ile the collectio n is very small at present. A more recent vacation service is the it is anticipated that additional firnnce and openin!5 of the C hildren's Ro om. In this staff will be p rovided to enlarge this mo;t room some specimens a rc exhibited. par­ imoortalll and ncce sary service. ticularly live exhibits such as li7ard > a nd In ma ny over eas museum . loan collec­ frog . and material for activities such a tio ns have been a popular feature o f their d ra~v ing. painting a nd modell ing are avail­ educ3tion services fo r many years. T he able fo r you n ~ visitors. One of the mo t latest trend is now to orovide sets o f mater­ po pular exhibits was a pair of Abo rig inal ial. so that a teacher may bo rrow a com­ f!r inding stone : the yo un ~~ t e rs could use plete lesson unit com prising specimen . the c to grind eeds into fl o ur. which they photo;naphs. coloured slides. \\all cha rts, very proudly took home wi th them. info rmatio n booklets. etc .. and make these However. the ma in p urpo c o f the roo m visual aids the basis of a lesson. lt i inten­ was envisaged as a meeting place fo r ded that the loan collection here wil l be children already interested in natural hi s­ organi7cd alo ng these lines. to ry. Here. under the g uidance of the During the three lo ng vacations of each Mu eum tatf. a nd u ing the library and school year. free film pro'5ramme for e4uipment provided. they would be encou r­ children are shown in the Ha ll. tro m acted to pursue their intere t in whatever Thc::ltrc. While the content o f the films i directi o n was mo t meaningful to them.

Page 136 Ausrra/ian Natural H i~!ory NEW SOUTH WALES ABORIGINAL PLACE NAMES AND EUPHONIOUS WORDS~ WITH THEIR MEANINGS

Compiled by F . D. lllcCarthy Curator of A nthropology, Australian Museum

PRICE l j 6, POSTED 2/ -

Obtainable from the Australian Museum, College Street, Sydney

r--·-···················~--·······~································ EXPLORING BETWEEN TIDEMARKS an introduction to seashore ecology

Written by E. C. P ope and P. M. McDonald, of the :Mu seum staff, this publication is recommended as a handbook for secondary school and junior year uniYersity studies in biology and zoology. Simple in form and with excell ent illu trations, Exploring Between Tidernarks should also prove a good companion to underwater explorers and fishermen.

Price 4/ - (4j 6d posted)

Obtainable from THE AUST UALIA N ~IUSEUM , College Street, Sydney l ...... ,.,...,..~ ...... __..__ ...... _._...... ,._, The Australian Museum

The Museum is open free, daily, at the following times: Tuesday to Saturday, and public holidays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Mondays, 12 noon to 5 p.m. (during school holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Sundays, 2 to 5 p.m. It is closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

To students and pupils of schools and colleges special facilities for study will be afforded if the Director is previously advised of intended visits. A trained teacher is available for advice and assistance.

Gifts of even the commonest specimens of natural history (if in good condition), and specimens of minerals, fossils, and native handiwork, are always welcome.

The office is open from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4.30 p.m. (Monday to Friday), and visitors applying for information there will receive every attention from the Museum officials.

College St., Hyde Park, Sydney

\\'holly ••t up nnd printed in Austral~> for the proprteto~. The Trustees of the Austrolt•n lluseum. by V. c. X. llLtGIIT, Go,·ernment Printer. s,·dney. X .S.\V .