BIOLOGY CURATORS GROUP •~eo·

NEWSLETTE January 1994 Vol6 No. 3

Welcome to another BCG Newsletter.This issue BEETLE DOWN LEAFLET- UPDATE containsanothermixtureofthefascinating, theessential, the tragic and the downright farcical. As claimed by BCG's stock of Beetle Down leaflets is now nearly another, less august, publication "All human life is exhausted and this is perhaps just as well consid ring there". I would like to thank all those members whose the number of changes which apply to the address list. contributions have enabled another full length issue to There are plans for a re-print of the leaflet and these can be assembled. Contributions are ofcourse sti 11 welcome only go ahead after a total revision of the list. fromanyonewhohasasnippetforgeneralconsumption Torefreshyourm m ri sth listisinclud dh rewith and I would particularly encourage the new recruits to some revisions added for NW and . our curatorial ranks to contribute something. Please PLEASE CAN YOU CH_, K TH FOLLOWIN remember that this is not the Royal Society and all that DETAILS:- is required is that your note should be ofinterest to other 1. That you and your museum are included. members. It does not (yet) have to be extensively researched, refereed and packed full of esoteric 2. That the address and telephon number are curT nt. references. The one plea I would make (again) is that 3. That you have an * if you qualify for one. for anything other than a short note contributors send their piece on disk, preferably using Wordpetfect 5.1, 4. Anyothermus umsthaty ukn wa utar n tleft as this makes assembling an issue so much easier. out.(I do not mind how many bits f duplicated Please note that the list of back issues of the newsletter inf01mation I r c iv s long as Id rec iv it.) as promised in the last issue will now be included in the Please send your replies to:­ next along with a list of the specialist publications held by BCG. Stephen Moran Inverness Mus um and Art all ry By the way, just to continue the pessimistic theme of Castle Wynd recent editorials, ASC Newsletter for October 1993 includes notes on a paper given at an TCOM meeting at JNVERNES IV2 3 D which details of a fire at the Saskatchewan Natural (Tel: 0463 237114) History Museum in Regina. Selfignition ofpolyurethane by 30 January 1994 foam during the construction of an exhibit was blamed for the fire which proved difficult to pinpoint as parrs of All of these museums provide a biological (natural the security system had been disabled during the history) servic , but nly th se marked * mploy a improvement works. All specimens nearby were coated qualified biology curator: with a thick, sticky soot. The motto is of course to have a disaster plan, never to leave buildings unpatTOIIed SCOTLAND during building works, and to have smoke containment * Aberdeen University Museum, measures built into any new planningorupgradings for Dcpt of Zoology, Tillydronc Avc,Abcrdccn AB9 2TN. buildings. Tcl: 0224-272849

25 * Dundee Museum & Art Gallery, NORTH AND NORTH-WEST ENGLAND Albert Square, Dundee,DDllDA. Tel: 0382 23141 *Bolton Museum & Art Gallery, Elgin Museum, Le mans Crescent, Bolton, Lanes BL I I SE. 1 High Street,Elgin,Moray,IV30 lEQ Tel: 0204 22311 ext. 2211/2197 Tcl: 0343 543675 * llurnley: Towneley Hall Museum, Falconer Museum, Burnley, Lanes Bl311 3RQ. Tel: 0282 424213 Tolbooth Street, Forres, Moray IV36 OPH. *Carlisle Museum & Art Gallery, Tel: 0309-73701 Tullie House, Castle Street, arlisle CA3 8TP. Greenock,McLean Art Gallery & Museum, Tel: 0228 34781 15 Kelly Street,Greenock,Strathclyde,PA 16 8JX *Chester: Grosvenor Museum, Tcl: 0475 23741 27 Grosvenor Street, Chester Ill 200. * Glasgow Art Gallery & Museum, Tel: 0244 40144 ext. 2259 Kclvingrove, Glasgow G3 8AG. Tcl: 041-3573929 * Clitheroe Castle Museum * Hawick Museum, Castle Hiii ,Ciitlleroe,Bl37 lllA Wilton Lodge Park,Hawick,TD9 7JL Tel: 0200 24635 Tel: 0450 73457 * Flectwood Museum * Hunterian Museum, Queen's Terrace,Fieetwood,rY7 6BT University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ. Tcl: 0253 876621 Tel: 041-339 8855 ext.221 * Hancock Museum *Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, The University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4PT. Castle Wynd, Inverness IV2 3ED. Tel : 091 -222-7418 Tel: 0463 237114 * Hartlepool: Gray Art Gallery & Museum, (Kilmarnock) , Clarence Road, Hartlepool, leveland. Elmbank Avenue, Kilmamock, Ayrshire KA I 3BU. * Kcndal Museum, Tel: 0563 26401 Station Road, Kendal, umbria LA9 6BT. * Montrose Museum & Art Gallery, Tel: 0539 2 1374 Panmure Place, Montrose, Angus DDlO 8HE. *Liverpool Museum, Tel: 0674 73232 William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EN. * Paisley Museum & Art Galleries, Tel: 051-207 ()()01/5451 lligh Street, Paisley PAl 2BA. * Manchester Museum, Univ. of Manchester, Tel: 041-889 3151 Oxford Road, Manchesrer M 13 9PL. *Perth Museum & Art Gallery, Tel : 061-275 2634 Gcorge Street, Perth. Tei:0738 32488 Middlesbrough: Donnan Museum, * Royal Museum of Scotland, Lint.horpc Road, Middlesbrough, 'leveland. Chambers Street, Edinburgh EHl lJF. Tel: 0642 813781 Tel: ()31-225 7534 * Oldham Local Interest Museum * , Graves Street,Oidham Lower Hill head, Lerwick, Shetland ZE 1 OEL. Tel: 061 678 4657 Tel: 0595 5057 *Tyne and Wear Museum Service, Stromness Museum, Sunderland Museum & A•·t Gallery, 52 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney KW16 30F. Borough Road, untlerland, Tyne and Wear. Tel: 0856 850025 Tel: 09 1-514 1235 ext. 155 * Wick (Highland Region/Curator North) South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, Bruce Buildings,Sinclair Terrace,Wick,KW1 SAB Ocean Road, Sou rh Shields, Tyne ancl Wear. Tel: 0955 3761 ext.245 Tel: 091 -4568740

WALES Y()l{KSIIIRE ANI) IIUMHhRSIDE

* Brecknock Museum, * Bn1dford Museums: C:.~rtwright llull, aptains Walk, Brecon, Powys LD3 7DW. Lister Park, 13raclford 809 4NS. Tel: 0874 4121 Tel: 0274 4933 13 *National Museum of Wales, * Clifre Castle Museum, Cathays Park, Cardiff CFJ 3NP. Spring Gardens Lane, B020 6LI I. Tel: 0222 397951 Tcl: 0535 64184 * Doncast.er Museum & Art Gallery, NORTHERN IRELAND Chequer Road , Ooncast r ON I 2AE. * Ulster Museum, Tcl: 0302 734287 Botanic Gardens, Beln1st BT9 SAB. * lluddersfield: Tolson Mem. Museum, Tel: 0232-668251-5 Ravensknowle Park, 1-Iudclersfield 1-105 8DJ. Tel: 0484-54 1455 ISLE OF MAN Kingston-upon-llull City Museums & Art Galleries, * Manx Museum, Town Docks Museum , Queen Victoria Square, Douglas, Isle of Man. Tel: 0624 75522/251 25 Kingston-upon-llull IIUI 3DX. Tel: 0482 222737

26 * City Museum, * (Natural History), Calverley Street, Leeds LS 1 3AA. Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. Tel: 0532 462632 Tcl: 01-938 9123 * Rotherham: Clifton Park Museum, * Brighton: Booth Museum of Naturalllistory Rolherham·S65 2AA. Tel: 0709 382121 194 Dyke Road, Brighton BN1 5AA. * Scarborough: Tel: 0273 552586/603005 ext. 64 Woodend Museum of Natural History, * Huckinghamshire Musuem, The Crescent, Scarborough Y0112PW. hurch Street, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP20 2 P. Tel: 0723 369151 Tel: 0296 82158/88849 * Scunthorpe Boro' Museum & Art Gallery, * Cambridge Univ. Museum of Zoology, Oswald Rd., Scunthorpe, S.Humberside DN157BD. Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ. Tcl: 0724 843533 Tel: 0223 358717 * Shellield City Museum, *Canterbury City Museum, Weston Park, Sheffield SlO 2TP. High Street, Canterbury, Kent T1 2JE. Tel: 0742 768588 Tcl: 0227 452747 * Yorkshire Museum, *Chelmsford Museum, Museum Gardens, York YO 1 2DR. Oaklands Pk., Moulsham St., Chelmsford M2 9AQ. Tcl: 0904 29745 Tel: 0245 260614 *Colchester & Essex Museum, MIDLANDS 14 Ryegate Road, Colchester, Essex 1 1 Y . Tcl: 0206 7 12487 *Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, * Dover Museum, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH. Ladywell, Dover, Kent CT16 lDQ. Tcl: 021-235 2834 Tel: 0304 201066 *Derby Museums & Art Gallery, Gloucester ity Museum, The Strand, Derby DE11BS. Brunswick Road, Glouce. ter GL I 111P. Tcl: 0332 31111 ext. 782 Tel: 0452 24131 * Coventry: Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, *Hampshire Museum Service: Jordan Well, Coventry CV1 5QP. Alton Curtis Museum, Tel: 0203 832374 High trcct, Alton, HanL<;. U34 IBA * Hereford City Museum, Tel: ()420 82802 Broad St., Hereford HR4 9AU. Andover Museum, Tel: 0432 268121 ext. 207/334 Church Close, Andover SPJO lDP. Tcl: 0264 66283 * Leicestershire Museum Service: Hasingstoke: Willis Museum, Leicestershire Museum & Art Gallery, Old Town Hall , Basingstoke, l-lallls R 21 1 New Walk, Leicester LE1 6TD. Tcl: 0256 465902 Tel 0533 554100 Christchurch: , *Lincoln City museum: Quay Road, Christchurch, Dorset Bll23 I BU. Broadgate, Lincoln LN2 IHQ. Tel: 0202 482860 Tel: 0522 30401 llaslemere Educatiom1l Museum, Melton Carnegie Museum, High L., Haslemere, Surrey U27 2LA. Thorpe End, Mdton Mowbray. Tel: 0428 211 2 Tci:0664 69946 llavant Museum, Rutland County Museum, East Street, Havant, 1-lants P09 I B Catmos Street, Oakham, Rutland. Tel:0572 3654 Tel: 0705 451 ·155 * Nottingham Nat. History Museum, * l-lertf(1rd Museum, Wollaton Hall, Wollaton Park, Nottingham NG8 2AE '18 Bull Plain, Hertford, Herts SG 14 lDT. Tel: 0602 281333/281130 Tel: 0992 52686 *Shropshire Museum Service: * llorniman Museum & Library, Ludlow (Buttercross) Museum, London Road, ·orest Hill , London ~2 3P . Old Street, Ludlow. Tel: 0584 3857 Tcl: 01 -669 1872/2339/49'11 *Stoke-on-Trent City Museum & Art Gallery * lpswich Museum, Hanlcy, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3DW. Tel: 0782 202173 High Su·cct, Ipswich !P I 3QH. *Warwickshire Museum, Tel: 0473 213761/2 Market Place, Warwick CY34 3SA. * Luton Museum & Art Gallery, Tcl: 0926410410exL. 2500 Wardown Park, Luton LU2 7HA. *Worcester City Museum & Art Gallery, Tcl: 0582 3694'1/36942 Foregate Street, Worcester WR1 lDT. * North Hertfordshire Museums, Tcl: 0905 25371 Old Fire Stn., High St. , Baldock SG7 6AR. Tel: 0462 894352 EAST-CENTRAL AND SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND * Norfolk Museum Service: * BedfC1rd Museum, Castle Museum, Castle Lane, Bedford MK40 3XD. Norwich, Norfolk NR 1 3J U. Tcl: 0234-53323/54954 Tel: 0(-,()3 6 11 277 CXL 279

27 Cromer Museum, * Truro: Royal Institution of Cornwall, East Cottages, Tucker St., Cromer, Norfolk. County Museum, River St., Truro, Cornwall. Tel: 0263 513543 Tel: 0872 2205 * Lynn Museum, * Wells Museum, Market Street, Kings Lyon, Norfolk. 8 Cathedral Green, Wells, Somerset BA5 2UE. Tel: 0553 775001 Tel: 0749 73477 *Maidstone Museum & Art Gallery, * Woodspring Museum & Art Gallery, St. Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 ILH. Burlington St., Wcston-supcr-Marc, Avon BS23 I PR. Tel: 0622 54497 Tel: 0934 21028 * Oxford University Museum, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW. Tel: 0865 272950 * Oxfordshire County Museums, DIARY DATES Fletcher's House, Woodstock, Oxon OX7 ISN. Tel: 0993 811456 5 February. Herpetofauna Recorders Meeting will * Passmore Edwards Museum, take place at Manchest r Metropolitan University. Romford Road, Stratford, London EIS 4LY. Tel: 01-519 4296 This annual meeting provides a a forum for discussion * Peterborough City Museum & Art Gallery, and information exchange between amateur naturalists, Priestgate, Peterborough PE1 1LF. Tel: 0733 43329 professional biologists, statutory bodies and farming *Portsmouth (Cumberland House), and forestry interests. ontact Dr M. Swan 19 St Eastern Parade, South sea P04 9RF. Judiths Lane, Sawtry, I Iuntingdon, PE17 5X, tel 0487 * Porto;mouth City Museum & Art Gallery, 831984 (evening). Museum Rd., Old Portsmouth POI 2U. Tel: 0705 827261 *Queen Elizabeth's Hunting lodge Museum, 18 March 1994 is the start of National Science, Rangers Road, Chingford, London E4. Engineering and Technology Week to be organised by Tel: 01-529 6681 *Reading Museum & Art Gallery, the British Association. ~urther details from Brian Blagrave Street, Reading RG 1 1QH . Gamble, British Association, Portress House, 23 Sa vile Tel: 0734 55911 ext. 2242 Row, London WlX JAB, tcl 071 494 3326. * St. Albans City Museum, Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Herts ALl 3RR. 27 March - 1 April 2nd European Congress of Tel: 0727 56679 Mammalogy will take place at the University of *Southend Museums Service: Southampton. Details from Or R.J. Putnam, Bioi gy Central Museum, Dept., Boldrewood Building University of Victoria Ave, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Southampton, S09 3TU. Tel: 0702 330214 * Stevenage Museum, Using Natural History Collections -Focus On SL Georges Way, Stevenage, Herts SG1 1XX. Education. Mon-Tucs, JJ-12 April 19

28 The entire two-day programme, B&B, all meals Pcrhapsablcndofpermancnt:andtemponuyexhibitions including the Annual Dinner and a reception at the covering the interpretation ofbiological and geological Museum costs £75 so I hope members will be able to processes as well as environmental and straightforward manage to attend both days. taxonomic displays. There was also a desire to encompass a broaderrangeofbiological and geological If you would like more details please contact me, Jane material than is easily displayed in a traditional gallety Pickering, University Museum, Parks Road, Oxford. format and which can only really be achieved in a OX1 3PW. Tel: 0865 272962. Fax: 0865 272970. "hands on" type faci lity. Collections Planning and Policies is the title of a joint Another consideration has been the recent changes to ASC/SPNHmeetingtobeheldattheMissouriBotanical education. The demands made on the service by schools Garden on May 11-15 1994. For those of you on and individual teachers asking for loans of biological unlimited budgets the contact is ASC, 730 11th Su·eet, material has ris n dramatically since the inu·oduction of NW, Second Floor, Washington, D. C. 20001. theNat.ional urriculum. ould we service this demand, BCG Dutch Dash 94. BCG is hoping to organise a and if so how? study trip to the Netherlands in late autumn 1994. It is In early 1992 the Museum Service had the opportunity intended that the trip would last 4-5 days and include to acquire premises adjoining Gosport Museum. The visits to the museums in Leid en and Amsterdam. A first building was formerly a sch I and, more recently, circular will be sent to all members at the beginning of offices of the Ilampshire ounty ouncil Education January to gauge interest. If the response to this is not Department. With this list d building came finance~ r good the tripwillnotgoahead, so please ensure that you the County Architects, not only t refurbish the building register your interest as early as possible. but: als to reinstat lost architectural ~ atures. 19-21 April 1995. International Conference on Apart from one large hall most of the 6,000 square feet valuing Natural Science Collections, Manchester ofaccommodation was not sui table~ ruse as traditional University. See circular enclosed with this issue. gallery SI ace and, anyway, we w uld pr bably not have g t the building in th first place if it was just l NEW DEVELOPMENTS extend G sport Museum. What we ne dcd was an w SEARCH for Science in Hampshire - the initiative for Hampshire. Thus the S uth ~ast Activity background and Rcsourc Centre for Hampshire (S ~ARCH) was born, now simply known as "SEARCI I for Science" For two or three years now Hampshire County Council Museum Service has been giving some thought to and "SEAR Cl I for History". developing a more integrated natural science display The id a of providing a discov ry c ntr ~ r natural policy for its network of local museums. It would be science (SEARCJ I for Science) and an active learning (and is in many museums I have visited including our centre for hist01y (S ~ARC! I for History) targeted to a own) all too easy to fall into the trap of approaching large xtent'at:theeducation markets n gained political natural science displays as solely the interpretation of support and a steering group was established with input the local natural environment to a museum, in the same from myself, as Keeper of Biology, the Education way that local hist01y is tackled. Unlike local history, Officer, the Mark ting Officer and onservation staff which by definition is very parochial, the natural with !an ~dcl man , the uratorof ospott Museum, as environment is not constrained by parish, town or the Project Manager. A three year development district political boundaries. It consists of far broader programme was formulated to commence Aprill993. brush strokes and there is the vety real danger of each Th Rccrcati n Committee f Hampshire County display that is created covering the same themes and Council hav so far allocat d £30,000 for capital using the same examples. Or, looked at another way, it development and £65,000 revenue funding for 1993/4. is conceivable that one display could be created which This has enabled us to appoint Ann Nicol, formerly at would be equally relevant at each location in a region. the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow and Leicestershire This is a very real problem for us, particularly in Museums, as a Natural ciences 0 velopment fficer densely populated south Hampshire, where we have for the project. three local museums within 15 miles of each other Ann stc:ut d with us towards the end of July 1993 and (Havant,Fareham, Gosport) together with Cumberland already the S AR 1-1 for Science discovery room itself House Natural History Museum run by Poitsmouth is fitted out and fu nctional as our Museums Panel of City Museums. What we needed then was a more County ouncillorscan testify - th y were the first to try strategic approach to our natural science provision. out the vid o microscope. However, 1 will leave

29 operational details and other developments for Ann to couriers to accompany items from one museum t tell you about in a future article! another. However, most of the museums appr ached were exceedingly helpful and agreed to 1 an relevant I would just like to end with this plea. An initiative li ke material. SEARCH has a knock on effect in other spheres of operation, not least for conservation and collections The exhibition eventually came to fruition; loans wer; management. For us it has meant a complete reappraisal completed; text written and the ex hi bi tion designed and of our acquisitions policy. We now have a particular built. It opened in Oldham on April 4th 1993 and is need and use for foreign material which in the past we currently touring. refused or redirected to other museums. So if anyone is Sian Owen, Exhibitions Officer (Natura/History) responsible for good quality non-data foreign material Oldham Museum and wishes to investigate the possibility of transferring it to a good home would they please contact Ann Nicol University of Leicester, Dept of Museum tu dies atSEARCH,50ClarenceRoad,Gosport,Hants.P012 Science and Natural Science Courses 1BU (0705 501957). For the first time, the Department of Museum Studies Chris Palmer, Keeper of Biology and is inviting applicants wishing to take individual one Curator of Havant Museum, week science and natural science modules. These Hampshire County Council Museum Service. modules fonn part of the University Diploma/M.Sc. in Museum Studies. Students wishing to go on to take the PARROTS at Oldham and elsewhere other modules which make up the course will be credited with the modules they have already tak n. Pieces of Eight, Pieces of Eight; Polly, Pretty Polly; Other modules look more closely at the non-discipline Punch on Parrots; Monty Python and the deceased based aspects of curation, for example, preventative Norwegian Blue; Endangered Hyacynth- these were conservation, documentation practice, collection all phrases racing around my mind as I took up the post management policies etc. of Exhibitions Officer in Natural History at Oldham Museum. My predecessor, J ane Mee, had completed a Sciences 1 :Science Collections, 28 Feb - 4 Mm·ch feasibiltystudyintotheideaofaparrottouringexhibition 1994 before moving on to Ludlow, leaving me with copious information and an exhibition to organise! This course will take a wide look at science collections in museums, and is aimed particularly at students Part of the agreement with the Museums and Galleries interested in the hist01y and philosophyofscienc . The Commission to obtain financial assistance was that the course will examine the nature of these collections, tour should be well booked and this was one of my practice in collecting and conservation, directions for initial tasks. To my surprise the tour was almost fully research and the basics of collections management. booked within about six weeks of advertising- all this before we even began to put the exhibition together. Sciences 1: Natural Sciences Curatorial Course, in This, in my opinion, highlights the demand and need collaboration with BCG, GCG and Leic ster Museums, for touring exhibitions- unfortunately the subsequent 7 Mm·ch - 11 March 1994 closure of the touring exhibitions unit means that small i\ practical 1 k at collecting and fi Id recording local museums like Oldham will find it virtually techniques, preservation, conservation, storage, impossible to obtain funding to tour exhibitions in documentation, taxonomy and research. The c ursc future. will discuss those aspects orcuration which arc specific Parrots was an exciting venture because of its to the natural sciences. It wi 11 include field and laboratory multidisciplinary approach, incorpora ring art, literature work, lectures and seminars. lt will discuss in equal and humour within a natural history framework. I was measure good practice in geology an I biology. also very pleased to be organising a touring exhibition This one week course replaces the Sheffield based in natural history because we seem toseesofewofth m Natural Sciences Curatorial Course. rt aims to build around. upon the success of the Sheffield course particularly in Much of my time initially was taken up with looking its continued commitment to practical work but with into the loaning of material as Old ham had very little in the added incentive of potentially contributing to a its own collection relating to parrots. Our access to recognised qualification in museum studies. The course items for the exhibition was determined largely by is also run on a firmer footing as it no longer depends money - we could not for example afford to pay on student numbers to run.

30 Sciences 2: Communicating Science, 14 March - 18 MEETING REPORTS March 1994 T he care of spirit Preserved collections Semina r A look at how museums communicate science. This wide ranging course will examine techniques used in The BCG seminar was a resoundjng success in spite of science and discovery centres, in exhibition, site the IRA and their Reading bomb which resulted in one interpretation, publication and education. Again the speaker and some delegates not making it past Cardiff focus will be on developing techniques and knowledge and a second speaker being ill. Not many seminars which can be applied directly in the museum. It is for these days have a waiting list for participants - thanks scientists of all disciplines. to Kathie Way and her superb organisation. Cost per course is £220. B&B accomodation is available It was a singul arly worthwhile day for all concerned - at£ 13-£20 per night. I am afraid that the Department is sp akers and delgates alike - a full appraisal will appear no longer able to provide University accomodation for in a future newsletter. It was good to see so many its part-time students, however, private accomodation younger workers of the pro~ ssion participating and a lists will be sent on request. Contact: Department of salutory lesson for some older members n how much Museum Studies, University of Leicester, 105 Princes we take for granted, how much we still d n 't know and Road East, Leicester, LE1 7LG. Tel 0533 523963, Fax how much we can still learn fr m each ther. This was 0533 523960. definitely a meeting in the Rcg llarris tradition (sec BCG Special Publication no 3 and the last Journal of Simon Knell Biological Curation). We obviously need a follow up meeting, with perhaps more tim forag neral discussion PUBLICATIONS and maybe even a series of hands on workshops. Preserving Natural Science Collections: Chronicle r~l Rosina Down., our Environmental Heritage is by W.Donald University College, London Duckworth, Hugh Genoways and Carolyn Rose. This american publication, now available through the National Institute for the Preservation of Cultural SPNIIC Conference, Victoria, June 1993: Flood Property, synthesises information gathered from Disaster at Che Texas A & M University meetings, calls forpublic education about the import

31 type specimens to extract DNA, a cautionary ending to tanning salts, manipulated the drying skins repeatedly a thought-provoking introductory talk. so that they would not become stiff. The chromi urn salt­ tanned skins survived the best although some tide lines From Dr Scudder' s series of ideals and how a museum appeared on a few and other differently-treated skins. collection should be maintained and used there followed The results from thedifferenttannages provided valuable a series of 5 highly useful talks about coping with information about the treated skins' hydr -therm - disasters and saving specimens at any cost. These talks stability - the temperature at which intra-molcculcu were based on the flooding with hot water of a series of forces are greater than the inter-molecular forces causing sub-basement storerooms, 20 feet below ground level, the collagen fibres to swell and lose theirtensile strength and containing the vertebrate part of the Texas so that the skin starts to fall apa1tor gelatinise. Pelts with Cooperative Wildlife Collection at the Texas A & M alum tanning, which gives a soft-to-the-touch and University during the night of the 30 October 1992. pretty white leather look, were found to dissociate Kathryn Vaughan outlined how the disaster had been above 35°C. caused by a burst hot water main with subsequent flooding to a depth of 41 inches. How the workers had Aldehyde (oil tans) and polyhydroxy (ph nolic and to cope voluntarily with unsafe conditions: darkness, vegetable) tannages fared somewhat better. Mineral electrical hazard, alcohol vapour - race against time salt (chromium) tanning, which is less good to look at versus personal safety. She outlined the emergency and to the touch, was found to have kept the temperature/ measures that were taken: computers with their precious shrinkage range to a minimum having the highest data were the first to be removed (one hard disc was hydrothem1al stability - skins could even survive intact already submerged!) and with volunteer conservators in boiling water for a few minutes! working round the clock both animal skins and some Steve Williams told us how skeletal material was dried 1.5M museum jars were removed with great rapidity carefully so as not to overdry, which can lead to but carefully. There were scarcely any jar breakages cracking. Saturated skulls were frozen (causing some and although some dilution of fluids was noticed the cracking anyway!), and were then dried in the huge specimens were subsequently found to have hardly freezedrierofthe BMS Catastrophe UnitatFortWorth. suffered at all (stressing the need for good fixation). The less stable skins were freeze-dried in a large Yirtis The skin cabinets were awash and dirty water flowed machine but the near 6\fC of the hot water had caused out as these were raised to ground level; the submerged some collagen distortion leading to cutaneous shrinkage. skins that had not suffered too badly were immediately loaded into freezer trucks and sent to Fort Worth for Sally Shelton summed up the series of talks with a freeze drying. At this point the importance of using bottom line about prevention being better(andcheaper!) waterproof ink for labelling was endorsed! George than cure. Bearing in mind that there was no insurance Baumgardner continued this talk informing us how the freeze-drying bill came to $200K, which was documents were freeze-dried and then adherent mud excellent value considering the power used, wear and was scraped off and how metal lids on jars were quickly tear and operation of the unit. The total bill came to replaced with plastic before corrosion products about three-quarters of a million dollars to save 52K appeared. Some of the wooden specimen cases were mammals, skins and 14K birds. he outlined how rapid damaged slightly during the moving and some others decisions and responses had had to be taken in difficult warped; many of the steel fixture cabinets contained up and sometimes hazardous situations. She hoped that a to 1. 5 gallons each of water inside their framework and greater awareness would prevail about the dangers of had to be drilled and drai ned! storing underground and a beuerawareness of preventive conservation through building design. She earnestl y Animal pelts gave more severe problems, especially hoped that complacency would not be brought about by those that had been submerged - the wam1 water what she calls the Tornado Theory ( w would say about quickly removing tanning salts from them and causin g lightening striking twice). Instead sheadvisedanetwork rapid deterioration. Catherine Hawks, who was called system to be set up to get help more quickly and easily in to supervise the salvage of the pelts told us that some with a li st of emergency conservators, freeze-driers, skins had gelatinised to protein glue and were a ha zard fresh storage cases, cardboard boxes and poly-bags for in themselves. Part-gelatinised skins could be treated instant delivery together with an address for a trucking with alcohol immersion and the gelatinised protein company with refrigerated lorries. removed; with much manipulation these skin s were eventually saved. Less seriously affected skins were Considering th at this was all caused by backed-up blotted and turned by volunteers, to air dry them. A drains! A lesson to be learned with today'slow budgeting combination of ·sunshine and breeze helped while the and having to place irreplaceable objects, even if they volunteers, gloved to protect against the more toxic had low market value, in a storage area below ground

32 level where there is risk of such inundation, and the Subject of enquiry: requirement of personal safety and safety-approvable General 759 67 5 mins procedure against the rapid deterioration timeclock. Records Centre 365 57 9 Entomology 450 29 4 Reference Other Zoology 450 22 3 SULLOWAY,F.J.1982: Darwin and his Finches the Botany 112 5 2 evolution ofa legend. Cambridge, Mass. USA. Geology 329 24 4 Aquarium 280 8 6 SimonMoore Barometer Hampshire County Council Museums Service Readings 56 4 4 Winchester BCG Business (Chairman) 197 22 The Zemaljski Museum Sarajevo For other The Zemaljski Museum, or Land Museum of Sarajevo Museum sections 760 25 2 is situated on the banks ofthe fiercely contested Miljacka General River, and has suffered considerable damage from Museum enquiries 515 17 2 missiles since the outbreak of war in Bosnia. The Total 4273 280 4mins museum housed wide-ranging collections started under the Austro-Hungarian regime in 1885. The courtyard Three staffhandle the bulk of the enquiries so the direct housed an important collection of 14th and 15th century se1vice occupies less than 6% of our time! limestone tombstones, but both the courtyard and the Definite value for money! We hope. building itself are now severely damaged. The famous botanical garden dating from the museum's foundation Charging for enquiries at Bolton isatriskfrominhabitantsdesperatelyseekingfirewood, Pressure to generate income resulted in the Natuml and the collections in the museum building are History Section having to charge for enquiries from unprotected from the elements. Most of the natural commercial organisations. We have to bring in £500 history collections have been destroyed by the lack of per year to 'break even'; anything over that can be spent controlled environment. A group of local people are as part ofour bud get. This was a worrying development , trying to take what action they can to save the remaining but all of our regular users happily pay, although we collections and stabilize and weather-proof the the probably undercharge in real terms. We hit our target building. Support in the form of funds and materials is the first year, narrowly exceeded it in the second and urgently needed from theinternationalcommunity. For have already passed it this year. Occasional enquirers further information contact Bosnia-Hertzegovina pay £15 +VAT for a 'quickie', more if it takes longer. Heritage Rescue UK, 9 Canterbury Mansions. Several regular users have been persuaded to save Lymington Road, London NW6 2EW, tel 071 433 mon y by paying an annual fee, based on their level of 1142. (This note originally appeared in Tak Tent, the use of the service. In addition, we recharge our newsletterofthe Scottish Museums Council, no.7 Oct Environmental Health Service. Most Environmental 1993). Health Depa~tments get costs awarded in successful prosecutions so, rather than complicating paperwork Natural History Enquiries at Bolton by also claiming our costs each time, we agreed on an In an attempt to learn more about our enquiry service annual recharge. Brief advice on the phone is still free, the Natural History staff decided to monitor enquiries but anything in writing becomes ch

33 On Wenlock Edge: a New Permanent Display at The display was sold to the Countryside C mmtSSt n Much Wenlock Museum as an interpretive facility that would enhance access to the countryside. Our case was somewhat str ngthencd Much Wenlock Museum is a small local museum with by the location of the Tourist Information Centre in the a pleasing ambience, airy and light (UV filtered!), not museum foyer and a letter of support from the National too overwhelming or sophisticated, with a considerable Trust. Selling the project to the Countryside Commissi n number of objects on open display. was hard work, and then the conditions so readily It is situated in the Shropshire town of Much Wenlock agreed at the moment the offer was made, became not far from Ironbridge and towards the north-eastern extraordinarily exacting as deadlines approached. end ofWenlock Edge, a famous limestone escarpment Eventually the budget was raised to £10,000 with -famed not only for its beauty but known to geologists further financial support provided by the West Midlands throughout the World as a 'type locality'. Area Museum Service. When £6,000 was allocated by the Leisure Services At this stage, and as the storyline was developing, we Committee (in August 1992) for the refurbishment of did contemplate the services of a designer for the displays at Much Wenlock Museum, it was decided project. However, it soon became very obvious that we thatthe geology and natural history in particularrequired could not afford one! So the display was designed and attention. The displays were old (1970's), captions and built in-house - down to the layout of the panels. specimens in some disarray and the arrangement of cases and panels created a rather gloomy atmosphere at The theme was largely dictated by the Edge itself and one end of the museum. the Much Wenlock Limestone of which it is made; its geological past - tropical, clear, shallow sea in which A Natural Starting Place for a Visit to the Edge? coral reefs flourished; how the escarpment was formed; wildlife and habitats - the influence of the limestone, The re-display of the natural history and geology exploitation of the limestone - quarries and lime­ presented several exciting opportunities. burning; the work of the National Trust to conserve Thefrrstofthese was to interpret Wen lock Edge, using Wenlock Edge and provide access and information for the County's collections, and to promote the museum visitors. as a visitor centre for the area Throughout, the emphasis was on displays that would Secondly, to work in partnership with the National encourage visitor participation and enhance a visit to Trust (Mercia Region), the major conservation the Edge. I was very keen to avoid gratuitous buuon­ organisation active on Wenlock Edge pushing, my colleague Nigel Nixon (Senior Curat r) to provide displays that incorporated seating. The immediate benefit to the Museum Service of collaborating with the Trust was seen as access to The display was designed for families visiting the area National Trust staff, familiar with the locality, and and although not dir ctly geared to schools and the archives (photographs, biological records and demands of the National Curriculum it provides a good management plans); of mutual benefit, the promotion introduction to several 'attainment targets' (particularly of each others sites - the National Trust directing if used in conjunction with Wen lock Edge itself). visitors to the Museum for more information, via on­ site interpretation panels and leaflets, and the Museum A Watery Past display pointing people in the direction of places they McKerrow's book "The Ecology ofFossils" provid d could visit on the Edge to see for themselves the inspiration for what became the central display of the evidence of Wenlock's geological past, the relics of exhibition. It didn't take t much imagination to lime-burning, the National Trust's efforts to restore transfonn the line drawings of the Wenlock coral reef woodland, etc. In addition the Museum would provide habitat (which existed in the Wenlock Edge area some the National Trust with an interpretive facility to explain 400 miilion years ago) with fossilized remains exposed their work in the area. as a rock sh If alongside int a 3-D model; into a Once National Trust involvement was established, 'living' s a; (behind glass and with dappled lighting action was taken to increase the size of the budget effect) and fossil shelf, mitTOring the 'living' scene, available. Both the Countryside Commission and incorporating real fossils that can be touched (casts of English Nature were approached with success the fossils were used in the living scene). (presumably success due in part to Wenlock Edge's Three drawers were incorporated beneath the display to status as an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and take our best fossil specimens; friendly graphics and the number of SSST's on the Edge).

34 trilobite handles encourage people to open the drawers One of the most pleasurable aspects of this project was and benches alongside provide seating for appropriate thenumberof people who eventually became involved; levels of contemplation. The accompanying text is from the National Trust staff who marched me up and carried on trilobite bats (imagine a chopping board - down the Edge in search oflime trees ::md lime kilns, to trilobite on one site, text on the other) leaving the the quarrymen from ECC Quarries, who found a display uncluttered with words. magnificent lump of limestone with lots of fossils (What clues can you find to Wenlock's past?) and lined Photographs, on a panel hanging above, relate the up to have their photograph taken (for comparison with Silurian reef scene to similar habitats in the world today the 19th century predecessors); from the scientists of and to reefs that can be seen fossilized in situ in the cliff Marine Research Labs who searched slide collections and quarry faces ofWenlock Edge. for aerial photographs of patch reefs, and Shropshire's naturalists who provided images of wi Id flowers to the A visitor-operated model demonstrates how the Edge town archivistand local historians who provided images was formed. The simplicity of the final model, bicycle­ and documents pertaining to the lime-burning industry. pump and push-chair wheels provide the technology, belies the amount of effort that went into its design. The display has now been open for one seas n (April t Mechanical difficulties and establishing exactly what September). We have received positive feedback from the model needed to demonstrate were only resolved both members of the public and sch Is; a teachers' after considerable and sometimes heated discussion pack will be available next year and better promotion and the model is a credit to the ingenuity of our should increase the number of school visits, and yes, technical staff(and the impetus of a shoe-string budget). our man from the Countryside Commission is quite And it met with the approval of the local geologists. right, a leaflet is needed to help visitors make that link between display and countryside. It was quite an interesting experience extracting a list of about 12 plants "characterizing" the Edge (wood, .lane Mee meadow and regenerating quarry) from three of the Curator o.fNatural Sciences, local botanists; and then establishing which reliably Ludlow Museum indicated the presence of limestone and even more difficult, the presence of an ancient wood or meadow; ITS ALL GREEK TO ME and then to find the relevant photographs (at no cost); Has any one else received the I tter below which was Hairy Violet had to go- not even the botanist who had sent by Treda Ltd of Athens to Kelvingrove Museum? enthused about its presence on Wenlock Edge had Although a suitable subject for our ::un usement there is captured it on film. a serious side to the approach which (and apologi.es to Treda if I have misconstrued their letter) seems to be Symbols were used to indicate the preferences of the seeking surplus specimens for resale. Anyway, here it flowers (habitats, lime-loving, ancient habitat). I thought lS: this was a pleasingly simple way of getting the message across but the use of symbols seemed to cause our Sirs, We have a company o.fimport- export and we are graphic designer a considerable amount of stress. interested to supply from you some kinds. 1. For insects generally (butterflies -scarabees)from The limestone approach also provided an excellent all over the world, hut e,\pecially from Europe. opportunity to transform wildly exciting dot (distribution) maps (taken from the 'Shropshire Flora') 2. For spiders, scorpions etc, either salted or into an interactive display. Dot maps for yellow-wort, proplastics. pyramidal orchid and heather and a sliding geology 3. For.fishes, salted, sea born, living on the borders f4 overlay make the connection between limestone and a lake or riverfishes European, specially propla\'tics . . plant distribution (and again, you can sit down to do this one). 4. For proplastics of dolphins, sharks, whales etc. 5. For European shells. The 'CaringforWenlockEdge' panel uses photographs toshowtheNational Trust in action; opening up ancient In Greece are going to be founded a lot ofmuseums of routeways,excavating lime kilns, botanically surveying Physical /-1 istory and we intend to supply them all these the 'Pudding Bag' (Yes! - a limestone meadow); kinds and the museums are going to create g(fi shops. putting up fences; taking down conifers (and the Our cooperation is going to be as follows: for every subsequent transformation of the ground flora) and my order you'll send uds the proportionate invoices and favourite - po!Iarding Wenlock's ancient limes. we' ll send you immediately the money.

35 You are kindly requested for lower prices in order to Advertising Rates - relevant advertisements from have profits, because asyouknowwe are going to resell suppliers etc. arc welcome. The current rates (copy them. supplied) are: The Greek Market is very interesting. Full page £40 per issue Looking forward to your answer and the relative price FuU page (3 Consecutive issues) £100 (total) list, we hope ourfuture cooperation will be profitable. Half page £25 per issue Faithfully yours Quarter page £15 per issue Inserts (350 supplied ready for insertion) £25 per Beware Replica Eggs! issue Contact: The Editor, M A Taylor, Petth Museum, Hands up the readers of The Mail on Sunday. The Gcorge Street, Perth, PHl 5LB (Lel 0738 32488) OR accompanying magazine carried a conspicuous The Treasurer, Ms K Way, Mollusca Section, The advertisement by Emerald Collectables for a series of Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, life-size replica birds eggs "developed in liason with SW7 5BD (Lcl 01 938 8892). Colin Harrison - for 26 years cumtor of the British Museum's famous collection". The eggs do seem to be Back Issues - The ed itor now has the stock of back accurate replicas, Colin Harrison calls them the most issues. A full list will appear in the next newslellcr. accurate he has ever seen, and the vendors "expect the Meanwhile, any enquiries to the editor. collection will discourage those wishing to steal birds The views expressed in the Newsletter do not rcpr s nl eggs- after all why steal one when you can now legally the views or policy of the Biology Curators Group own such a perfect replica?" Setting this dubious Committee or membership except where specifically argument aside, the collection will have introduced to stated. the open market a set of accurate fakes for potential Subscription rates arc £8.00 for individual membership substitution into museum collections. If even the tight and £15.00 for institutional and overseas mcmb rship. security oftheJourdain Collection atGloucestercan be Application fonns from the Membership Secretary on breached and clutches stolen (3 GyrFalcon clutches request. have been noted as missing) it is galling to have to beware of yet another potential weapon in the armoury Published and Printed at Norlhern Whig Ltd., of the egg thieves. Limestone Road , Belfast, DTI S 3AH. © The Biology Curators Group ISSN 0144 - 588X

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