Natural History Museums NEWSLETTER No. 6 1980 Contents/Table des matieres 1. Conference Programme 1. Programme du colloque 2. Report of the Business Sessions 2. Rapport sur les questions administratives and Resolutions et resolutions 3. Papers Presented 3. Textes des dissertations presentees 4. List of Participants 4. Liste des participants International Committee of Natural History Museums - ICOM Comite international des }fusees d'Histoire naturelle - ICOM Chairman/President * Dr. Louis Lemieux - Canada Vice-Chairman/ Dr. Boris Saveliev - USSR/URSS Vice-President Secretary/Secretaire F. Hugh Schultz -Canada Programme Chairman '80 President du Comite du Programme '80 Heather Shannon - Canada Host Committee Chairman/ President du Comite d'Acceuil Dr. Gonzalo Halffter - Mexico/Mexique * Chairman Elect/President elu Dr. Kjell Engstrom - Sweden/Suede Notes This publication has been prepared as a special edition of the Newsletter of the International Committee of Natural History Museums of ICOM to record the proceedings of the committee meeting held in Mexico City from October 28 to November 4, 1980. All papers have been published as received from the authors. Abstracts or summaries have been prepared for each item in the other official language of ICOM solely for the assistance of our readers. Pictorial materials were used in the presentations in many instances, or were provided by authors to accompany their written texts. These were not used in this publication because of the expense and difficulty of printing. If these materials are of interest, please communicate directly with the authors. Notes La presente publication a ete preparee a titre de numero special du Bulletin du Comite international des musees d 1 histoire naturelle de 1 1 ICOM pour rendr.e compte des deliberations de l 1 assemblee du Comite tenue au Mexique, du 28 octobre au 4 novembre, 1980. Toutes les communications sent presentees dans le texte integral des auteurs. Un resume de chaque article a ete prepare dans 1 I autre langue Qfficielle de 1 I ICOM dans 1 1 unique but d'aider nos lecteurs. Des representations visuelles ont servi, dans bien des cas, a illustrer les presentations initiales ou avaient ete fournis par les auteurs pour accompagner le texte de leurs communications. Nous n'avons pu les utiliser dans la presente publication a cause des difficultes et des frais d'impression. Ceux que ces documents interessent pourront s'adresser directement a l'auteur. CONlSEtL. §f'i ·~· Ehi'•,;ATIONA.f. o~s MUSEES Programme INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS OF ICOM COMITE INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE D'ICOM October 28/le 28 octobre Conference Opening/Ouverture du Collogue Dr. Louis Lemieux - Chairman of the Committee/ President du Comite Welcoming addresses/Mats de bienvenue Dr. Gonzalo Halffter, Director/Directeur Museo de Historia Natural de la Ciudad de Mexico Host Committee Chairman/President du Comite d'acceuil Session/Seance Paper/Texte No. 1 An International Code of Ethics for Natural Histo Museums/Code international d'ethigue pour les musi d'histoire naturelle Dr. Harold Mahan, U.S.A. Session/Seance Paper/Texte No. 2 Los Museos de Historia Natural: Alternatives Actuales para la Prot~ci~n del Patrimonio Natural Dr. Gonzalo Halffter Museo de Historia Natural de la Ciudad de Mexico Session/Seance MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS/SUJETS DIVERS Chairman/President: F. Hugh Schultz National Museum of Natural Sciences, Canada Paper/Texte No. 3 The Campus Natural History Museum: Responsibilit] and Problems Dr. Bryce B. Brown, Baylor University, Waco, Texas Paper/Texte No. 4 The World's Heritage: The Museum's Responsibility Anthony Tynan, Hancock Museum, Newcastle, England Natural History Exhibits in the Museum of India Paper/Texte No. 10 Dr. S.M. Nair, National Museum of Natural History New Delhi, India Session/Seance THE MUSEUM AND THE ADULT Chairman/President Dr. Malcolm Arth American Museum of Natural History, New York, U.S.A. Paper/Texte No. 11 A New Visitor Resource Centre Anne Clarke, British Museum of Natural History London, England Paper/Texte No. 12 Free-Ranging Monkey Parks - An Outdoor Museum? Dr. S. Hirose Japan Monkey Centre Aichi, ·Japan Session/Seance MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS/SUJETS DIVERS Continued/Continue Paper not available/ La Conservacion del Germoplasma Mundial (un proyecto Texte non disponible MAB-UNESCO) Gonzalo Halffter, Pedro Reyes-Castillo, Ma. Eugenia Maury, Sonia Gallina, Exequiel Ezcurra Institute de Ecologia, Mexico Paper not available/ The Guration of Palaeontological Collections and Texte non disponible Recommendation for ICOM Policy Statement by the Palaeontological Association of Great Britain, read by Peter J. Morgan, Cardiff, Wales Paper not available/ The Development of a Museum of Natural History Texte non disponible in Nigeria N. M. Adediran, Nigerian Museum, Lagos, Nigeria Paper not available/ Los Museos de Historia Natural y su Funcion en Texte non disponible pro de los Recursos Naturales Jorge A. Ibarra, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Guatemala Paper/Texte No. 13 Curation of Biological Collections of Museums Statement by ESRC/ESF working group on Taxonomy, Systematics and Biological recording Read by Peter J. Morgan, Cardiff, Wales / Paper/Texte No. 14 Le role du Museum d'Histoire naturelle. "Grigore Antipa" dans l'education des masses" Dr. Dan Dumitrescu, Bucarest, Rumanie Session/Seance REPORT OF THE ICOH-IUCN PROJECTS/RAPPORT DU PROJET ICOM-IUCN Chairman/President Dr. Louis Lemieux, Director, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa, Canada Paper/Texte No. 15 Exhibition on the use of the Tropical Rain Forest Anne Clarke, British Museum of Natural History London, England, and Dr. S.M. Nair, National Museum of Natural History, New Delhi, India. Caribbean Project J. S. Whiting, National Museum of Natural Sciences Ottawa, Canada Session/Seance Business Meeting/Questions administratives Dr. Louis Lemieux, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa, Canada REPORT OF THE BUSINESS SESSION Dr. Lemieux chaired the session which was held in the Museo de Historia Natural de la Ciudad de Mexico. Dr. Lemieux reported on his activities during the past year and a half and offered his thanks to the Executive and principals of the committee for their fine work. He also thanked Heather Shannon for again taking on the task of being Programme Chairman for the meeting in Mexico. The project "Directory of Natural History Museums" was discussed. It was the general feeling that the project was a useful one and it was suggested that the new executive should contact Dr. Rydzewski and determine its progress. A project involving the preparation of a list of type specimens of the world was discussed. Various suggestions were made for a sensible approach to the problem. Anthony Tynan, Hancock Museum in Newcastle, England offered to be a point of contact for the project and would be pursuing possibilities of coordination with discipline-oriented groups. Several new projects were presented by Dr. Lemieux. The committee agreed that it would be a valuable thing to have a basic design for a museum of natural history for use in many ways. Dr. Lemieux offered to pursue the matter in conjunction with the Committee on Architecture. Dr. Lemieux also discussed the need for the development of a handbook on specimen preparation and preservative techniques. He offered to pursue that matter and would investigate possible financial assistance from UNESCO. The secretary was asked to report. He indicated that the position is one of maintaining a business-like but informal administration of the affairs of the committee and of reacting to the requirements of ICOM and the me mbership. He indic ated that he had represented the Chairman at meetings of the Advisory Committee, maintained regular correspondence, and reacted to the needs of the Chairman and to the needs of the members. He reported on membership. Through a mail survey sent to about 400 persons we established a firm membership of 175 persons with an "interested" group of about 125 persons. All facts were sent to ICOM Headquarters in Paris. He also reported on financial matters. We do not collect fees, r arely spend money in a direct way, and do not have or need a treasurer. He indicated that the Government of Canada through the National Museum of Natural Sciences supported his time, travel expenses, publishing costs, office and other normal expenses associated with his office. He thanked the committee for the challenge, stimulation and great friendships that resulted from the work. The "Newsletter" project under the editorship of Dr. Rydzewski of Poland was discussed. He was complimented for doing a good job with few available resources. It was generally concluded that a newsletter was a very desirable vehicle for communicating with members. Hany things were suggested for inclusion in newsletters, such as expositions, travelling exhibits, personnel matters, publications, etc. It was suggested that assista nce for the editor would be useful. Karl Meyer, Huseum Directo r, Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde und Vorgeschichte, Oldenburg, West Germany indicated that he would help as an editorial assistant. Francisco Pabon Flores of Puerto Rico also offered to assist. Another project suggestion was made by Francisco Pabon Flores. He suggested that, if the committee agreed, he would be happy to pursue the development of the history of natural history museums of the world. The next meetings of the committee were discussed. An offer to meet in New Delhi, India in 1982 was offered by Dr. Nair, subject to discussion with his government. Plans for the associated meetings of the Committee in England on the occasion of the next general assembly of ICOM in London, England in 1983 were considered. It was suggested that the new executive should resolve the details. Dr. Lemieux then asked for the report of the Resolutions Committee. The committee consisted of Chris Haglund, Chairman, and members Arminta Neal and Kjell Engstrom. The resolutions presented by Chris Haglund and adopted at the meeting are presented in total immediately following this report.