In the Field

THE BULLETIN OF THE FIELD MUSEUM JULY*AUGUST 1997

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THE BULLETIN OF THE FIELD MUSEUM JULY*AUGUST 1997

“Dinosaur Families”
—— Pages 6 & 10

British primatologist A complete schedule of Zoology Chair Barry Find out what family values HEN Mg 80 a
Jane Goodall receives July/August events, Chernoff presents the million years ago. Discover what ScCHRUSIS S
The Field Museum's including a list of activities results of the Museum's know about dinosaur behavior and biology ~ 3
Award of Merit. for Field Nights — the inaugural AquaRAP and how they know it. Then watch your chil- =
Museum's new summer conservation expedition 4ren's eyes light up when robotic dinosaurs E
Thursday night program. __o Bolivia. come to life before your eyes. =

Eastern Arc Mammal Studies Aid Efforts To Protect African Forests

By Bill Stanley refined, they illustrate just how extraordinary
Collection Manager, Mammals this region is. These numbers alsoshow how {
little we know about the natural history of ; : un Kilimanjaro
ast Africa is celebrated for its wildlife the area's biota. ha

and spectacular scenery that serve as __.«--==-Ourdacksof knowledge is especially i
backdrops for postcards: saree given the extent of forest area S : ee ee
f - Taita Hills”
mentaries and vehicle advertise already destroyed and the level of encroach- :
While mountainsitike Kilimanjaro and ment threatening what.is left. Fortunate
Kenya are familiar icons, the Eastern Arc the government.of Tanzaniajhas show . eu
mountains — a creseent chain of older isolat- foresight in designating a large S€cti 4. ae Usambara |
ed peaks running along the’éastern region of forest in the Udzungwa Mountains as a q
Tanzania parallel to the coast of the Indian national park. Because visitors can only » Neu
Ocean — are in many ways more intriguing. grasp the beauty of the park by hiking up a , j
m the violent interaction of conti- steep escarpment, it does not attract as Me : Ulug ura |
and oceanic plates some ‘50_million to many visitors (oras much money) as does ih Taal
1 lion years ago, the Eastern Are moun- the typical African. game. park tike the
are now worn and subtle under the os Serengeti. Sueh a move by Tanzanians. to
low of | Kilimanjaro, yet possess ial. ‘define the’ area as a nationalpark under ~

of a region much eas than Africa’s ~scores‘their commitment to protect the fauna
famous massif. and flora of these immensely complex and
dlogists from The Field Museum and important ecosystems. bs se
the niversity of Danes Salaam in Tanzania Peed Though our project haS many facets, the — ZAMBIA Ps

underlying goal is the effective conservation:
of; “fhes@exceptional fofésts —an aspiration
ba ‘shared by all who understand the beauty, % accelerating in these mountains. For ex

uniqueness and fragility’ ‘of the flora and ra ~*~ ple, in the East Usambaras we have samp

have, been working for the past six years i int 4
tains in an attempt tedocumenty
rstandthe-€yolutionary history of
ent species ofismall f mammals"

including, ew, rodents and bats\— lake % fauna of these mountains, ‘Professional and > forest fragments one year, only to find a <e ~ white, are d for their
inhabit the pe we so intent o i, amateur scientists and natural historians are ~2maize field in their place the next. ~—~arcclike ution along
studying mic 4 committed tache ‘consewation of habitats We are not only ii interested in the pres- cOas

son that has fascin gists that Z ! found’ atop these fanges, if only abt absence of the’ ‘small Mammals in moisture coming

on other groups of Ea : _aspect of the mountéins’_ aia ““thesé mountains, but,also,how each of the the Indian Ocean,
the incredible number of plants and animals biota. : ae pati different EasterivAre smal martimal ‘popula- jountains' catchment
that occur nowhere else on Earth other than ‘goal-of our en tions are ee other populations. Ulti- forests are an important
in the forests high within these mountains. research is to f ify Which small mammals mately, we want to know how these * “water source for the peo-
Though the area has been a focus of scientif- occur in the diferent Eastern Arcjmountains; mammals game in these and oth ple of Tanzania.

ic study for years, it still remains a source of only when we ow which shrews and ait ity i Ba Answ

some incredible discoveries. For example, rodents live on each’ of the ranges can we pee critica tea ira (Lower Left): A Zanj
Danish scientists working in the Udzungwa decide which of t es nurture the f the ranges in di elephant shrew, Rhyn-
Mountains (the most southern range of the greatest diversity 0 I/mammals. The ; chocyon petersi — an
Eastern Arc) recently found a new genus of mountains that we id fy as the richest i in versity: e. endemic mammal found
francolin (a bird the size of a small chicken) mammals may not necéssarily match those that are in northeastern Tanzania.
that is more closely related to the California picked by other biologists focusing on othér as pri-

Quail than any African francolin. fauna. However, studiesdike ours give con- mary ie fo

Although the discovery of anew genusof __ servationists critically n
bird is of tremendous interest to scientists, it information in the ba

eded scientific ~ 7 Petts. Beoelewho ne
to safeguard this H

is the proportion of endemic species found string of unique habitats. Without knowledge ae we “Call on

in the Eastern Arc mountains that is a source of the range and natffral history of Eastern control the at

of greater fascination. For example, roughly Arc organisms, efforgs to conserve these ae our tesearc and se
25 percent of the species of trees found in groups are just stabs in the” dark-Although...~ = sion, work in ceane Mi
the montane forests of some Eastern Arc we may passionatel sh for all the forest to ~ polite, but it ensures lo

mountains are endemic, and for some be saved, we recogniz suppert. We also offer
groups of spiders the proportion is closer to unrealistic.
80 percent. While these figures are prelimi-
nary estimates and are in need of
intensive field surveys and F i Thighes i concentrations of foes, collect info
systematic studies to rf ~ is endemic (or special! ~and learn local names for small mammals.
be confirmed or ; ized sek Be so Upon securing the blessing of the village

; counci}ywe e
presenta- carry Squibg “into the forests. After pack-
_tive semplSqor the i last ur gear, we head along a trail

hat this is ici:

‘for an hour or more until we reach the
region may survive : border of the forest. Typically the lower sec-
the next generation. The tions exhibit the highest levels of human dis-

information must be collected
quickly because habitat conversion is Continued on page 4

Bill Stanley

Piet ores rr

The Field Is More Than A “Natural History Museum”

or many people

the words “natur-

al history muse-

um" conjure up

an image of a
dark, dusty repository
filled with strange,
ancient objects. But at
The Field Museum, this
image is far from true.
Just look at all the
exhibits, events and
programs offered each
month, and you will
see a remarkable pic-
ture unfolding — a pic-
ture that is colorful,
dynamic and ever
changing.

For the last few
months the Museum
hosted “The Illegal Camera,” an exhibit of
haunting images depicting the harsh realities
of life in the Netherlands during World War Il.
We asked former members of the Dutch
Resistance and a historian from Northwestern
University to lend a voice to these affecting,
but static images. One of the speakers, Epko
Weert, is actually captured in an exhibit pho-
tograph (right) hiding a rifle in a secret com-
partment under a toilet.

Programs like these are often the result of
the Museum working closely with other cultur-
al institutions around the city and across the
nation. The Epko Weert lecture, for example,
would not have been possible without the
support of Chicago's Spertus Institute of Jew-
ish Studies — an organization dedicated to
the intellectual, cultural and spiritual legacy
of the Jewish people.

At the Museum, collaborations are some-
times the geneses of innovative research ini-
tiatives. In May, for instance, Barry Chernoff,
associate curator of fishes and chairman of
the zoology department, spoke to members
of the Founders’ Council about the results of
the first Aquatic Rapid Assessment Program
(AquaRAP) expedition to the last of the unex-
plored rivers of Bolivia (see p.9). AquaRAP, a
multinational effort to advance urgently

John Weinstein /GN88119.6

(Right): Amsterdam,
April 1945. Eus Alberd-
ingk Thijm (right) and
his friend Epko Weert
conceal a cache of guns
under a toilet at 451,
Keizersgracht.

needed conservation efforts of freshwater
ecosystems of the tropics, is the result of a
partnership between the Museum and Con-
servation International — an organization
dedicated to protect the Earth's global biodi-
versity.

Other partnerships at the Museum take
the form of temporary or traveling exhibits.
Developed by the Museum of the Rockies,
our new summer exhibit, “Dinosaur Families,”
takes visitors on a journey into a Maiasaura
nesting colony. However, we decided our
patrons deserved more. We wanted to
expand the focus of the exhibit to include the
fossil discoveries of our own paleontologists
in Madagascar, including the recent
unearthing of a skull of Majungasaurus, a fero-
cious meat-eating dinosaur that inhabited the
island nearly 75 million years ago.

Another way we have broadened the
scope of “Dinosaur Families” is to develop a
series of activities and programs that expand
on the information contained within the
exhibit. For instance, paleontologist Jack
Horner will talk about how he found
the Maiasaura nesting site in the
Rockies. We also created an outdoor;
Dino Dig in which young aspiring
paleontologists, and the not so
young, can unearth fossils, identify
them and then take them home as
souvenirs.

We try to strike a balance
between educational programs for
children and adults. For example,
when primatologist Jane Goodall
visited the Museum to accept the
Award of Merit (see p.3), we
reserved time in her busy schedule
to talk to a group of children from
inner-city schools about her revolu- }
tionary research on wild chim- 4
panzees in Tanzania. But the
students came away with so much
more as Goodall described how she
refused to allow anyone or anything
to derail her childhood dream of
working with wild animals in Africa.
She was such e hit with the children
that at the end of her presentation

we had difficulty disengaging Goodall from
the sea of children that surrounded her. Any-
body walking by would have thought we had
a member of the Chicago Bulls visiting the
Museum,

As you can see, The Field Museum far
exceeds the image that is often invoked by
the label “natural history museum.” We are a
place of wonder, of discovery, and more
important, we are a place of change. It is also
a building in which you can spend a lifetime
exploring, and will never completely see and
experience everything contained within its
walls. With the development of the Museum
Campus and the new relationships we have
forged with our neighboring institutions, the
possibilities for the future are infinite.

John W. McCarter, Jr.
Field Museum President

Around Campus

Adler’s Mars Exhibit

land and dispatch a rover onto the surface

of Mars, the “red planet.” You can follow
Pathfinder’s progress and learn about its dis-
coveries when you visit the new Mars exhibit,
opening this summer at the Adler Planetarium
& Astronomy Museum, The new exhibit will
feature a touchable Mars relief globe, an auto-
mated rover that will move over simulated
Martian terrain by remote control and infor-
mation about the real rover, named “Sojourn-
er.” There will be timely updates and
demonstrations, including the first images to
become available from Mars. In addition, a
new sky show, “Is There Life on Mars?”
demonstrates how new discoveries provide
exciting clues to the real Mars. For more -
information, 312 2 STAR,

():: July 4, NASA‘s “Mars Pathfinder” will”

Jazzin’ At The Shedd

sink, the Museum Campus Starts to swing
with “Jazzin’ at the Shedd.” Every Thursday
from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., July 10 through Sep-
tember 25, you can visit the fishes, whales
and other aquatic creatures at Shedd Aquari-
_um, explore the “Frogs!” special exhibit, have
dinner in Soundings restaurant, and enjoy live
jazz and an unparalleled view of the city’s
skyline from the north terrace of the Ocea-
narium. Aquarium admission is free on Thurs-
days; Oceanarium and “Frogs!” admission is
just $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and children
ages 3 toll. For more information, call
312.939.2438. To make restaurant reserva-
tions, call 312.986.2286.

] hursdays in summer, when the sun starts to

JULY*AUGUST 1997

We would fe to know what you think
about In the F ield ...

“Please send comments or ae tone to 6 Rober Vosper, Publications 8
Department, ‘The: Field Museum, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore
Drive, Chicago. IL 60605-9410, or via & “mail al
<<vosper @ fmppr i franh. oe ee

Cas Oorthuys

JULY‘ AUGUST 1997
Vol. 68, No. 4

The Field Museum
Exploring

The Earth And Its
People

Editor:
Robert Vosper

Art Director:
Shi Yung

Editorial Assistant:
Rhonda Jones

In the Field (ISSN #1051-4546) is published bimonthly by The Field Museum, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL 60605-2496, Copyright
© 1997 The Field Museum. Subscriptions $6,00 annually, $3.00 for schools. Museum membership includes In the Field subscription. Opinions
expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect policy of The Field Museum. Museum phone $12, 922.9410. Notification of
address change should include address label and should be sent to Membership Department. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to In the Field,
The Field Museum, Roosevelt Ad. at Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, !L 60605-2496. Second class postage paid at Chicago, Illinois,

IN THE FIELD

Kimberly Mazanek /GN88264.29

Jane Goodall Receives Award Of Merit

By Robert Vosper

ritish primatologist Jane Goodall joined

the ranks of other great names in sci-

ence when the Founders’ Council pre-

sented her on May 15 with The Field

Museum's Award of Merit, given to an
individual who has made significant contribu-
tions in bringing issues of environmental and
cultural understanding to the forefront of pub-
lic attention, But perhaps unlike the work of
her Award of Merit counterparts such as
Richard Leakey, Sir David Attenborough and
Peter Raven, Goodall’s intricate studies of wild
chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe National
Park seem to have touched the hearts of
everyone — from the very young to the very
old.

Nothing proves this better than the reac-
tion of a group of Chicago high-school stu-
dents who were invited to hear her speak
prior to the Founders’ Council award presen-
tation. When she finished telling the students
about her research and how they can make an
impact in the world, the students rushed the
podium to ask her questions, get her auto-
graph, or merely to touch her hand. One stu-
dent, stumbling for words in the face of fame,
simply thanked her for being such an inspira-
tion.

A few hours after this meeting with the
students, members of the Museum's
Founders’ Council got a taste of what makes
Goodall, whom children call Dr. Jane, sucha
legendary figure.

Goodall, dressed in a simple blue dress
and with her long wispy, gray hair pulled back
into a loase pony tail, began the evening talk-
ing about how as a child she dreamed of living
in Africa and working with wild animals.

“When | was about 10 years old," she said,
"| fell in love with Tarzan and was terribly jeal-
ous of Tarzan’s Jane. | thought she was a wimp
and felt | would have made a better mate for
Tarzan . .. which | would have."

After briefly discussing her research
among the wild chimpanzees, she then talked
about why — after 25 years of living among
the Gombe chimps and almost single-hand-
edly revolutionizing the field of primatology
— she packed up her bags and left.

"It was horrifying to suddenly realize that
all across Africa chimpanzees were disappear-
ing and that all across the rest of the world
chimpanzees in captivity were being treated
very poorly,” she said in her very gentle, dig-
nified voice. "I had been so long in my par-
adise that it is was a shock. And it was in 1986
that I decided that | should no longer stay in

that paradise, but to start to use the knowl-
edge and wisdom that I had gained from
chimpanzees to travel about and make peo-
ple more aware.”

But she did not just abandon her
research, Instead she created the Gombe
Stream Research Centre where scientists,
under Goodall's direction, continue to con-

duct field research on chimpanzees, providing

further insights into the behavior of nonhu-

man primates. Although Goodall visits the sta-

tion as much as possible, much of her time is
spent traveling the world speaking about the
endangered status of chimpanzees in the wild
and the sometimes deplorable conditions to
which they are subjected to in captivity.

Improving conditions for captive chim-
panzees is one reason that Goodall is still as
dedicated to her work as when, at the age of
23, she first came face to face with a wild
chimpanzee. She explains the cause for her
dedication as a look she started to see in the
eyes of captive chimpanzees — a look that
says, ‘why won't you help me?’

",, this is the look I have seen in the
eyes of little chimps tied up for sale in the
tourist markets in Africa, and from under the
frills of circus chimps treated very harshly to
perform, and from the steel bars of the 5-foot
by 5-foot laboratory prisons where they spend
30 or 40 years having com-
mitted no crime,” she said
to an almost tearful audi-
ence at the presentation.
“| have seen it in the eyes
of little children whose
parents were killed in the
ethnic conflicts in Burundi.
Once you have seen that
look, and allowed yourself
to feel it in your heart, you
have to try to help.”

In addition to flying
around the globe as the
chimpanzees’ staunchest
advocate, Goodall found-
ed many support pro-
grams, including the Jane
Goodall Institute, which is
committed to wildlife
research and conserva-
tion; Chimpanzoo, which is dedicated to the
study of chimpanzees in zoos and other cap-
tive settings; and sanctuaries designed for
orphaned and sick chimpanzees in Congo,

UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS

“T believe that there will be
some chimpanzees
swinging in the forest in
Africa for our great
grandchildren to see.
But it is up to you and me,
and | have hope.”

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. But perhaps the
pride and joy of all her projects is “Roots and
Shoots," a program that offers children activi-
ties that benefit the environment, animals
and the human community.

“Roots creep under the ground to make a
firm foundation," she explained, “shoots seem
small, but to reach the light they can break
open a brick wall. If we see the brick wall as all
the problems that we have inflicted on this
planet... hundreds of thousands of young
people around the world can break through.”

Before accepting the Award of Merit tro-
phy designed by Tiffany & Co., Goodall ended
the night with a simple message:

“T believe that there will be some chim-
panzees swinging in the forest in Africa for our
great grandchildren to see. But it is up to you
and me, and I have hope.”

(Above): Jane Goodall at
the Founders’ Council
award presentation.
According to the Jane
Goodall Institute, at the
turn of the century, chim-
panzees were present in
hundreds of thousands in
25 countries across west
and central Africa. Today,
their total number has
dwindled to less than
250,000, with significant
populations found in only
four countries. Major rea-
sons for this rapid decline
are habilal destruction
and the bushmeat trade.
in addition, females are
killed to capture their
infants for the pet trade,
entertainment or biomed-
ical research,

(Left): After talking to a
group of Chicago high-
school students, Goodall
signed some autographs.

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“Kimberly Mazanek /GN8R203. 200

IN THE FIELD JULY*AUGUST 1997 3 |

The 46th Annual Members’ Nights

John Weinstein /GN88255.30C

Kimberly Mazanek /GN88261.19AC

"It is the 3rd floor behind the scenes that I live for
year after year. Everyone is so informal and nice —
they (curators) realize that they have to compress a
lifetime of work in three sentences... you get the
feeling that they would love to talk to you for
hours.” — Charles Bugajsky, member

Mammal Studies

turbance — signs are abundant of logging
sites and selective cutting of smaller trees
used to build houses.

Following a five-hour hike along steep
muddy trails, we reach a part of the forest that
contains big trees, closed canopy and open
understory (the plants of forest undergrowth).
As we search for a good place to set up camp
for the next two weeks, the hornbills and tura-
cos keep us appraised of their presence.
Camp is a simple arrangement of a big tarp
that covers the kitchen and work areas — all
of which is surrounded by smaller sleeping
tents. For the next several days, the fire under
the kitchen tarp is the center of our existence.

To catch the shrews and mice that roam
the forests, we use buckets buried in the
ground and traps that are identical to those
used at home to catch kitchen pests. Every
day we check the traps and prepare what we
find. This includes stuffing the skins with cot-
ton, storing the skeletons in alcohol and
freezing organs in liquid nitrogen — all of
which is vital for this and future studies. We
sample three or more sites across the moun-
tain to record local variation. Before we can
distinguish between the montane forests of
the region, we first have to inventory the

f™ or two nights in April and May, the Muse-
d= um opened its doors and gave members

i and their guests an opportunity to meet the
curalors, scientists, educators and exhibit devel-
opers who inspire our imaginations and bring
the world and its people to Chicago. The follow-
ing is whal members and their guests had to
say about lhe two nights:

“Everything at Members’ Night is my
favorite, but 1 do love seeing the
research that is going on here. | have
been coming here since the 1940s and 1
still find is fascinating.”

— Robert Begassat, member

“Our daughter was going to
study anthropology
because of the Field
Museum's Members’ Night
... but she switched into
nursing because she could
make more money."

— Joan Buetow, member

“This (the Museum) is one of the great-
est resources in the city. The Field
Museum's Members’ Night is the best
in the city by orders of magnitude . .. it
beats anything anyone else does."

— David Lynn, member

"Our grandchildren would go crazy over
this night." — Joan Carsten, guest

John Weinstein /GN88255,26C

e e « Continued from page |

mammals that inhabit a single forest. For
example, some species may be found in one
microhabitat on one mountain and a com-
pletely different habitat on another. We also
must confirm the accuracy of our research
before we can confidently decree that one
mountain is less diverse than another.

So far, we have sampled five Eastern Arc
mountains and found 10 to 20 species of small
mammals inhabiting the montane forests,
though how many and which species live in a
particular area can vary greatly. Our recent
research in the Udzungwa Mountains revealed
significantly more small mammals, both indi-
viduals and species, living in the montane
bamboo forests at approximately 2,000
meters (6,600 feet) than in the drier forests at
lower elevations. One shrew we collected isa
species not yet described and endemic to the
southern Eastern Arc — providing further jus-
tification for protecting these forests, An inter-
esting and informative result of this and other
studies is that most rodent species inhabit
the entire archipelago, although most are con-
fined to higher elevations. Conversely, many
shrew species are restricted to one specific
mountain group within the Eastern Arc. The
reasons for this pattern are as of yet unknown,

JULY*AUGUST 1997

Whether shrews have a poorer ability to dis-
perse than rodents, or were earlier arrivals to
these mountains is irrelevant in one impor-
tant sense: These shrews are found only in
certain Eastern Arc forests and unless con-
served will take a myriad of explanations to
our questions and solutions to our problems
to their grave.

It is exciting to be involved in this investi-
gation. This partnership between The Field
Museum and the University of Dar es Salaam
can make a major contribution to the conser-
vation of the Eastern Arc's montane forests.
The Museum is the ideal place to launch such
an endeavor because of the expertise of its
staff and associates, its outstanding lab facili-
ties and its commitment to accurate biological
assessments. The students and faculty at the
University of Dar es Salaam are committed to
the study and preservation of Tanzania's her-
itage and the education of the country's future
biologists. All the people involved are acutely
aware that the montane forests are under
severe threat and that time is limited. We also
know that public opinion is critical to any con-
servation effort and we need to start fostering
an appreciation for the African wildlife that
rarely appears on postcards.

IN THE FIELD

7/6, 8/3 & 8/31

Sundays
Field's Farmers’ Market

10 a.m. —4 p.m. Discover a rich sampling of
fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers from grow-
ers in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan as the
Museum hosts the Field’s Farmers’ Market this
summer. Visitors can enjoy Chicago’s beautiful
lakefront as they select their favorite summer
produce in this new outdoor marketplace on
the Museum's east lawn. The market is free and
open to the public.

Greg Buckley

7/ 8 Tuesday

Collections Committee

5:15 p.m. — 7 p.m. The Collections Committee
is hosting a reception and presentation in con-
junction with the exhibit in the Searle Lounge
of recent gifts from Asia and Africa. Bennet
Bronson, curator of Asian archaeology and eth-
nology, will discuss the objects from Korea,
Japan and China — all of which were donated
by private collectors. Deborah Stokes Hammer,
a donor and cataloger of African beadwork at
the Museum, will talk about “Yoruba Artistry —
Style Attribution in the Field Museum’‘s African
Collection.” Reservations are required. Call
312.922.9410, ext. 639 for more information.

7/ 8 Tuesday
Seeing The White Buffalo

6 p.m. — 8 p.m. White buffalo are sacred to
many Indian peoples, particularly on the Great
Plains. For some, the births are a fulfillment of
prophesy, while to other tribes the births offer
risk as well as cultural renewal. Join Robert
Pickering, author of Seeing the White Buffalo,
for an exploration of the significance of white
buffalo from historic, scientific and cultural
perspectives — including stories from early
explorers and insight from interviews with
elders from several different tribes. $15

($12 members). Call 312.322.8854 for

more information or to register.

7/1 2 Saturday

Imaginary Dinosaurs

2 p.m. Join WJ.T. (Tom) Mitchell, for an in-
depth look into the history of the dinosaur as a
cultural icon. An art historian and scholar of
cultural images and works across the media
and various artistic forms, Mitchell's current
work in dinosaur images explores the changes
in the dinosaur’s representation in relation to
politics, economic cycles, social movements
and other historical events, as well as in rela-

tion to the internal culture of paleontology.
Slides and film clips will highlight a variety of
dinosaur representations, including Victorian
dinosaur models, Calvin & Hobbes cartoons,
children's toys and monster movies. $12 ($10
members). Cal] 312.322.8854 for more infor-
mation or to register.

7/ I 9 Saturday

The Age Of Reptiles
On The Great Red Island

2 p.m. The island of Mada-
gascar, off the east coast of
Africa, is well-known as an
exotic refuge for unique
species of plants and ani-
mals and as an embodi-
ment of the wonder of
natural history. Unfortu-
nately, the evolutionary
history of Malagasy ani-
mals has been poorly
known, due to a scant fos-
sil record on the island.
That changed in 1993. Join
The Field Museum's Greg
Buckley as he recounts
recent fossil collecting
expeditions to Madagascar,
where discoveries include
remarkably preserved
dinosaurs; the first Late
Cretaceous mammals and
birds ever to be found in
Africa; at least six species
of Bacal the earliest known frogs from
Madagascar; and several varieties of fish, tur-
tles, lizards and snakes. All these fossils are
providing a wealth of scientific information
concerning the history of Madagascar and the
evolution of animals on southern continents.
They have also helped place Madagascar on
the list of paleontological hot spots. Some of
the most spectacular finds are on display this
summer in the "Dinosaur Families" exhibit at
The Field Museum, while many are still being
prepared in the Geology Fossil Lab in Stanley
Field Hall. $12 ($10 members). Call
312.322.8854 for information or to register.

7/23 Wed. CF 8/1 é Sun.
A Bucket of Dinos to Go!

6 p.m. — 9 p.m. Until recently, scientists
thought that dinosaurs were completely extinct
and had no living relatives. The latest informa-
tion indicates that birds, through the process of
evolution, are really dinosaurs in disguise. Join
us for a picnic supper of fried chicken, and
compare chicken bones to ornithischian, or
“bird-like” dinosaurs to learn why paleontolo-
gists think these animals are related. You will
then get to step back in time and visit our spe-
cial summer exhibit, "Dinosaur Families" with
your family after hours. Dinosaur activities
include a dinosaur dig, a play about dinosaurs
and a journey through the Museum's "DNA to
Dinosaurs: Life Over Time" exhibit. Fried chick-
en and lemonade will be provided; families
should bring a blanket and any additional food
to complete their supper. We will eat outdoors
(weather permitting). $18 per participant ($15
per member participant). Call 312.322.8854
for more information or to register.

7/2 7 Sunday
What is a Dinosaur?

9 a.m. — Noon. Although dinosaurs no longer
walk the face of the Earth, these animals have
captured the interest and imagination of today’s
popular culture like no other. But despite the
obvious fascination, do scientists really know
what dinosaurs were? This introductory course

for adults will help to answer this question by
surveying a variety of different types of
dinosaurs and addressing some of the common
misconceptions, popular extinetion theories and
important new theories and discoveries. $28
($25 members). Call 312.322.8854 for more
information or to register.

7/30 & 8/20 Wednesdays

Behind-The-Scenes with the
Department of Geology:
Focus on Fossils for Adults

6 p.m. — 8 p.m. Visit the geology department
with Greg Buckley, collection manager of fossil
invertebrates and plants, and journey back in
time to the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras (225
million years ago) to discover a variety of rep-
tiles and early mammals that once inhabited
the Earth. Find out how fossils are collected in
the field and prepared for display. Learn about
the work of fossil preparators and collections
managers and investigate what fossils tell us
about life on Earth millions of years ago. $18
($15 members). Call 312.322.8854 for more
information or to register.

8/6 7 8/20 Wednesdays
Vertebrate Paleontology

6 p.m. — 8 p.m. This adult course will intro-
duce the history of vertebrates as documented
by the fossil record, highlighting the relation-
ships between dinosaurs and birds and the ori-
gins of tetrapods and mammals.
Paleontological techniques, including field
prospecting, collection and preparation of fos-
sils, theories and recent discoveries will be
examined. Discussion will alternate with tours
of The Field Museum's collections and exhibits.
$53 ($47 members). Call 312.322.8854 for
more information or to register.

8/ 9 Saturday

Flying Dinosaurs? You Bet!

2 p.m. Are birds the flying descendants of
dinosaurs? Paul Sereno, renowned Chicago
paleontologist, will address the question that
has simmered ever since the discovery of the
ancient bird Archaeopteryx more than a centu-
ry ago. Recent discoveries of small raptors,
brooding adults, egg nests and fossilized feath-
ers provide many lines of evidence that begin
to answer the “flying dinosaur” question. For
the first time, we can sketch how and when
birds first took to the air and became the agile
flyers we know today. When not teaching pale-
ontology and evolution at the University of
Chicago, Sereno and his students search muse-
um collections and comb deserts to find fossil
evidence that will impact society's understand-
ing of large scale evolution during the dinosaur
era. Discoverer of dinosaurs on several conti-
nents, his aim is to map
dinosaur descent by
tracing the many evolu- 5
tionary changes in the
skeletal record. Fea-
tured in numerous arti-
cles and television
programs, he was listed
in a recent Newsweek
article as one of 100
people to watch into
the millennium. $12
($10 members). For
more information or to
register, call
312.322.8854.

John Weinstein /GN88286,2c

(Above): A herd of
maiasaurs.

(Right): The first and
only skull of
Majungasaurus — a
meat-eating dinosaur pre-
viously known by a few
scraps of bone and teeth.

John Weinstein /GN88283,9C

(Far Right):
Albertosaurus — a small
member of the same fami-
ly of carnivores as T-Rex.
Some scientists believe
that it could run down its
victims at speeds of up to
40 mph.

John Weinstein /GN88270.17C

Photo Courtesy of Sandy Smith

Sea —

TE WeAILe a? ' nA |
JULY*AUGUST 1997 |

’ “ 4 7

t “Dinosaur Families” you will see, along

with life-size dinosaur robots, real fossils —

including dinosaur eggs, dinosaur embryos,
baby dinosaurs and their parents — from one
of the most remarkable research sites in pale-
ontology: the dinosaur nesting colony in Mon-
tana know as “Egg Mountain.” These are the
finds, brought to light less than 20 years ago,
that showed scientists how some dinosaurs
cared for their young, nested in colonies and
traveled in herds.

Included in the exhibit are the dinosaur
fossils recently unearthed in Madagascar by
Field Museum paleontologists and an interna-
tional team of scientists. Among the highlights:

The complete, astonishingly well-preserved
skull of Majungasaurus — a ferocious meat-eat-

o
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old fossilized shark tooth.

Dinosaur Families

ing dinosaur that until now was known only by
a few dagger-like teeth and a couple of bones.

The exquisitely preserved skeleton of a young
Titanosaurus, an elephant-sized, plant-eating
dinosaur.

The fossil remains of several new species of
crocodiles, including a tiny species related to
much earlier fossils from Brazil and a large 10-
to 12-foot-long specimen that is so different
from any other fossil crocodile it called fora
new genus.

The skull of the first cynodont found in Mada-
gascar, These “mammal-like” reptiles, older
than any dinosaur, are ancient relatives of pre-
sent-day mammals.

The exhibit, which was developed in part by the Muse-
um of the Rockies, is on display until September |.

Outdoor Dino Dig

After you see the exhibit, visit the Dino Dig and become a paleontologist for the day.
This exciting new outdoor, interactive center, takes visitors on a journey through a
recreated dinosaur excavation site. The enormous tent houses a variety of dinosaur and
fossil activities designed for all age groups. Younger visitors can sweep away sand to
“discover” a replica of an Allosaurus, while older visitors can use other tools to expose
a second dinosaur. In the picture to the left, Peter Laraba, a geology subject matter
specialist in the education department, helps a young visitor identify a 4 million year

Portraits Of Clay

Pottery Of Mata Ortiz

ortraits of Clay” is an exhibit of 54 black-

and-white photographs by Sandy Smith

that explore the dynamic, yet traditional

work of 17 potters in Mata Ortiz, Chi-

huahua, Mexico. The images document
both the process and the people of Mata
Ortiz. An example of Mata Ortiz and Casas
Grandes pottery from The Field Museum's col-
lection will also be on display.

In the 1940s and 1950s, a large ruin, Casas
Grandes in Chihuahua, Mexico, was excavated
near the village of Mata Ortiz and a large
quantity of prehistoric pottery was unearthed.
Soon the prehistoric pottery became scarce
and local potter, Juan Quezada set out to
revive this pottery style. He studied ancient
shards of Casas Grandes pottery, and through
trial and error learned the techniques of creat-
ing the very thin-walled pottery.

As his pottery evolved, Quezada intro-
duced dynamic designs and innovations, giv-
ing the Mata Ortiz pottery its own style. His
family and others in the community became
his students; now more than 300 artists are
creating the pottery forms in the area.

These remarkable photographs take the
viewer on a visual exploration of the Mata
Ortiz pottery-making process. Sandy Smith's
images capture the artists at work and offer an
intimate glimpse into not only their pottery,
but also their lifestyle.

In the picture to the left, Reynaldo
Quezada autographs his rendition of Casas
Grandes prehistoric pottery.

“Portraits of Clay” will be on display in the The
Field Museum's Webber Gallery from July 19 to
December 7.

JULY*AUGUST 1997

Field Nights Bring The World To Chicago

August 28; JAPAN

xplore diverse cultures of the world
through vibrant musical performan
and international cuisine wh
Field Museum presents Fi:
Thursdays, July 3 to August 28 (ex
ing July 10), from 5 p.m. to 9 p.
In coordination with the city's “D
Thursday Night” program, The Field
will remain open on Thursday nights to 9
visitors a passport to the many cultu
around the world. General admission
Museum will be free after 5 p.m. Gue
sample ethnic cuisine and enjoy the rhiyt 1 Ff : : : ey
sounds of world music as Stanley Field H os ; : 2.9410, ext. 497.
transformed into an international festival. |
Throughout the evening, guests can explo
the Museum's world-renowned exhibits ane
enjoy a spectacular view of the city at dusk

evening is presented in collaborition with
Cervantes de Chicago.

July 31: IND

July 3; AFRICA/CARIBBEAN

Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago will
form dances from Africa. Stereo Band wi
entertain guests by playing Punta Rock,
Drumming and Mask Dances, as well as
Caribbean, Soca and Reggae music. Caribb
performances are presented in collaboration with The
Progressive Garifuna Alliance of Chicago in celebra-
tion of the Garifuna Bicentennial.

July 17: RUSSIA

Maxwell Street Klezmer Band will play an
ensemble that combines Russian/Yiddish J82Z SjJebodni in U'
and folk music. Tumba Lalaika will perform Polish Highland foll
the music, songs and dances of Russia. — ]

July 24; SPAIN

ted in Cuba in the
e Program for this
on with the Old

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landers will pla

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classical guitar, jazz and pop, as well as fl
menco pop. The Coral Ensemble of Chicago
will include 16 singers and a gaita player

Drums of

under.)

GET SMART

Kokyo Taiko Drums will entertain visitors
with Japanese drumming; Minjo Club of Indi-
will feature Japanese folk dances; Koto
roup will play classic Japanese koto music;
tijima Dancers will perform classical

ceive these benefits, and more:

eral admission

‘admission to special exhibits

yat checking and strollers

on to Members’ Night

bscription to In the Field

‘percent discount at all Museum stores
percent discount at Picnic in the Field

BERSHIP APPLICATION
lease check one: ‘@) New Membership e@) Renewal

Business phone

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES
O individual — one year $40 / two years $70
O Family — one year $50 / two years $90

(Includes two adults, children and grandchildren 18 and

i

i

;

S i
present Irish pipe |
i

4

4

O Student/Senior — one year $30
(Individual only. Copy of I.D. required.)
} Send form to:
| The Field Museum, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago,

Illinois 60605

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The Bird That

Rocked The World
October 4 -— 19, 1997

ne of only seven
() Archaeopteryx fossils in the

world will be on display for
the first time in North America at
The Field Museum. Archaeopteryx
is the world’s oldest known bird
and was hailed as a missing link
between dinosaurs and modern
birds when first discovered in
1861. It has feathers and wings
like a bird and the sharp teeth,
clawed forelimbs and long tail of
the small dinosaurs that lived
alongside it 150 million years ago.
In the past 136 years, only seven
skeletal specimens of
Archaeopteryx have been found,
all in the famous Solnhofen lime-
stone quarries of Bavaria, Ger-
many.

Accompanying the priceless
fossil on its overseas journey will
be Peter Wellnhofer, an expert on
Archaeopteryx and pterosaurs (fly-
ing reptiles) and curator for the
State Museum of Paleontology and

Photo Courtesy f the Camegie Museum

Naturalist Certificate
Program: Chicago

his fall, join the Morton

Arboretum, The Field Muse-

um and Chicago Wilderness

for a journey into the wilder-

ness of Illinois through their
new Naturalist Certificate Pro-
gram: Chicago. Based on the Mor-
ton Arboretum‘s successful
program in Lisle, Ill, this integrat-
ed program of nature study —
based at The Field Museum —
will offer beginners and the more
experienced a series of field-ori-
ented classes in ecology, botany,
zoology, geology and interpreta-
tion,

Participants in the program
will visit a variety of local sites
and will be introduced to the
wonders of Chicago's natural his-
tory. Classes are open to the pub-
lic and require no previous course

Historical Geology in Bavaria. Wellnhofer will give a public talk on Saturday, October 18
at 2 p.m. The exhibit coincides with the 57th annual meeting of the Society for Vertebrate
Paleontologists (also hosted by the Museum on October 8 — 11).

work, however, for those wishing
to pursue a certificate, 13 to 15
courses in the sequence must be

completed. The Field Museum is
offering two core courses this fall,
Field Ecology: Fall and Local Flora I11:
Autumn, as well as two enrichment
courses, Illinois Geology: Glaciers and
Tropical Seas and Bird Observation and
Study.

The certification program is
funded in part by Chicago Wilder-
ness — a unique, first-of-its-kind
initiative to coordinate the efforts
of nature conservation in a major
metropolitan area. Through Chica-
go Wilderness, more than 30 orga-
nizations, including The Field
Museum, encourage public partic-
ipation and understanding of our
region's natural communities.

For fees or to register, call the
Morton Arboretum Registrar at
630.719.2468 from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45
p.m., Monday through Friday.
Please specify that you are regis-
tering for the Naturalist Certifi-
cate Program: Chicago.

FREE VISITOR PROGRAMS

JULY*AUGUST 1997

Please note that
programs are subject to
change. On the day of
your visit, pick up a
Field Notes Sheet for
an up-to-date program
listing.

Preschoolers Alert! — Story Time:
Eacts, Fables and Fiction, is an
exciting new program located in
the Place for Wonder at | p.m.
daily, from June 30 to September
|. Included in the program is a
story, song and an art activity that
children can take home. (One
adult for every three children,
please.) Topics to be covered
include: dinosaurs, flowers, ecolo-
gy, fish, friendship, caterpillars,
butterflies, cats and spiders. For
weekly list of topics, please check
the “Field Notes Sheet" located at
the information booth in Stanley
Field Hall.

ll am. & | p.m. Inside Ancient
Egypt tour. The mysterious empire
of Ancient Egypt and its people
have fascinated the world for hun-
dreds of years. Explore the lives
and after-lives of ancient Egyp-
tians, including the food they ate,
the clothes they wore, the monu-
ments they built and the gods
they worshiped. Every Tuesday in
July and every Wednesday in July
and August.

10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. The Diver-
sity of North American Indian Cul-
tures tour. Discover the diversity
of American Indian Nations and
focus on their concepts of home to
compare cultural similarities and
differences. Learn about Native
American influence on present-day
America. Every Tuesday in July and
August. Check listings for other
weekdays.

11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Into the
Wild tour. Visit classic dioramas of
animals. Learn their history and
the mounting techniques of the
great Carl Akeley, and consider the
message this legacy of natural his-
tory has left us. Every Wednesday
in July and August.

12:45 p.m.The Aztec, The Maya
and Their Predecessors tour.
Learn about the diverse and com-
plex pre-Columbian cultures of
Mexico and Central America. Every
Thursday and Friday in July and
August (except Friday, August 29).
Check listings for other weekdays
and for Saturday and Sunday.

11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. The Aztec
Empire and Its Predecessors tour
(English). Discover the diversity of
Mexican cultures and languages
whose heritage extends over 3,000
years. Find out how the Aztec
(Mexica) migrated to central Mexi-
co, assimilated to this region's
lifestyle and built a mighty empire
prior to the arrival of Europeans.

1:30 p.m, El Imperio Azteca y sus
predecesores tour (espanol). Des-
cubra la diversidad de las culturas y
lenguas mexicanas asi como su herencia
de hace 3000 ajios. Aprenda como los
Aztecas (mexicas) emigraron al centro de
México, se adaptaron al estilo de vida de
esta region y construyeron un poderoso
imperio antes de la llegada de los
europeos.

1 p.m. Highlights of The Field
Museum tour.

10 a.m. — 1 p.m. Human Origins
activity. Discover the theories, evi-
dence and myths about our origins
in the great Rift Valley of Africa.

10 a.m. —1 p.m. Adzes and Awls
activity. Discover how bones,
stones and shells were used by
Native American toolmakers.

10 a.m. — 1 p.m. Human Origins
activity.

11 am. & | p.m. Highlights of The
Field Museum tour.

1 p.m. Tibet Today and a Faith in
Exile slide lecture. A slide presen-
tation that takes you to Lhasa and
other places now open to tourists
in Tibet. Learn about Tibetan
refugees in India, and the dedica-
tion ceremony of a Himalayan
Buddhist Chorten in Indiana by
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.

1:30 p.m. The Early Maya Civiliza-
tion tour.

11 a.m. Highlights of The Field
Museum tour.

1 p.m. & 3 p.m. “Heirlooms and
Hoopla” performance by the
Green Light Theater Company.
Using songs and active audience
participation, actors make it fun
and memorable to learn about
paleontology, simple classification
techniques and dino facts!

10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. The Diver-
sity of Latin American Cultures
tour.

10 am. — | p.m. Rocks and Miner-
als Match activity. Try matching
minerals with the familiar products
they produce.

11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. The Aztec
Empire and Its Predecessors tour
(English).

Noon — 3 p.m. Trapped in Amber
demonstration. Field Museum
entomologist Philip Parrillo offers a
close-up look at insects in amber.

1 p.m. —3 p.m. Geology in Action
activity. Coral reefs in Chicago?
Rocks that float on water? Comput-
ers made of sand? Come partici-
pate in this hands-on activity.

1:30 p.m. Nahuatl (Aztec) Poetry
readings. Find out how Aztec liter-
ature has been preserved as you
listen to music of pre-Hispanic
influence. Poetry readings are in
English, Spanish and Nahuatl.

1 p.m. Highlights of The Field
Museum tour.

1:30 p.m. The Early Maya Civiliza-
tion tour.

10am. & | p.m. The Early Maya
Civilization tour.

10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. The Diver-
sity of North American Indians
tour.

10 a.m. — | p.m. Lava activity. Now
that they are cool, touch some of
the substances produced by a vol-
cano.

Noon — 3 p.m. Trapped in Amber
demonstration.

1 p.m. Tibet Today and Buthan,
Land of the Thunder Dragon slide
lecture. See Lhasa and other
places now open to tourists in
Tibet. Also travel to the small
Himalayan country of Bhutan.

1 p.m. — 3 p.m. Geology in Action
activity.

11 am. & | p.m. Highlights of The
Field Museum tour.

1 p.m. & 3 p.m. “Heirlooms and
Hoopla” performance by the
Green Light Theater Performance
Company.

10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. The Diver-

10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. The Diver-
sity of Native American Indians
tour. Every Thursday in August.
Check listings for weekdays in July.

11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. The Aztec
Empire And Its Predecessors tour
(English).

1:30 p.m. El Imperio Azteca y sus
Predecesores tour (Spanish).

10 a.m.-—1 p.m. Terrific Teeth
activity, Can teeth tell you what an
animal eats? Find out by taking
part in this fun activity!

ll am. & | p.m. Highlights of The
Field Museum tour.

Noon — 3 p.m. Trapped in Amber
demonstration.

| p.m. Tibet Today slide lecture
and Tibet exhibit tour. See Lhasa
and other places now open to
tourists in Tibet. A guided tour
through the Tibet exhibit will fol-
low the lecture.

11 am. & | p.m. Highlights of The
Field Museum tour.

| p.m. & 3 p.m. “Heirlooms &
Hoopla” performance by the
Green Light Theater Company.

10 a.m. — 1 p.m. Horns & Antlers
activity.

11:30 am. & 2:30 p.m. The Aztec
Empire and Their Predecessors
tour (English).

| p.m. Highlights of The Field
Museum tour.

1:30 p.m. Nahuatl (Aztec) Poetry
readings.

11 a.m. Highlights of The Field
Museum tour.

1:30 p.m. The Early Maya Civiliza-
tion tour.

10 a.m.— 1 p.m. Adzes and Awls
activity.

11 a.m. & | p.m. Highlights of The
Field Museum tour.

Noon — 3 p.m. Trapped in Amber
demonstration.

1:30 p.m. The Early Maya Civiliza-
tion tour.

1 p.m. & 3 p.m. “Heirlooms &
Hoopla” performance by the
Green Light Theater Company.

10 a.m. & | p.m. The Early Maya
Civilization tour.

10 a.m. — 1 p.m. Rocks and Miner-
als Match activity.

ll am. & | p.m. Highlights of The
Field Museum tour.

ll am. & 3 p.m. “Heirlooms &
Hoopla” performance by the
Green Light Theater Company.

1 p.m. Tibet Today and a Faith in
Exile slide lecture.

FROM THE FIELD

The Museum's Conservation
Program Gets Its Feet Wet

Kimberly Mazanek /GN88277.15C

By Robert Vosper

n September 1996, an

international group of sci-

entists led by Barry Cher-
noff, associate curator of
fishes and chair of the zoolo-
gy department, spent three
weeks swimming, wading
and rafting in northem
Bolivia's little-known Rio
Manuripi and Rio Tahua-
manu rivers conducting bio-
logical inventories. In a
remarkable display of
speed, expertise and inge-
nuity, the team captured 326
species of fishes, with 10 to
14 species new to science —
including a new species of
piranha. The team also dis-
covered 40 to 50 species of fishes that were
not known to inhabit the waters of Bolivia.

The expedition, which was funded in
part by the W. Alton Jones Foundation, is the
Museum's newest weapon in a battle to pre-
serve the highly threatened freshwater sys-
tems of the tropics. This conservation
weapon, AquaRAP, is a component of the
Museum's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP),
a joint venture of The Field Museum and
Conservation International — an innovative
nonprofit conservation organization based
in Washington, D.C. Since its inception in
1989, RAP has sent teams of scientists to the
most secluded areas of the world to conduct
large-scale landscape surveys of remote and
unknown tropical areas with high potential
for conservation. International funding agen-
cies and local decision makers use the RAP
team’s first-cut biological and conservation
assessments (teams spend five to 10 days at
one site and visit about four sites per expe-
dition) to set priorities and guide conserva-
tion efforts,

On May 8, Chernoff presented the
results of the first AquaRAP expedition to
members of the Museum's Founders’ Coun-
cil and distinguished guests, including Peter
Seligmann, chairman and chief executive
officer of Conservation International, and
Guilherme F. da Cunha Bastos, the consul
general of Brazil.

“Before we went into this area, " Cher-
noff said at the presentation, “our knowl-
edge of the biological systems in these
rivers was very limited, Now, with the sur-
veys completed, we can branch out across
the region and start working with institutions
in Brazil and Peru to develop an integrated-
use plan for the area that puts less pressure
on the aquatic environment. "

_ The next project on the Museum's RAP__
agenda is Illinois RAP (RAP), a program —
developed with the IHinois Department of
Natural Resources to assess the condition of
the natural communities in the region. The
conservation work is being done in collabo-
ration with local experts at four Chicago
Wilderness sites, including Midewin Nation-
al Tallgrass Prairie. The goals of the program,

Barry Chernoff displays a Picua (Acestrorh
last year during the inaugural AquaRAP expedition to Bolivia.

Rapid Assessment Goes

Mrs

It is essential, Chernoff explained, that
Brazil and Peru are included in any conser-
vation plans because both the Rio Manuripi
and Rio Tahuamanu enter Bolivia from Peru
and form Brazil's Maderia drainage basin.

“We can't create a conservation plan
downstream if we don’t work with the peo-
ple upstream. The problem with rivers is
that they don't understand political bor-
ders."

According to Chernoff, the greatest
threats to the rivers — used by residents for
food production, transportation and recre-
ation — include cattle ranching, farm chemi-
cals, poisonous ashes produced from
slash-and-burn agricultural practices and the
construction of roads. The challenge, he
explained, is to find alternatives to activities
that destroy the ecosystem without decimat-
ing the local economy,

The AquaRAP team, for example, found
that the rivers were teeming with species
prized as ornamental fishes by the aquarium
industry. It is possible, Chernoff said, that
these fishes could replace the highly
destructive cattle industry as the area's eco-
nomic life blood.

"The one thing we will be looking at
very carefully is whether the rivers can sup-
port this type of economy and whether we
can sustain and manage it without damaging
the existing river ecosystem,” Chernoff said.

With the success of the first AquaRAP
expedition, Chernoff and his team plan to
spend the next five years surveying 10 other
priority sites throughout Latin America, rais-
ing the priority of freshwater conservation to
that of terrestrial conservation, increasing
the training of students in aquatic conserva-
tion science and publishing a book on fresh-
water conservation in South America.

which started in June, are to help select crit-

ical sites for long-term monitoring of restora-

tion activities and to evaluate priority sites
for additional protection and management.
IRAP will also develop field-testing rapid
inventory methods for several groups of
organisms, including bryophytes, plants,
mushrooms, land snails, beetles, spiders,
amphibians, reptiles and birds. _

yncis) — a fish he discovered

July 19 36

The Botanical Garden of Maar: ae a cor
lection of plants to the Museum for identifica-
_tion. The plants were collected in the late 18th

century by botanists under the commission of
Po) the king of Spain The collecti
eo plant specime:

included 7,000
f which had

. im of Prague ee a cob
lection of 500 Mexican plants gathered | in 1791

Take A Breather;
Take The Trolley

eoples Energy Corporation is helping Chicago Peoples
breathe easier this summer. The company is (

sponsoring two natural-gas-fueled trolleys

that circulate between the Museum Campus

and parking facilities — a positive step
toward reducing vehicle emissions on Chicago's
lakefront. Compared with gasoline-powered vehicles, the trolleys cut
tailpipe emissions by as much as 80 percent. Every day through Labor
Day, the environmentally friendly and energy-efficient trolleys provide
free shuttle service during museum hours from the Soldier Field, Adler
and east Field Museum parking lots. So whether you are visiting the
Shedd Aquarium, The Field Museum or Adler Planetarium this summer,
hop aboard one of the free trolleys, Breathe easier, thanks to Peoples
Energy and its clean-running, natural-gas vehicles.

Energy
Corporation

IN THE FIELD JULY*AUGUST 1997 Ec}

Natural Change and
Human Impact in
Madagascar is available
in the Museum's Main
Store for $35. (Museum
members receive a 10
percent discount).

The book can also be
ordered by by calling
312.922.9410, exl. 693.

John Weinstein /GN88267.14

By Robert Vosper

he last two issues of

In the Field highlight-

ed the activities of

Field Museum

researchers in Mada-
gascar — from discover-
ies of dinosaur fossils in
the Mahajanga Basin
(March/April) to studies
into the phylogenetic and
evolutionary history of
tenrecs (May/June). And
throughout the years, In
the Field has updated
readers on the work of
Steve Goodman, a Museum field biologist
who has spent the last 10 years conducting
biological inventories in Madagascar and
training Malagasy students.

At this point you may be asking yourself:
Why are Museum scientists and researchers
so intrigued by a piece of land isolated off
the coast of Mozambique in the Indian
Ocean? Well, it depends on whom you ask.

For example, some zoologists might
explain that Madagascar offers an unprece-
dented opportunity to study evolution on an
island ecosystem, And a paleontologist might
inform you that the island's fertile fossil
record holds the answers to the origins of
Madagascar's unique and often bizarre mod-
ern fauna. But no matter the scientists, there
is one common theme that pervades most of
the Museum's research on the island: a con-

“Dinosaur Families” Exhibit Opening

For about a week prior to the opening of

cern for the future of the countless species of
plants and animals that are found in Mada-
gascar and nowhere else on Earth. The reason
for this concern is best summarized in the
title of a new book published by the Smith-
sonian Institution Press, Nalural Change and
Human tmpact in Madagascar.

The book, which is edited by Steve
Goodman and Bruce Patterson, MacArthur
Curator of mammals, explores in depth a
topic addressed in the Museum's 1995 Annu-
al Spring Systematics Symposium, titled
“Natural and Human-Induced Change in
Madagascar.” As organizers of that event,
Goodman and Patterson realized the Muse-
um needed to promote a better understand-
ing of the roles that natural and
human-induced processes have played on
transforming Madagascar's landscape. The
symposium exposed — through public lec-
tures, technical papers, poster sessions and
workshops —more than 350 scientists, stu-
dents and educators to Madagascar's diverse
and dynamic environments from various geo-
logical, historical and ecological perspec-
tives.

A month after the symposium, Bruce Pat-
terson, Steve Goodman and Jodi Sedlock, a
graduate student-in-residence, edited a vol-
ume titled, Environmental Change in Madagascar
(Field Museum Press). The volume is a col-
lection of abstracts, both in English and Mala-
gasy, of all the presentations from the
three-day event, many of which were unso-
licited.

Natural Change and Human Impact in Mada-

"Dinosaur Families" on May 24 (see “Exhibit"
page), the Museum invited members of the
press and special guests to a sneak preview of
the exhibit. The Women’s Board also hosted a
fund-raiser to coincide with the opening.

(Top Right): John Flynn, MacArthur Curator of fossil
mammals and chair of the geology depariment, talks lo
Channel 7 reporter Frank Mathie about the Museum's
component of the new summer exhibit.

(Right): John Cody, WBBM news-radio reporter, inter-
views David Krause — Field Museum research associ-
ate from The State University of New York, Slony
Brook — about his team’s discovery in Madagascar of
the first and only skull of Majungasaurus, a meal-
eating dinosaur that inhabited the island more than 75
million years ago.

(Lower Right): Field Museum President John
McCarter chats to members of the Museum's Centenni-
al Club (members for 30 years or more). After a lunch
in Slanley Field Hall, the members were treated to a
guided tour of the exhibit.

(Top Left): The Museum's Women's Board held a
fund-raiser where guests were treated to the sounds of
the Stu Hirsh Orchestra and the culinary delights of
Calihan Gotoff. They also had the opportunity to tour
the new exhibit. Pictured here from lefl lo right is John
McCarter; Lynn Hummer; Withrow W. Meeker,
Women's Board president; Sandy Thomas; and John
Flynn. Hummer and Thomas, both Women's Board
members, co-chaired the preview fund-raiser,

(Lower Left): Exhibit developers worked around the
clock to get the “Dinosaur Families” exhibit ready for
the opening.

John Weinstein

Museum Scientists Publish Book On
The Changing Face Of Madagascar

gascar, which is more comprehensive and
cohesive that its predecessor, contains chap-
ters written by all except one of the scientists
invited to speak at the symposium, including
some of the most innovative researchers from
a variety of disciplines. The purpose of the
book is to provide scientists, conservationists
and students with an update and synthesis of
current thought about how natural and
human-induced variables have dramatically
altered Madagascar’s environment.

Goodman and Patterson organized the
book into four sections: Paleoenvironment,
Biota, Extinctions and Degradation, Human
Effects, and The Future of Biodiversity. The
chapters’ authors tackle a wide range of sub-
jects, such as the origins of lemurs and the
remarkable radiation they underwent, how
the gullies (lavaka) that scar Madagascar's
modern landscapes were created and impor-
tant programs that help bridge the void
between conservation and development.

Though the authors cover a wide range of
topics, most believe that only through
focused and forceful action can a potential
environmental holocaust be averted in Mada-
gascar. Alison Richard and Sheila O'Connor
capture this thinking in the final chapter,
“Degradation, Transformation and Conserva-
tion." They write:

“Few, we suspect, have not on occasion
wondered what hope there is for Madagas-
car's remaining natural habitats. The difficul-
ties are huge, the problems sreat.. . we view
the struggle as unending but the prospects as
far from grim.”

lohn Weinstein /GN88271.230

Kimberly Mazanek /GN88272.17A

10! JULY*AUGUST 1997 IN THE FIELD

Exploring The Unending Debate
Over Race And Human Evolution

By John Edward Terrell
Curator, Oceanic Archaeology and Ethnology

hen | was a little girl | spent hours

talking to my father about the myster-

ies of our existence. | remember curl-

ing up beside him as he attempted

afternoon snoozes, asking him again
and again about the beginning of the uni-
verse.” Thus begins Rachel Caspari’s introduc-
tion to this important book written with her
husband Milford Wolpoff.

Caspari and Wolpoff, both anthropolo-
gists at the University of Michigan, argue that
what science knows about race and human
evolution cannot be divorced from the chang-
ing and contradictory ideas that scientists and
others have promoted since the Enlighten-
ment about the meaning of human variation
around the world. What is known about our
diversity as a species is closely tied to the
history of ideas about why people say diversi-
ty in race, language and culture matters.

“You cannot divorce the two,” Caspari
writes; “it makes sense to tell them together,
and that is the essence of what we have writ-
ten.”

The authors are not just being politically
correct or fashionably postmodernist when
they say this. Understanding race and human
evolution calls for explaining both the observ-
able diversity of people and cultures around
the world, as well as the unity of Homo sapiens
sapiens as a biological species. Perhaps this
task would be simple enough if human behav-
ior was closely tied to differences in human
genes. But, as Wolpoff and Caspari argue, flex-
ibility is the hallmark of human evolution.

Because so much of our behavior is learned
rather than genetic, a satisfactory theory of
human origins — to use old parlance — must
account both for the human body and the
human soul. Anything less is simplistic and
unsatisfying.

Answering even the most basic questions
about our evolution is also methodologically
challenging. By using the simplified assump-
tions, rules and procedures of modern biolog-
ical cladistics (the study of evolutionary
history based on phylogenetic relationships)
zoologists and paleontologists can show, rig-
orously and well, humankind’s evolutionary
kinship with other species on Earth, living and
extinct. But using cladistics to map human
diversity in race, language and culture is like
using a plumber's wrench to repair a pocket
watch. There is nothing wrong with modern
cladistics as an intellectual tool; it is just the
wrong scientific tool for this job. Understand-
ing diversity within our species, rather than
our kinship with other species, calls for meth-
ods of fine-grain data analysis and statistical
reasoning that for the most part, sadly, have
not yet been invented.

In addition, the kind of data studied can
make quite a difference in how scientists
reconstruct what happened in the past. Some
scientists today think molecular biology is
phasing out human bones as the backbone of
research on human evolution. Basing their
arguments on modern blood group variation,
DNA studies and similar data drawn from liv-
ing peoples around the world, geneticists and
others argue that the origins of Homo sapiens
sapiens can be traced back recently (say
100,000 to 200,000 years ago) and solely to

Africa — a view the
popular press calls
the “Out-of-Africa”
argument.

In contrast, Cas-
pari and Wolpoff
are experts in the
study of human fos-
sils. Basing their
argument on bones,
not genes, they
conclude that our
ancestors must
have left Africa for
the first time | mil-
lion to 2 million
years ago — a com-
pletely different
magnitude of time.
They believe that
even when the first
human colonists
reached the farthest
corners of the
globe, our ancestors kept in touch with one
another often enough that we all still share
our common humanity even though we are
scattered from Africa to Asia and the Pacific,

and from the Arctic to (nowadays) the Antarc-

tic. As the popular saying goes, we are one

species, “one color, just different shades,” in
spite of our rich diversity of local customs and

ways of speaking.
Race and Human Evolution stands out in a
strong field of recently published books as

unquestionably the best written, best general
guide to thought and controversy surrounding

the evolution of modern Homo.

The Museum Exposes Its Past To The British

By Robert Vosper

ince the day The Field Museum opened its

doors to the public in 1893, staff photogra-

phers have been frantically running around
the building in an attempt to keep up with all
the Museum's daily activities. On any given
day, this may include taking a few shots of a
renovation project to using a dozen rolls of
film to document the installation of a new
exhibit. Few, if any, of these “behind-the-
scenes” images are ever seen by the public.

This is exactly why Vid Ingeleyvics, a guest
curator at London's Photographers’ Gallery
developed the exhibit, “Camera Obscured”
—a collection of 89 photographs from the
archives of major public museums in Europe
and North America, including }2 from The
Field Museum.

Ingelevics' motivation, however, was not
just to provide a public venue to showcase
the talents of museum photographers from
around the world,

“My interest lay in exploring the way in
which photography has left us with a remark-
able but neglected history of public muse-
ums," he said. “Museums, especially art
museums, have done much to define how we
understand the history of photograph. But
rarely has the photographic documentation
that museums have produced of their own
activities been seriously looked at as a coher-
ent body of work that offers a way of under-
standing museums as historical artifacts."

All the photographs on display at the
London gallery were taken between 1856 and

1960, and depict museums as a “social space
and a site of labor.” There is specifically an
emphasis on the act of photography, with
images of photographers at work at The Field
Museum, the American Museum of Natural
History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and
the Britain's Victoria and Albert Museum.
Other photographs on display also include
those from the Art Institute of Chicago, the
Royal Ontario Museum, the British Museum,
the Natural History Museum, Le Louvre, The
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle and
the Deutsches Museum.

The Field Museum's contribution
includes the photograph (right) of artist Fred-
erick Blaschke adding some finishing touches
to a model of a neolithic sun worshiper for a
diorama (circa 1930). Other Field photographs
on display include two artists painting diora-
mas in 1957 and workers moving collections
from the Museum's former home in Jackson
Park around 1920.

Nina Cummings, the Museum's photo
archivist, helped Ingelevics select and locate
images from the Field Museum's photography
archives, and Kimberly Mazanek, a staff pho-
tographer, developed all the prints by hand
onto fiber paper. Though more time consum-
ing than machine printing them onto resin-
coated paper (used for consumer-quality
prints), fiber prints will not deteriorate as
quickly over time and is the preferred format
for exhibitors and archivists.

Though the London exhibit closes in July,
Ingelevics hopes to eventually bring “Camera
Obscured" to North America,

Milford Wolpoff and
Rachel Caspari,
Simon & Schuster,
New York, 1996
$26.

IN THE FIELD JULY*AUGUST 1997 11]

New Guinea Research. Program

his Field Museum tour represents a rare opportunity to

explore the north coast of New Guinea aboard a 42-berth

luxurious catamaran. Throughout the trip we will visit

islands and villages unexplored by tourists and cruise

ships. Led by Field Museum Anthropology Curators John
Terrell and Robert Welsch, this trip will not only take you ona
journey to lush rain forests and beautiful coastlines, but will
offer a rich learning experience and in-depth exploration of
the world's last great unspoiled reservoirs of nature, culture
and art.

Papua New Guinea presents one of the world's great tray-

EGYPT

Land Of The Pharaohs

February 2 — 16, 1998

of truly monumental sights and historic landmarks: the

Pyramids, Abu Simbel, the Sphinx, Luxor, Karnak and the
Valley of the Kings. From the resplendent barges with prows
of beaten gold used by the Pharaohs, to today’s colorful feluc-
cas that ply their way on the Nile, there is an endless list of
splendors to explore,

You, too, can follow their ancient paths, enjoying the
fabled sights and absorbing the atmosphere of the country
during an eight-day cruise on the splendid m.s. Nile Empress.
With a maximum capacity of only 50 passengers — accommo-
dated in spacious cabins, each with its own picture window —
it is more like a private yacht than a passenger ship. But the
public areas and facilities, including sun deck, pool, bar,

N o other area of the world possesses such a concentration

INSTITUTION L!

WLU

ih

3 9088 01371

el adventures. It is a land where villagers were colonial sub-
jects only 21 years ago, and many were using stone tools a
generation earlier, Yet these stone-aged peoples are now
struggling to integrate themselves into the technology of the
late 20th century. Large mining projects and industrialization
have already made inroads into most parts of the country, and
the current generation is the last to have grown up in a land
dominated by traditional customs and rituals.

This is a Field Museum tour from start to finish. We will
sail down the Sepik River, stopping at different villages to
sample the region's cultural diversity. In each village we will
discover cultural differences and unexpected variations in art
styles, architecture and daily life. The upper, middle and
lower Sepik River were visited in 1908 and 1910 by Museum
Anthropology Curators George A. Dorsey and A.B. Lewis.

From the Sepik River it is on to the coast between the
towns of Wewak and Aitape, where we will visit islands and vil-
lages where Field Museum anthropologists have been con-
ducting their research since 1987. Here we will explore archae-
ological excavations and meet the villagers who have wel-
comed Terrell and Welsch into their homes. Throughout the
cruise it will become increasingly apparent why this part of
New Guinea is so important for current anthropological and
archaeological research, much as it was 90 years ago when the
first Museum scientists studied these cultures.

The cost of tour, excluding airfare, is $6,875. For those
interested, the Museum has negotiated a special airfare,
$1,975, that includes airport departure taxes.

lounge and dining room
make the yacht the equal
of any large luxury liner.
Your Egypt experience
will be greatly enhanced
by the excellent leader-
ship of distinguished
Egyptologists who will
conduct all sightseeing
tours and shore excur-
sions. Through their spe-
cial lectures and through
visits to exclusive sites
not open to the public,
travelers will gain rare
insights into the people
and cultures of the Land of the Pharaohs. On this trip you will
also experience the Nile as few Americans ever will. However,
our relaxed pace allows everyone to pursue their own inter-
ests without missing one precious moment of the magnificent
Nile. There is also an optional six-day extension to Jordan.
Please call the Tours office for pricing.

Coming i in 1998...

pie on of South America (Feb. 6 — 20, 1998) ¢ Galapagos Aboard Santa Cie (March) «

China eptember

Tunisia Unveiled (October) * Grandparents/Grandchildren Tour ‘Program: (Summer i