NEWSLETTER Vol4 No9

BIOLOGY CURATORS GROUP

- ~ NEWSLETTER Vol4 No9

AGM 88

AGM 1988 20.30 Biology Collections - UK Town Hall, Bolton Qpen discussion session Friday, 15 April 1988 Saturday, 16 April 1988

10.00 Assemble and coffee Visits to Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve (Lancashire Trust for Nature Conservation) 10.30 Welcome. Dr John Gray (Chief and Martin Mere (Wildfowl Trust). Museums Officer, Bolton Museum and Art Gallery) Both these sites have visitor centres with interpretive and educational roles. 10.35 Introduction. Steve Garland (BCG Chairman and Senior Keeper, Natural Interest has been expressed by some members History, Bolton Museum in visiting Ainsdale NNR. If you require a permit to collect invertebrates for the 10.45 Non-chemical Pest Control weekend then contact Steve Garland (Bolton Techniques, Geoff Stansfield (0204) 22311 ext 2211) and he will arrange (Lecturer in Museum Studies, access. University of Leicester) For booking details contact Steve Garland, 11.15 Early detection of Insect Pests. Bolton Museum and Art Gallery, Le Mans Dr David Pinniger (MAFF, Slough Crescent, Bolton BL1 1SE. Booking forms Laboratory). Some live insect pests have already been sent out. The fee for the will be available for viewing. day is £.2.00.

12.30 Lunch

13.15 An opportunity to view Bolton Notice of Annual General Meeting - 1988 Museum's natural history collections and aquarium The Annual General Meeting of the Biology Curators' Group will be held at 3.30pm on 14.00 Computer Applications in Museum Friday 15th April at Bolton Civic Hall. Biology. Phil Philips (Liverpool Museum, National Museums on Agenda Merseyside) 1. Apologies 14.45 Desk-top Publishing talk and 2. Minutes of the Annual General Meetings demonstration. Dr David Jackson held on 16th April 1986 at Cambridge, and (Vuman Ltd., Computer Division) 3rd April 1987 at Sheffield 3. Secretary's report 15.30 Tea and AGM 4. Editor's reports 6. Election of officers and committee 16.00 Beetle Down Campaign an 7. Date and place of next meeting introduction. Derek Whiteley (BCG 8. Any other business (any business under Secretary and Assistant Keeper this heading should be notified in Zoology, Sheffield City Musuems) writing to the Honorary Secretary at least four weeks before the meeting). 16.30 Finish Nominations are invited for officers and 19.00 Dinner in the Dido Suite members of the committee.

158 Present posilion: (year of election in 5. Treasurer's Report. Adam Wright brackets) circulated a report on the accounts which was accepted. Prop I Evans, sec J. Mathias. Chairman: Steve Garland Secretary: Derek Whiteley 6. Editor's Report. John Mathias read the Treasurer: A dam Wright Editor's report (to be published in the Membership Secretary: A dam Wrigh t Newsletter), Advertising Officer: Adam Wright Editor: John Mathias 7. Election of Officers and Committee Special Publications Editor: Gordon Reid Committee: Chairman. Tony Irwin had recently resigned. Steve Moran (1986) Steve Garland was elected. Prop J Mathias, Rosina Down (1987) sec Derek Lott. Geoff Hancock 0985) retires Howard Mendel (1986) Secretary. Derek Whiteley was elected. Prop Graham Walley (1985) retires ,John Mathias, sec Steve Garland. Phil Collins (1986) Clem Fisher (1987) Special Publications Officer. Steve Garland Colin Plant (1987) having moved to Chairman, Gordon Reid was elected. Prop Steve Garland, sec John All officers are willing to stand for Mathias. re-election. Treasurer, Adam Wright; Editor, John Mathias; The committee has the power to eo-opt. committee members Geoff Hancock, Graham Present eo-opted members are Di Smith (GCG \Valley, Phil Collins, Howard Mendel and Steve representative), Dave Bolton, Kathy Way and ;>.1oran were willing to stand, and were Geoff Stansfield. re-elected en bloc. G eoff Stansfield has served three years and retires from committee. The committee consists of nine posts of which only eight are presently filled; two members The committee consists of nine posts of which retire at the AGM. four are filled. Three nominations were received: Nominations for officers and committee members must be supported by two members of Clem Fisher - prop Derek Whiteley, sec Steve the Group. Nominations, in writing, should Garland reach the Secretary at least two weeks before Colin Plant - prop Steve Garland, sec Bill Ely the Annual General Meeting. Rosina Down - prop Derek Whiteley, sec Adam Wright Derek Whiteley (BCG Secretary) City Museum, Weston Park, Sheffield SlO 2TP 8. Date and place of next AGl\1. Bolton, 15th April 1988 AGM 87 9. Any other business Reg Harris. John Mathias reported on the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held at recent death of Reg Harris, a founder member Sheffield City Museum, Weston Park, Sheffield of the Group. The AGM wished to express its on Friday 3rd April at 4. OOpm. sadness at Reg's untimely death, and to minute the contribution he made to the Group, 1. Apologies were received from Gordon Reid particularly in the fields of training and and Phil Collins. publication. Rosina Down had attended the funeral on behalf of BCG. 2. Minutes of the 1986 AGM at Cambridge were unavailable for reading. Item deferred to There was no other business and the meeting next AGM. Ex-Secretary to be contacted again. finished at 5.20pm.

3. Chairman's Report. Steve Garland as Derek Whiteley Acting Chairman read a report of the year's ·Secretary activities (to be published in the Newsletter). The report was accepted, Proposed D Whiteley, seconded Rosina Down. NFBR 4. Secretary's Report. Derek Whiteley as Acting Secretary read a report on the National Federation for Biological Recording Committee's activities (to be published in the Newsletter). The report was accepted. The 1988 Annual Meeting will take place at Prop S Garland, sec Adam Wright. the University of Nottingham on Saturday 23rd Discussion followed on the charging policy of April following the two day MDA meeting on the British Museum (Natural History). Prop Computers in Museums. David Mellor, sec Sue Cross that "BCG Committee take steps to canvass the opinion The NFBR meeting will take the form of a of the membership and seek a mandate" series of demonstrations of the use of concerning the BM(NH) charging policy for micro-computers in the recording of species entrance to the museum. Carried by a and site records, followed by the Annual majority vote. General Meeting.

159 The report of the Biological Recording history, types etc. Working Party of the Linnean Society was Collecting policies: legal aspects, approved for publication by the Linnean relationship to display programmes Society Council in January. It is hoped etc. that it will be possible to distribute the lunchtime Course finishes report to County Trusts, Local Authority Departments and other interested bodies. A further note on the Curatorial Course from the Secretary, Derek Whiteley. Lose hill Hall has now been booked for the period of the Curatorial Course. course. The programme, outlined above, is now being finalised and will be given in full Natural Sciences Curatorial Course in the next Newsletter. Losehill Hall, Derbyshire 17th to 21st October 1988 The cost will be £150 and this will cover Organised jointly by BCG and GCG food, accommodation, tuition and transport by minibus to neighbouring museums. We have Provisional programme tried to keep the costs to a minimum. Although the course failed to attract grant Monday 17th: aid it is still cheaper than the first pm Registration curatorial course organised by BCG two years Introduction or so ago in Leicester. It should be good Brief history, functions, value for money! organisation and current trends in Natural Sciences in museums Queries on the course content should be sent evening Collections Research: sources/ to Steve Moran, Inverness Museum and Art importance Gallery, Castle Wynd, Inverness, IV2 3ED. Tel: 0463 - 237114. Tuesday 18th: am Study visit to Rotherham Museum Bookings can now be accepted with a deposit Running a Museum based records centre of £30.00, cheques made payable to 'Biology Collection, preservation and storage Curators Group'. Send your name, address, of invertebrates telephone number and any special requirements pm Study visit to Sheffield Museum you may have regarding the accommodation New displays (diet etc.), and deposit to Derek Whiteley Treatment and preservation of (BCG Secretary), City Museum, Sheffield material for exhibition purposes S10 2TP. Enquiry services The "Ecology Unit" evening Museums and conservation Beetle -.down .... Wednesday 19th: am Study visit to Buxton Museum "Beetle-down •••• to your local museum" Storage of geological collections Geological site recording 1. The Idea lunch Matlock Bath - also an opportunity to visit the Peak District Mining "I never realised that you do so much!" Museum exclaimed a staggered member of the audience, pm Study visit to Derby Museum following a lecture on the activities of our The practical and theoretical Natural Sciences department. "The museum was considerations involved in planning the last place I'd think of" said another, the new Derby Natural History Museum ·who couldn't believe that we are actually - plus a site visit to look at involved in local nature conservation. progress "I thought you just put things in glass cases evening Do we undervalue Natural Sciences and typed the label". How many times have we Collections? heard this remark? "But you should tell people what else is available!" added a Thursday 20th: particularly vociferous council activist, of am Study visit to Manchester Museum course, hitting the nail right on the head. Preservation, storage and And broadly speaking she was right •••• we documentation of vertebrate material very rarely advertise our bread-and-butter Preservation, storage and public services. documentation of botanical material Legal and practical aspects of live "Beetle down to your local museum", is displays in museums an attempt by BCG to tackle the problem pm Recent trends in Natural Sciences nationally, starting with a co-ordinated conservation campaign week, and then taking it from there. Short study visit to Edale visitor We are printing 30, 000 "Beetle down centre (Peak District National Park) •••• " feaflets A4 size, folded twice to fit evening Museum Natural Sciences and Education in the pocket or notebook. Initially aimed at children, the leaflet describes, with the aid of cartoons, most of the services and Friday 21st: activities at most museums. Displays, am Documentation of collections: the temporary exhibitions, information, special requirements of natural identification services, enquiries, live

160 displays, records, reference and study STOP PRESS!! collections, loans, museums on holiday; these are some of the topics covered. We have just heard that WATCH, the youth The reverse side of the leaflet carries a wing of RSNC, have offered to eo-produce the list of museums which provide some level of leaflet. We should be able to provide the biological (natural history) service. package at a very nominal charge with their help. Those carrying a star (*) provide most or all of the services listed in the leaflet and employ a curator specialising in biology (natural history). Other listed museums provide some of these services but, Techniques crucially, do not employ a biologist in a curatorial post. ~ How).to treat your type specimens. The leaflet is deliberately similar in design to the Geological Curators' Group 'Thumbs The following is quoted from MONOCULUS Up' leaflet, and the two should complement (Copepod Newsletter) no.14 (April 1987); each other. it is transcribed from 'Type Specimens of Ergasilus funduli Kroyer, 1863 (Crustacea: 2. The Events Copepoda) re-examined', Steenstrupia 12 (9): 154-156, by Z. Kabata. "Beetle down •••• " Week 22 to 31 July 1988 "This paper would not be complete without National and local press releases will be an account of the fate of the examined available but most museums will prefer to specimens. The best-preserved of them write their own. We are hoping that each (Fig .1) was selected as the lectotype, there museum will organise special activities some being no type designated in Kroyer's time during this week, to carry the material. Afraid that further manipulation "Beetle-down •••• " flag. Most children will might be damaging to the fragile specimens, be on holiday from school during this week, I labelled the slide on which it had been and the idea is to get them down to their mounted in Berlese's fluid and returned it to local museum, either in their home town or on Dr Wolff in Copenhagen. To my surprise, Dr holiday in the UK (this aspect is covered in Wolff, having looked at the slide, was unable the leaflet). to find anything under the coverslip. The specimen had inexplicably vanished. I asked Activities may involve simply drawing media Dr Wolff to send the slide to me again, so attention to some aspect of your work; or that I could verify this strange fact. I actually involving your Education staff in a need not have troubled. The much-travelled special activity; or may be publicising a slide was indeed innocent of any specimens." particular object or collection. At the very least, please try to publicise the spirit of . It continues, explaining the disappearing "Beetle-down •••• u. copepods.

The main thing is •••• please try to get "Both Dr Violff and wanted to have a involved! And don't forget to let us know lectotype selected. Having picked out of the how things go, and send a copy of press remaining material the only specimen that, in cuttings. my opmwn, sufficiently displayed the diagnostic features of the species, I put it 3. The Products on a slide in Berlese's fluid and labelled it immediately. Several days later I inspected "Beetle-down •••• " Package the slide thoroughly. To my utter disbelief, the specimen was not there. A small clump of A window sticker for those museums debris that might have represented copepod qualified to display one. remains was all that could be found. A general press release. A batch of "Beetle-down " leaflets. It seems fairly obvious that Berlese's fluid Car stickers may be available. must have acted as a solvent and caused a complete, or almost complete, disintegration The package will be available in late Spring of the copepods. This could have happened at a nominal cost, from BCG. The price will only because of the old age of the specimens, depend on how much we can raise from combined with whatever treatment they had sponsors. Further details at the Bolton received in the past ••• meeting and in the next Newsletter. This strange incident is reported upon as "Beetle-down •••• " does not end on 31 July a warning to copepodologists who have to 1988. The campaign will continue throughout examine century-old specimens. I am also the summer holidays, and into 1989. If glad to report that Dr Wolff's helpful things go well a range of products and friendship for me appears to have survived leaflets may become available, in the future. this debacle."

Derek Whiteley Further comment arising from the above BCG Secretary appeared in MONOCULUS 15 (November 1987) City Museum from Vernon E. Thatcher in Brazil. It is Sheffield S10 2TP quoted fully here.

161 The sad but amusing story by Dr Kabata phenol a few seconds later it is already about the disappearing copepods in dehydrated, but if more destaining is desired MONOCULUS, 14, suggests to me that it it may be left in this solution for a few is time someone offered a few words about minutes. After the proper degree of methods. Making permanent whole-mounts is destaining is achieved, pass the copepod to more a craft or an art than a scientific methyl salicylate which stops the destaining procedure, and permanence is relative. For process. After 3 minutes in the latter, the example, a ringed glycerine jelly mount specimen can be mounted in balsam. The stored in an unheated room in Hamburg might entire process requires 8-10 minutes. last for years, whereas the same slide kept Material fixed by other means and stored in in my sometimes airconditioned lab in Manaus 70% alcohol can be processed in the same way, might deteriorate in a few months. Mythology but specimens in aqueous solutions (10% and alchemy are still to be found in micro formalin) must be placed in 70% alcohol for a technique and some people assume that the few minutes before staining. same "classic methods" are being used by all and date from van Leewenhoek (167 4). Both If a specimen collapses in methyl salicylate of these assumptions are false. In truth, (copepods seldom do), it may mean that it was procedures vary from lab to lab and most have not properly fixed or was dead too long evolved during the last 30 to 50 years. before fixation. Not all is lost, however, for when such a specimen is returned to Although the "classic methods" have evolved phenol, it returns to normal shape in a few over the years and new reagents have been minutes. To resolve the problem of collapse, introduced from time to time, the basic it may be necessary to perforate the animal problems remain the same. We must kill with a fine needle to permit a more rapid and fix an animal in a solution that will exchange of liquids. It is sometimes helpful preserve its cells and produce minimal to pass such specimens through a solution of distortion. After that we need to remove half and half (phenol and methyl salicylate) all water from the animal (dehydration) and before exposure to pure methyl salicylate. replace it with liquid that will harden without undue alteration in form. At some It often happens that a copepod is fixed in point, stains should be introduced to enhance an undesirable position with the antennae visibility and the animal should be cleared wrapped around the body or the abdomen curled enough to permit the passage of light, but under. Regardless of the fixative used, not so much as to render it totally these conditions can be corrected because a transparent. specimen in phenol becomes soft and pliable. It can be taken from that liquid, placed on a If we define "permanent slide" as one that dry slide and manipulated into a good will last for one hundred years, we have position with dissecting needles. Arranging expressed our goal. That is, we seek hundred the legs at this time may obviate the year permanence (or HYP). The mounting necessity for dissection. When the animal is medium that has HYP is Canada balsam. in the desired position, place a coverglass Most others are too recent for us to know if on top to hold it and add some methyl they have HYP or not. Similarly, many stains salicylate. The latter hardens the specimen do not have HYP but Eosin may, since it has in a few seconds and it will retain the same been in use for a long time. form when mounted in balsam.

In a long and arduous search for HYP, I have The described method will produce good whole tried and abandoned many reagents and mounts of any zoological material that it is procedure either because they were inadequate possible to place between a coverglass and a or unnecessary. Among these are: Bouin's, slide, as long as it clears in phenol. It is Schaudinn's and Zenker's fixatives; carmine, especially useful for Copepoda, but we have cochineal and fuchsin stains; graded also had good results with Ciliophora, alcohols, dioxane and absolute alcohol; Rotifera, Temnocephala, Monogenea, Digenea, lactic acid, lacto-phenol, xylene, cedarwood Cestoda, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, oil and creosote; Berlese's, Gray & Wess' Oligochaeta, Hirudinea, Cladocera, and any mounting medium containing either Branchiura, small isopods, decapod larvae, PV A or glycerine. mites, insects and larval fish. Small pieces of vertebrate intestine and snail hepato I have recently evolved, and will now pancreas have been flattened and mounted in explain, a method that is rapid, simple, this way as well. With nematodes, it is has HYP, has CLASS, gives excellent relatively easy to make permanent "en face" short-term results and is almost foolproof. mounts by removing a worm from methyl First, fix everything in AFA (85 pts 85% salicylate, placing it on a dry slide near alcohol: 10 pts formalin: 5 pts glacial a drop of balsam, cutting off the head and acetic acid) for at least 10 minutes. Next, pushing it into the balsam. pass the specimens directly from AFA to the stain solution (95% alcohol coloured to the In case some skeptic should ask how know intensity of weak tea with equal parts of this method achieves HYP, I would have to ask Eosin and Orange-G stains). Stain in this him to come back in one hundred years and we solution for 3-10 minutes and then move the will then take a look at these slides. If specimens to pure phenol (liquify phenol they are not as good as we would like them to crystals with a bit of 95% alcohol to make be, we will simpl_y remount them using the this solution). The phenol simultaneously same technique. Any slide made with balsam dehydrates, clears and destains the can be demounted by soaking in methyl material. When the specimen is clear in salicylate or xylene for a few hours. Slides

162 :cmde with PVA or glycerine jelly, on the Both surveys show the Dermestidae to be other hand, cannot be successfully the most serious pest in natural history demounted. Personally, I plan to check my museums, and the integration of material collections every 50 years or so to see if as the main cause of infestations. any specimens require remounting. However, while the top three substances used to protect collections are the same Vernon E. Thatcher in each survey, naphthalene, the most INPA, Manaus, AM, Brazil widely used substance in the British Isles (62 per cent), is used by only 27 Many thanks to Prof. Dr. H. K urt Schminke per cent of respondents to the United of Oldenburg University in West Germany, States survey. Just over half of the editor of MONOCULUS, for permission to American institutions routinely fumigate reproduce these articles, and to Peter Davis or treat incoming material, compared to for suggesting we reprint them. only 17 per cent in the British Isles, while adverse effects noticed on materials and specimens were similar in Pest control both surveys.

[Martin Linnie CDept of Zoology, Trinity If anyone has difficulty obtaining a copy, College, Dublin) has sent us a copy of his please send 50p in stamps to: paper Pest Control, A Survey of Natural History Museums in Great Britain and BCG Secretary Ireland (INT J OF MUSEUM MANAGEMENT Derek Whiteley AND CURATORSHIP (1987), 6, 277-290) City Museum Sheffield S10 2TP One hundred and eight natural history museums took part in the survey, and this paper looks carefully at the results. Types of pests, damage, source of infestation, pest control strategies, effects of pesticides on Exhibitions specimens and health and safety aspects are discussed. A summary of Martyn's major First Impressions - whose impressions? findings are listed below : First Impressions: The British Discovery 1 The majority of museums surveyed have of Australia is hailed as a centrepiece of uncontrolled temperature and relative the bicentennial celebrations. The humidity levels, particularly in storage exhibition contains many fine drawings and and display areas. paintings from the explorers and naturalists 2 Virtually all museums (96 per cent) have who visited Australia 200 years ago. It also experienced some form of pest infestation. recounts the history of the times using a 3 Members of the Coleoptera and Lepidoptera variety of maps, portraits and videos. were the most frequently recorded pests, while the Dermestidae (hide, bacon and Although excellently and interestingly carpet beetles) caused the most damage produced this exhibition is disappointing in and posed the greatest threat to one major respect: it is too pretty. The collections. chosen title means there is no need to 4 Integration of material into established discuss the Aborigine question. As the collections was the most frequent source defaced posters on the Underground remind of pest entry recorded, and accounted for us, this year is no celebration for them. 38 per cent of reported infestations; Perhaps more sadly, given the exhibition yet only 17 per cent of respondents title, is the lack of information on the routinely fumigate or treat incoming convicts. Museums have often been criticised material before integration. for presenting a non-controversial and 5 Pesticides are used to control or deter rose-coloured view of the past, a situation pests in 96 per cent of the museums which is thankfully changing. However this surveyed, and naphthalene, PDB and exhibition includes only the work of the 'vapona' are the most widely used 'great men' and artists and ignores the substances. experiences of the ordinary people. If 6 Some form of adverse effect on specimens naturalists want to encourage inter or museum materials related to pesticide disciplinary work, like First Impressions, usage was noted by 29 per cent of we must strive to present an honest picture. respondents. If not, historians are surely justified in 7 A range of medical ailments occurring at assuming such exhibitions are best left to work were linked with the use of chemical them. substances used for pest control by 32 per cent of those surveyed, and were most First Impressions: The British Discovery of frequently associated with exposure to Australia is a temporary exhibition at the naphthalene, p-dichlorobenzene and British Museum (Natural History) until 20th 'vapona'-type products. March. It then travels to Australia to tour 8 Comparisons with the survey of American for 16 months. museums and related institutions (Bell and Stanley, 1980) show similar trends Jane Pickering (student) despite obvious differences in Department of Museum Studies geographical and climatic conditions. University of Leicester

163 More on the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, which was introduced briefly in Newsletter 4 C5). Letters This note is from Ingrid Birker of the Redpath Museum, McGill, Montreal who is Dear John attending the Certificate course in Museum Studies at Leicester University. Perhaps you could include the following request for information in the next available NEW Natural History Journal and Society! BCG Newsletter. COLLECTION FORUM, a new journal from Mr R G Ledlieu is trying to find the the Society for the Preservation of Natural whereabouts of his wife's great great History Collections (SPNHC) seeks short grandfather's insect collection: Charles articles of scientific research pertinent to Stuart Gregson. Gregson collected conservation, preparation, preservation, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, the collection management, documentation and storage of apparently consisting of some 28, 000 natural history collections. Inter- specimens. He sold the collection to a disciplinary in scope, the journal stresses Sydney Webb of Brighton in 1888. I have development and application of technologies no details of this material in our area. concerning collection management and is Gregson was born in Lancaster on 29th May published biannuall.Y. 1818 and died in Liverpool on 31st January 1899. Any information concerning this COLLECTION FORUM, available in approx- collection should be sent to Dr Gerald Legg, imately thirty museum and university The Booth Museum of Natural History, libraries worldwide, represents a 200 member 194 Dyke Road, Brighton BNl 5AA. strong Society formed in 1985. Although newly hatched and mainly North American, this Best wishes, volunteer, member-driven organization holds annual Meetings and Workshops and maintains Gerald Legg ten Standing Committees and six Sessional Committees. A newsletter is published twice a year, intermittent with the issues of COLLECTION FORUM, to keep all members Here's a tasty little offer from Derby informed of the activities of each Committee. Annual Meetings are organized Dear John, by host museums, alternately American and Canadian, and have featured two days of Would you please insert this note in the next presentations and poster sessions followed by BCG Newsletter; it is an attempt to reduce a third day of hands-on workshops. Though our stocks of live Phasmids to a more no Proceedings are published, the Abstracts manageable level. of all poster and oral contributions are published in the Winter issue of We have the following species available, all COLLECTIONS FORUM so interested readers of which could do with a good home: may correspond directly with the authors. This year's Annual Meeting at the Carnegie Indian or Laboratory Stick Insect Institute, Pittsburgh, May 31 - June 3, will Carausius morosus Food plant: Privet focus on Conservation of Natural History materials and tentative contributors include Annam Stick Insect Carolyn Rose (Smithsonian), John Dawson Baculum extradentatum Food plant: Bramble (CCI-Canada), Chris Collins (Leicester) and Steve Williams (Carnegie Institute). Pink-winged Stick Insect Sipyloidea sipylus Food plant: Bramble Currently, SPNHC is the only single organization addressing the needs of natural Macleay's Spectre science collections on a worldwide and Extatosoma tiaratum Food plant: Bramble interdisciplinary level. Perhaps this or Eucalyptus mandate is too broad? However, natural science curators, collection managers and All species are easy to raise Cas we have technicians need a united front in order to found to our cost) and, dipped in chocolate, compete against the well-organized arts and could make interesting party snacks!! social science museums community for public attention and funding. By devloping a We are offering specimens free, but would vehicle for internal dialogue among the appreciate carriage costs if we have to send natural sciences, common problems and them by Red Star. information can be shared and beneficial solutions formulated. Nick Moyes Assistant Keeper of Natural History The great majority of feature and research Derby Museum articles published to date have been The Strand submitted by American or Canadian authors. Derby DEl 1J3S The time is ripe to exchange ideas and information with British and European colleagues in the field of natural history collection management.

164 For information regarding COLLECTION Walrus FORUM please contact the Editor: Dan Faber, Whale Call species) National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa, Whitefish Ontario, Canada K2A 3Y6. For details regarding this year's Annual Meeting contact Schedule 8 (Plants) Steve Williams at the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206 or phone (412) Adder's-tongue, Least 665-2611. For local contact write: Ingrid Cabbage, Lundy Birker, Dept of Museum Studies, University of Colt's-foot, Purple Leicester, 105 Princess Road East, Leicester C ottongrass, Slender LE1 7LG, England. Crocus, Sand Cudweed, Red-tipped Fleabane, Alpine Fleabane, Small Gentian, Fringed Legal Niceties G ermander, Cut-leaved Goosefoot, Stinking Grass-poly Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981: Hawk's-beard, Stinking The Quinquennial Review Helleborine, Youngs (Information from DOE News Release no 493) Horsetail, Branched Hound's-tongue, Green The outcome of the quinquennial review (which Marshwort, Creeping is required by the provision of the 1981 Act) Milk-parsley, Cambridge was made public in September 1987. The Naiad, Holly-leaved number of native species protected from being Pennyroyal taken from the wild, injured, killed or Pigmyweed destroyed is increased by 48 animal species Ragwort, Fen and 31 plant species, bringing the total Ramping-fumitory, Martin's number of species now protected to 177. The Restharrow, Small additions are to schedules 5 and 8 of the Act Rock-cress, Alpine and include: Rock-cress, Bristol Speedwell, Fingered * full protection for wild cat, dormouse Star-of-Bethlehem, Early and pine marten Stonewort * full protection for all cetacea using Strapwort British waters Viper's-grass * extension of protection afforded to viviparous lizard, slow-worm and grass snakes to make it an offence to kill or injure them Skeletons in the cupboard * full protection for a number of plants which are known from one site only, such There must be many botanical collections in as sand crocus and pygmy weed. museums up and down the country whose curators are unwittingly breaking the law. The two species removed from the protected How can this be so? list are the chequered skipper butterfly and the carthusian snail. Try out the following check list. If the answer to any of the questions is "yes", then The full list of additions is given below you should read to the end of the article! (the odd notation of common names comes straight from the press release). rllore 1 Have you Coca specimens in your information on the plants can be found in herbarium? If so, is it possible that BSBI News no 47 (December 1987) p19. any of them are Erythroxylon coca?

Schedule 5 (animals) 2 Now examine your collection of medicines. Do you have any morphine Anemone, Ivell's Sea tablets? Anemone, Startlet Sea A pus 3 Many museums have collections of economic Beetle, Violet Click botany samples. Do yours contain any Cat, Wild poppy heads, perhaps with grooves scored Cicada, New Forest in them? Dolphin (all species) Dormouse 4 There may well be a bottle of Dr Bowe's Leech, Medicinal Liniment in a medicine chest. Did you l\1arten, Pine know that it contains morphine? Mat, Trembling Sea t-.1oth, Viper's Bugloss The point of all these questions is simply Porpoise, (all species) that many inuseums have collections which Sandworm, Lagoon contain Class A and Class B drugs (otherwise Shrimp, Fairy known as Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 drugs). Shrimp, Lagoon Sand Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Turtles, Marine (all species) possession of any of these drugs is an Vendace offence (even if there is no criminal intent).

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However, do not panic! A simple remedy is available, in that the Home Office operates a licensing system which allows bona fide custody of such substances to be registered. Diary So instead of telling your Director that he could be facing a spell in chokie, you could simply point out that it only needs a letter 15th to 16th April 1988 to the Drugs Branch of the Home Office to BCG AGM meeting at Bolton Town Hall start to put matters straight. Further details in this Newsletter

So far as the curator is concerned, the main 22nd April 1988 impact of the licence requirements is on GCG and British Geological Survey storage arrangements. Naturally, the joint meeting at Keyworth, Notts. authorities insist on a high standard of BG S - a service to the nation security. For this reason, the author of Contact: Brian Taylor, BGS, Keyworth, this note prefers to remain anonymous, but in Notts NG12 5GG. order to assist the indexing of the Newsletter I will adopt the initials "MDA" 11th to 13th May 1988 (for Misuse of Drugs Act, you und~rstand?). Association of Systematics Collections (ASC) The other important requirement is that a 1988 Annual Meeting at the Field Museum register is kept of all drugs in the of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois inventory, and all movements in and out of Programme includes symposia and workshops storage. In my museum I found that several Contact: Annual Meeting Coordinator, of the more antiquated containers refused to ASC, 730 11th St NW, Second Floor, be opened, so for purposes of stock control a Washington DC 2001, USA gross weight (including the container) was recorded. An accurate weight such as one 30th .\1ay to 3rd June 1988 obtains using modern electronic scales is Society for the Preservation of Natural almost impossible to falsify. A Museum History Collections accessions record is not considered adequate 1988 Annual Meeting at the Carnegie for the purposes of registration; a book Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, must be kept with the collection. Pennsylvania

Another problem encountered while 24th and 25th June 1988 establishing our register was that some of GCG meeting at Whitby Museum, North the names on the samples were pretty Yorkshire archaic. For instance, one of the samples Lifeline for a small museum was labelled "Narceine" which I think is a Contact: Shawn Lofthouse, c/ o Whitby synonym of Morphine. I have already Museum, Pannett Park, Whitby, N. mentioned Dr Bowe's Liniment; one must read Yorkshire, Y021 1RE the small print on the labels. To solve this problem, I used the BRITISH 12th to 15th July 1988 PHARMACEUTICAL CODEX (1973 edition) Systematics Association in conjunction with a Victorian book of European Floristic Studies, joint meeting Materia Medica: Pereira's "THE ELEMENTS with Linnean Society and the Flora OF MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS" Europaea Organisation, at Reading (1849). A surprising aspect of the exercise University. to compile the register was that controlled Con tact: Dr J R Akeroyd, Botany drugs were found in so many different Department, University of Reading, PO collections, including a set of samples from Box 221, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 2AS a local pharmaceutical organisation, a ship's doctor's portable medicine chest, a September 1988 (date to be decided) collection of "economic botany" samples, and BCG Autumn meeting at Exeter Museum even in the herbarium. Dried parts of plants Details to be published in the next are embraced by the Act; it does not apply Newsletter. only to extracted substances. 21st to 24th September 1988 Some biology curators will doubtless say "not Museums Documentation Association (MDA) my problems"; but if not, it is worth asking in association with the Getty Art History one's colleagues whether they have any Information Program skeletons in their cupboard. If so, the International Conference on Terminology address to write to for further information for Museums at Cambridge. is: Drugs Branch, The Home Office, 'As a growing number of museums build-up 90 Queen Anne's Gate, London SWl. computer databases and improved records, effective terminology controls is a MDA crucial issue •••• This conference will provide a substantial review of recent developments of systems within individual institutions. 1 Special sessions on natural history and geology. Contact: MDA, Building 0, 347 Cherry Hinton Road, Cam bridge CB 1 4 DH.

166 29th and 30th September 1988 Society for the History of Natural THe History meeting at the Department of Geology, University of Bristol The History of Geology ffiHUCHESTeR ffiUSEUffi Contact: Peter Crowther, City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queen's Road, PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME Bristol BS8 1RL 9.30 Coffee and Registration 12th to 16th December 1988 Systematics Association 10.00-10.15 Welcome by the Director Data bases in Systematics (training of Manchester Museum* course) at Southampton University Con tact: Dr S Hollis, Department of 10.15 - 11.15 Structure and properties + Biology, Building 44, The University, of skin and bone. Dr ,J. H. Kennaugh , Southampton S09 5NH Senior lecturer in Parasitology and Histology

11.15 - 12.00 Preparation of bird study skins (demonstration). Ms L. A. Lace+, CONSERVATION OF NATURAL HISTORY SPECIMENS MSc, Researcher

A one day course on Thursday 12th May 1988 12.00 - 12.30 Methods of bone preparation. in the Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Dr M. V. Hounsome*, Keeper of Zoology Manchester. 12.30 - 1.30 Buffet Lunch

Natural history collections have suffered 1. 30 - 2.15 Damage to skin and bones. considerable damage over the past few Mr C.V. Horie*, Keeper of Conservation decades. Much has been destroyed, by neglect and Assistant Co-ordinator of the Natural and by deliberate action. Only recently have History working group of ICOM concerted measures of care for these Conservation Committee collections been attempted - but what should one do? There is little basic knowledge 2.15 - 2.45 Pests, pesticides and specimens. available about the deterioration and Dr R. R. Askew+, Reader in Entomology conservation of these specimens. 2.45 - 3.15 Treatments for deteriorated The course aims to fill some of the gaps specimens. Mr C. V. Horie* about the treatment of vertebrate material, skin and bone, by drawing together present 3.1~ - 4.15 Cleaning fur (Demonstration) knowledge and -practice. The lectures are Mr R. Garner*, Conservation technician aimed at those who must undertake the physical care of historic vertebrate 4.15 - 4.45 Display and curation of material, particularly zoologists and specimens. Ms S. Cross, Natural Sciences conservators, but also others who have curator/ interpreter responsibility for this care in the absence of anyone better. In this field, where much 4.45 - 5.00 Treatment of specimens for of the experience has not been committed to present and future use. Dr M. V. Hounsome* paper, course members will both learn and contribute to the knowledge. 5.30 Close

Participants will receive texts of the + From the Department of Environmental lectures (and so avoid taking notes), and Biology, University of Manchester bibliographies. A video recording of the * From the Manchester Museum, University demonstrations will "Qe available for of Manchester. purchase. A sandwich lunch, coffee and tea will be provided.

The course is run jointly by the Department of Environmental Biology and The Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester. In the Press Fee is £.25; reduced fee (£.12) for voluntary, A short paper in WATSONIA by D.E. Alien low paid staff and students. If you wish to (Vol 16 part 4) gives a review of British reserve a place, send details of your name, plant material represented in the United address, position and daytime telephone States National Herbarium (at the number to Dr G. Murphy, Department of Smithsonian). Particularly noted are 10, ODD Environmental Biology, The University. specimens in the S. T. Jermyn collection Manchester r.113 9PL. mainly from vice counties 18 and 19; also Rubus · specimens via J. G. Baker from vc's 9, Cheques should be made payable to the 11, 40, 55, 18·, 38, 57, not all of which are 'University of Manchester' and sent by 15th identified; smaller accumulations are listed April to Dr G. Murphy (address above). If an from vc's 65, 66, 6 and 34. Collectors names invoice is required, please state to whom it are given in more detail, for these refer to should be sent. the article.

167 CURATOR volume 29 part 4 has a paper by PALAEONTOLOGY for February 1988 Sara Kerr• on an exhibition called 'Animal (Vol 31 part 1) contains a brief article by Senses' which relies very heavily on visitor Peter Bengtson on 'Open Nomenclature'. participation in getting across its three I suspect this concept is much more widely objectives: increasing understanding of used in geological than biological taxonomic sensory physics; learning how specific research, but the paper suggests the animals might perceive the world; learning standardisation of the syntax used to denote that thore are more than five senses. The the affinity of one undescribed taxon to planninr{ behind the exhibit, the experience another named one, provisional identification of the exhibit itself, and the evaluation of and the lack of any identification at all. its effectiveness in achieving its objectives Thus the abbreviations aff., cf., sp. (or are all discussed in detail. It contains spp.), n.sp. (or n.ssp.) are given standard some innovative display techniques - such as definitions. This is meant to be a a wall of liquid crystals where visitors make discussion paper and members may wish to heat pictures of their hands to give an comment to the author (see the journal for impression of how a rattlesnake 'sees' details). infra--red radiation. The whole emphasis is on participation so the visitor can 'become' an animal to experience a particular form of sensory perception. The article is called Floaters have troubled me for some years. 'Effective Interactions in a Natural Science These are the grey, almost translucent blobs Exhibit'; the exhibition is at the Witte which float across my field of vision when I :lluseum, San Antonio, Texas. look down a microscope. I must confess they give me odd moments of anxiety when I notice them and imagine I have got detached retinas or something similar, so I was relieved to Another useful paper in CURATOR, volume see a note by R Winsby in the BRITISH 30 part :l, is concerned with distinguishing ARACHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER formalin from alcohol solutions. It no 50 (November 1987) explaining their describes the development of an inexpensive or1gms. Called 'muscae volitantes' they are paper test strip based on the sodium sulphite the last remains of the blood vessels which quantitative analysis method for formaldehyde feed blood to the front part of the eye in solutions. The test strip will distinguish the developing embryo. The vessels atrophy between formalin-based fixative solutions and naturally and at birth the few remaining alcohol solutions containing traces of remnants fall to the bottom of the eye where residual formalin; it is fast-acting and they remain in the vitreous humour. Tilting there is the possibility of developing it the head to peer down a microscope stirs the into a semiquantitative test. The paper is bits up and, especially against a white field 'A Spot Test to Distinguish Formalin from of view, they become momentarily visible as Alcohol Solutions' by D.E. McAllister slowly moving blurs. But its all normal so and R. Waller. there's no need to worry!

The GETTY CONSERVATION INSTITUTE AES BULLETIN for February 1988 (no 358) NEWSLETTER for Winter 1988 (Volume 3 has a short note from Ian Mascall 'Sad State no 1) has an interesting article on the of Local Museum' which is highly critical of potential of Vikane (Sulphuryl fluoride) as the entomological displays in a local museum a fumigant for general museum use. The (Cleveland area). This follows an earlier effect of the fumigant on a range of critical piece 'Concerning Museums and materials is being examined. Initial results Collections' from the February 198G issue. show that there is a reaction between Adam Wright and myself replied to the first fumigant and substrate but it may prove to article on behalf of BCG and opened up the fall within acceptable limits; relative discussion somewhat to include many aspects humidity seems to be an influencing factor. of curatorial work other than display, and to Further tests will examine the highest describe the work of BCG and the local concentrations of Vikane tolerable for museum Collections Research Units. However, it objects, and the lowest concentrations of becomes increasingly difficult to respond to fumigant needed to eliminate adults, larvae specific criticisms which, judging from the and egr.;s of beetle (unspecified) pests. description in the note, appear quite Vikane is marketed by Dow Chemical; the justified. It is a pity that committed testing on beetles is being done at the naturalists feel the need to complain about University of Florida. museum displays and services - after all these are the people we should be working with and for whom we provide our services. Issue no 5G of N A TU ROPA deals with the Perhaps the curator involved could reply vexed issue of farming and wildlife and will personally this time! be of interest to members concerned with the nature conservation movement. Several pieces contain facts and figures relating to habitat destruction by farming since the war; a useful reference for exhibition texts.

168 The MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM Local Authorities and Nature Conservation (Vol 25 part 1) for October 1987 contains a list of the bird type specimens held in the In early 1986 the British Association of Queensland Museum. 122 taxa are included, Nature Conservationists issued a report most resulting from the work of Charles about the ways in which Local Authorities can Walter de Vis who described 107 new forms further conservation. Now, in conjunction between 1880 and 1905. Most were collected with the Working Panel of Local Authority in Queensland by Kendall Broadbent or in Ecologists, it has set up a project entitled British New Guinea on behalf of Sir Willian 'Local Authorities and Nature Conservation'.· MacGregor. The paper is 'Asian Type Important new initiatives include a Specimens in the ·Queensland Museum' by Newsletter; developing an interest in nature r~len ,T In::;t•am. conservation amongst elected councillors; preparation for the launch of the new Department of Environment circular on Nature Conservation; and an award scheme for Local CHEMICALS IN CONSERVATION: A GUIDE Authorities. TO POSSIBLE HAZARDS AND SAFE USE Many museum-based naturalists are involved by Amanda Clydesdale (published by the with the provision of ecological information Scottish Society for Conservation and to councillors and other Local Authority ~estoration) is now available in a Second Departments through the activities of the Edition. local Biological Records Centres, so this new initiative seems worth further investigation. This has an additional 95 entries; 126 of Contact: Richard Knightbridge, telephone the original entries have additional (daytime) 0543 258868. information; the introduction and glossary llave been expanded and the bibliography Thanks to 'Habitat' (vol 23 no 8) for this enlarged and updated. Nearly 300 chemicals report. and commercial products are now listed with details of their properties, fire hazards, toxicity, safe methods of use and first aid instructions. The cost is £19. 0 0 corn plete with ring binder (or £15 if you already have the binder) from Fiona B utterfield, 100 Hole burn Road, Newlands, Glasgow G43 2XN.

A note from Geoff Stansfield:

COMMUNICATING SCIENCE TO THE PUBLIC, Ciba Foundation Conference, 1987 (John Subscription rates are £6.00 for individual Wiley and Sons) has chapters by R S Miles membership and £10.00 for institutional on 'Museums and the communication of membership. Contact A dam Wright, Herbert science'; by S Duensing on 'Science Museum, Jordan Well, Coventry, for centres and exploratories: a look at active application forms. participation'; and by B Serrell on 'Science education through graphics at Published by the Biological Curators' Group. zoos'. BCG members may find these of The views expressed in the Newsletter do not interest. represent the opinion or policy of the 'Biological Curators' Group committee or membership except where specifically stated. The following new books are now in the Leicester. University Library: Edited by John Mathias, Leicestershire Zucher, B F CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS, ZOOS, Museums Service, 96 New Walk, Leicester LEl AND DISCOVERY ROOMS. Greenwood 6TD (Tel: 0533 554100 ext.3030) to whom all Press, Westport Connecticut, USA 1987. contributions should be sent. Back numbers Contains 235 institutional profiles of are available from the Editor. children's museums, children's zoos and discovery rooms from Australia to Typed by Mrs Judy Marvin, Leicestershire Zimbabwe. Extensive bibliography. Museums Service. Design consultant Miss Angela Pope, Leicestershire Museums Service. Howie, F., SAFETY IN MUSEUMS AND Printed by Leicestershire County Council's GALLERIES. Butterworths, 1987. Reprographic Unit, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester. REPORT OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY) 1984-1986. British Museum © The Biology Curators' Group. (Natural History), London, 1987. ISSN 0144 - 588X

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