^Auseumo/^A, <^' \ 1869 THE LIBRARY » THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ;Vol. XXV January I968 FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK January is traditionally a time of review and forecast, a time of taking inventory, evaluating the state of an individual, an organization, a nation, the world - and in these days, even the worlds beyond. The timing of such stocktaking is artificial, related solely to a date on a calendar, but it has become a custom and one that has some merit. In a busy complex such as the Museum, there is scarcely even enough time for thoughtful contemplation of the past, or for planning of the future - and yet, both are necessary for progress. What are our most important assets? What has made the Museum great, what makes it more and more significant to science and education - to Society? We have in our collections some 15 million specimens and artifacts, including many that are rare and irreplaceable. In our exhibits we have some of the v;orld's most spec- itacular natural history displays, and many more are under design for the near future. We have one of the great natural history libraries of the world. Surely these all make the Museum unique and obviously without the collections and the exhibits there would be no museum. But, it should be emphasized that the most important resources of the Museum have always been the people who have contributed their scholarship, their imagination and creativity, their energies, their service of adventure, their time, their financial support and enthusiastic interest to the enterprise that is the Museum. Without scholars, explorers, teachers, technicians and workers in all skills and crafts, vjithout devoted employees in all lines of effort; without trustees, donors, members, and friends, to support and encourage our efforts and contribute their thoughts, their experience and their time, we would not be one of the world's most important educational scientific institutions, coming near to the beginning of a second century of progress. We have much to be grateful for as we do our stocktaking. At the same time there is ;much that we need to change, accelerate and innovate as we go forward. We all become jimpatient at the slowness with which some projects are completed. We would like to move faster in important directions. But, most important is the wise use of what we have. The creative use of our resources will determine the qualitative results of what we do As we start this new year - and round out the Museum's first century of progress and contribution to knowledge - I thank each of you who is presently in our Museum family for your part and urge you to keep in mind that your individual efforts, your creative ithinking, your loyal dedication to the Museum are our most important resources. James A. Oliver Director ^ DRS. NICHOLSON hND BRANLEY PROMOTED Dr. Chamberlain was named Assistant Direc- DR. CHAMBERLAIN RESIGNS FROM MUSEUM tor after he spent 11 years as Chairman of the Planetarium. Under his direction the Two major appointments to the administra- Planetarium became a major center for edu- tive staff of the Museum were announced cation and research in astronomy and relat- this month by Dr. James A, Oliver , Director. ed sciences. Dr. Thomas D, Nicholson, Chairman of the Department of Astronomy and the Planetarium has been named Assistant Director. He suc- ceeds Dr. Joseph M. Chamberlain, who will take over as Director of Chicago's Adler Planetarium. The resignation will take ef- fect March 1. Dr. Chamberlain Dr. Nicholson will be succeeded in his Planetarium positions by Dr, Franklyn M. Branley, Assistant Chairman and Astronomer at the Planetarium. Dr. Nicholson's new position places him in charge of the Museum's education and pub- lication activities, its four field research stations, library, and the Planetarium. Dr. Chamberlain is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and Bradley Dr. Nicholson joined the Planetarium in University. He received his M.A. and Ed.D. 195^ and has been Chairman since 196^. He from Columbia University Teachers College. has participated in numerous expeditions to observe and photograph solar eclipses, The new Chairman of the Planetarium and the has made several trips to the Arctic to Department of Astronomy, Dr. Branley, earned carry out an astro-geodetic survey for the his Bachelor's degree at New York University United States Air Force, and has tested and and received his Master' s and Ph.D. degrees evaluated a sextant for use in the Gemini at Columbia University Teachers College. space program. Dr. Nicholson Dr. Branley A graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Dr. Nicholson was also granted a Bachelor's degree, summa cum He was appointed to the Planetarium staff laude, from St. John's University. He earned in 1956, after 20 years as a teacher in his M.S. degree at Fordham University School public and private schools and colleges. He of Education and received his Ph.D. from is the author of 5^ books on astronomy, a Fordham in I96I. consulting editor for Nature and Science magazine. Chairman of the Editorial Advisory His predecessor. Dr. Chamberlain, has been Board of Natural History Press, and a con- Assistant Director at the AMNH since 196^. tributor to several national magazines. ii FHICK FOSSIL EXHIBITED JAMES F. MC DONNELL DIES IN NEW JERSEY A specimen from the newly acquired Childs James F. McDonnell, who worked in three de- Frick Collection of Vertebrate Paleontology partments in the Museum during his 19 years went on exhibit this month for the first of employment here, died Saturday, January time at the Museum. 13 in Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, N.J, af- The skeleton of the spectacularly success- ter a long illness. He was 57- ful running carnivore, Hyaenodon , was placed Mr. McDonnell began working at the Museum on temporary display in the 77- Street Foy- in 19^0, He resigned in 19^6, then returned er. The skeleton was dated by scientists in 1955 and remained at the AMInIH until Oc- as about 33 million years old ( photo below). tober, 1967. He was the brother-in-law of the Museum's Purchasing Agent, Joseph F. Roche, During his tenure at the Museum, Mr. McDon- nell worked in the Custodial Division, in Micropaleontology , and, most recently, as Senior Clerk in the Cashier's Section of Accounting, He was well-known around the AMNH for his v/ide variety of talents and his willingness to help out fellow employees. Co-workers remember him as being friendly and coopera- The skeleton was found last year near Craw- tive. ford, Nebraska by a research team from the Frick Laboratory, which has since merged NATURAL HISTORY SPONSORS CONTEST with the Museum's Department of Vertebrate Paleontology. The specimen was one of about Natural History magazine has announced that 250,000 turned over to the AMNH. It is it will sponsor a photographic contest this still preserved in mudstone, the way it year. The project will be the first of its was found, but one side of the matrix has kind held by the magazine. The contest is been removed to reveal the bones, not open to Museum employees. liDr, Malcolm McKenna, Frick Associate Cura- ijtor, says the skeleton is one of the fin- jest examples of its genus. Because of the GRAPEVINE is published by the Public Re- ;animal's relative youth, he points out, su- lations Department of The American Museum 'Itures between the bones are clear and the of Natural History with the cooperation teeth are unworn and well-preserved. The of all Museum departments and offices. preservation is also excellent in small Information for future issues should be bones, many of which were not intact in any directed to GRAPEVINE, Public Relations other Hyaenodon specimens. Department. The Hyaenodon is associated with a group of mammals known as archaic carnivores, but recent findings have revealed that the an- I i imal is different from other early carni- |vores and it has been placed in a separate WHAT'S FOR SALE ! grouping, called Deltatheridians. [Members of the hyaenodont family lived as llate as five or six million years ago in Africa and Asia, but became extinct in North 'America and Europe about 25 million years ago. The animals lived successfully on this continent for about 15 million years. They "Snow White" German Shepherd puppies, A.K.C, [were excellent runners, capable of killing registered, pedigreed, male or female are their prey, which consisted primarily of available from Walter Lennon of the Mason the small ancestors of modern-day horses, Department, The pups sell for ^75,00 apiece, camels and other smaller animals. Mr, Lennon can be reached at Extension 20^. COMINGS AND GOINGS HAIL AND FAIREWELL Dr. Co Lavett Smith, associate Curator in The Office of Public Relations is happy to Ichthyology, is currently serving as gen- welcome Miss Shirley Noakes, who recently eral expedition leader on Cruise Number 10 joined the staff to assist in Centennial of the Lerner Marine Laboratory's Biologi- preparations. Miss Noakes comes to the Mu- cal Survey of the Bahamas. At the meetings seum from the Beverly (Mass.) Times, where of the American Association for the Advance- she v;as Education reporter. She is a grad- ment of Science in New York last month. Dr. uate of Harvard University, and earned her Smith and his assistant , Joel Sohn, present- degree in Humanities. Her tasks at the AMNH ed a paper on their analysis of the fish will include preparing a press kit for vis- populations found on Bahamian Coral Reefs, iting newsmen during the Centennial year, 1969i and assisting in organizing all pub- Dr.