UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOr: LIBRARY AT U.-jAi>iA CtlAMPAIGN NAT. HIST. SURV. FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN Fit-Id Mustum oi Natural History Bulletin /•• - • ■■.ullcr IjcIU Mustuni ot Natural History Fv>undcU XS'ii 'esideni and Director: E. Leiand Webber CONTENTS 3 rielil Briifs 4 hi'ld Musfum Tiiuf". c C jtl Aki-U\ as Stulpliir 10 Cjrl AkfU-\ as Naturalist lavidirmisl, IriM-ntor 13 Our I ns ironmcnl If South Sfas Islands: faradisi- and IVrdition NtH Learning Musfum i'roKram hy A'lihi-'iiv Ptciffi'r ;>ro;4Vf coordinator 20 Ktiman Huttlr Caps by Donald Whitconib. oisistanl curator of Middle Eastern arrheology and ethnology 2.1 Indix (or 1979 (Vol. 50» 27 lanuary and Februar> at Field Miisossihly breadfruit juice. From Southern Malekula. New Hebndes Cat 133149 Collected hy curator A.B Lewis during Joseph N. Field Ex^yedition of 1909-13. Photo by Ron Testa. The face is shai>ed to resemble that of the recently deceased man from whom the skull is taken The skull is then placed aloi' a life-size effigy of the man. also formed to resemble that of the deceased After being borne in funeral rites, the effigy or rambaramp. is allowed to decay, no special efforts being made to presence it. See pages 16-19 for discussion of South Seas Islands Paradise and Perdition, theme of forthcoming sequence in National Endow- ment for the Humanities Learning Museum Program at Field Museum. Edward R Mr^ TV— t- E Le lulun n i.imm* Blaine I Yamngton Swijt Telling n Tieken •■r - 04S-94O> » puMnhfd monlhly '' r»aniy rrtwct ih* -r Musmm phon« '.tusnm of Natural II eObOS ISSN: ^ Ob FIELD BRIEFS Staff Appointments Field Museum's new assistant develop- ment officer is Larry E. Clary, who most recently was with the Development Of- fice of the University of Chicago. A native of the Chicago area, Clary holds a B A. in English from the University of Chicago. He succeeds William J. Maurer, who resigned to become university rela- tions director for Purdue University, Calumet Division. Jacqueline M. Felicetti has been named membership secretary, suc- ceeding Dorothy Roder, who is now head of the Field Museum Tours Program. Ms. Felicetti comes from the American Bar Association, where she was acting director of membership. She is a native Chicagoan and holds a B A from Loyola University of Chicago. Philip Hanson, formerly head, Har- ris Extension Loan Program, has been promoted to head. Group Programs Division, succeeding Carol SchoU, who has resigned. Raymond F. Bernard has returned to Field Museum to serve as resource coordinator of Harris Exten- sion, a new post within the recently reorganized Harris Extension, a unit of the Department of Education. Bernard was formerly an assistant in the Divi- sion of Reptiles and Amphibians. Tanisse R. Bushman has been named managing editor of scientific publications. A native of LaGrange, 111., Miss Bushman was most recently an editorial assistant at Arthur Young & Co., Chicago. She succeeds Pat Williams, who had held the post since 1961. Mrs. Williams resigned to accept another position. Norman W. Nelson Retires Norman W. Nelson, assistant director, administration, retired in November, 1979, after serving eight years in that position: prior to that he had been Field Museum's business manager, the post he occupied upon joining the staff in 1965. As assistant director, administra- tion — a new position created in 1971 — Nelsons area of responsibility included business and financial matters, building operations, personnel, security, and other general services. Nelson's contribution to Field Museum's growth and development dur- ing his almost 15 years on the staff were enormous. His stewardship of the finances of the museum was exemplary. When plans for and the execution of the building renovation were required, the responsibility for its supervision and working with the architect, engineers. construction manager, staff space plan- ning committee, and the facilities plan- ning committee of the Board of IVustees were assigned to Nelson. The renovation project is now largely complete and — exceptional among present-day building renovation programs — it is within budget and without large cost overruns. His counsel on all phases of museum operations was always sound, and staff members often found in him a source of sound personal counsel as well. A deep debt of gratitude is due Norman Nelson and we are truly fortunate that he will continue to serve the museum as con- sultant and as a volunteer. Egypt Honors Museum President E. Leland Webber, president and direc- tor of Field Museum, was decorated recently by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat with Egypt's prestigious Order of the Republic. The official notification to Webber of his award read in part: "As the King Tbt exhibition is nearing the end of its tour ... it gives me great pleasure to inform you that President Sadat has decorated you with the Order of the Republic in appreciation of your contribution to the beautiful presenta- Norman W. Nelson tion of King Tut in this country. Your ef- forts have resulted in a warm and en- thusiastic reception for these treasures far greater than we had imagined. We feel that this has contributed immensely to a better understanding of ancient Egypt and a whetting of the appetite for modern Egypt. " Egypt's Order of the Repubhc was bestowed on Webber at a reception in the Egyptian Embassy, Washington, D.C., on October 25 last. Also awarded the decoration were the directors of the six other United States museums that hosted the exhibition. Field Museum President and Director E. Leland Webber (left); Ashraf Ghorbal (center), Egypt's ambassador to the United States: and William G. Swartchild. Jr.. chairman of the Board of Trustees of Field Museum, shown at recent ceremonies at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, DC. Webber was presented with Egypt's Order of the Republic (which he is shown wearing) for his leadership role in Field Museum's outstanding presentation of the Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibition in 1977. FIELD MUSEUM TOURS l^^SO lour Packages Exclusively for Members Tiv China, H>;\'pt, Grand Can\nn, l-.n^Iami t^ Wales / »-:M ^ f^r^ Archaroloqif al Tour of F qvpt ullh Nllr HiviT C rills.- I ■■ •.■mains to register for the popular Egypt tour with Nile K • Th« new and improved program offers an 1 1-day Nile cniiM oo our own chartered, modern Nile steamer In addition, we wiD vijit Cairo. Memphis. Sakkara. Aswan Abu Simbcl. Edfu. Esna. Kom Ombo. Luxor. Thebes. Valley of the Kings and Queens. Dendereh. Abydos. Amarna. Middle Kingdom Tombs at BenI Hasan. Pyramid at Medum, and more ' ' ■ led by Mrs Del Nord. a doc- ttmitt . ' . of the University of Chicago. Lyvpt Price of $.3,595 (based on ^ r transportation, meals. Nile cruise, visa fees, admissions, baggage handling. , ■ ce also includes a $500 contribution to f -n A S50O per person deposit is required for reservation '■^.- ^,^.jp a limited to 30 persons Single supplement " ' ■'. Nile cruise and land People's Ki-pulillc of China May 10 31 The singular experience o( a trip to the People's Republic of China can be yours' For its members. Field Museum again offers an oppor- luiiity to visit China's ma)or attractions in the company of a well qualified lecturer The group, limited to 25 persons, will leave Chicigi) May 10 and return May 31 Alter overnight in Vancouver and a visit in Tokyo, you will continue to Peking. China's cenlurlesold capital Relics of the Im- perial past, now national monuments. Include the magnificent Im- perial palace, museums, temples and shrines, and the vast park-like Summer Palace on the shores of nearby Kunnriing Lake A trip will be made to the Great Wall The next destination, Nanking, situated on the Yangtse River, is a source of pride for the People's Republic as a I enter of mtxlern development as well as lor its scenic and historic at- tractions Of special interest is the visit to the charming city of Kweilin The awesome surrounding landscape of jutting peaks and rocky caves brings scenes of Chinese painting to life Kwangchow (Canton) is China's most Important southern city, reflecting events in the history of the republic as well as former times when it was China's only port open to foreign trade. For additional information on this exciting tour, contact the Tours Office and ask for the China brochure Geology Tour of England and Wales June 14 — July 3 Highlights of this 20-day tour, under the leadership of Dr. Bertram Woodland, Field Museum's curator of petrology (and a native of Wales), will be visits to classical areas of British geology where many fundamental aspects of geology were first discovered. The geological history and scenic development of these areas will be emphasized. Included in the tour are visits to the South Coast. West Country Cotswolds, Welsh Borderlands, North Wales, Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and the Peak District. The group is limited to 25 persons. Cost of the tour — $2,640 (which includes a $300 donation to Field Museum)— is based upon double occupancy and includes round trip air fare between Chicago and London First class accom- modations will be used throughout. The package includes breakfast and dinner daily, chartered motorcoach, baggage handling, all transfers, taxes (except airport tax), and tips (except to tour guides), all sightseeing charges and admissions to special events. Advance deposit: $250 per person Exploration of the Grand Canyon October 3-13 The traveler arriving in Grand Canyon may be given enough time to stand on the South Rim and to gaze in wonder into the depth and silence of the chasm before being hurried away in his charter bus to somewhere else If he is lucky and has more leisure he may be allowed to hike part of the way down to the Colorado River along a trail as busy as Fifth Avenue on Easter But there is another Grand Canyon that no man in a hurry sees The Grand Canyon of exquisite loveliness, grandeur, and solitude The trip will begin in the late afternoon of Friday, October 3, with the flight to Las Vegas The first two days will be spent In the South Rim as an introduction to wilderness hiking and camping and to the geology of the area. The main part of the trip will be a 14-day river trip. The trip will be concerned with all aspects of geology, but will stress the geological history of the area shown in the great sequence of rocks representing about a third of the earth's history, the understanding of the Colorado River, her power, and the tools she uses to carve this great canyon, and the sheer joy and excitement of the river adventure. it is on the river that we will experience, learn, and under- stand the canyon, the river, and the Great Southwest We will "shoot" an unending line of rapids, some but a ripple, others rocky cataracts dropping 15 feet At no time will we need to portage, but we will have to hold fast with both hands, and secure the luggage well We'll get wet and tired — but happy and pleased. We will camp out on sandy beaches, and since it will not rain, the stars and the walls of the canyon will be our companions at night. We will travel in four boats, we'll swim in the tributaries to the Col- orado, or dive, jump in, or just soak We will hike to places of unusual geologic and anthropologic interest, sometimes through the most pleasant and enchanting stream beds and valleys, at times along steep walls and waterfalls. But above everything else, we'll live a time of geology. We will think earth while we eat, swim, dream, walk, and relax. We will see and study more geology in this one brief period than can be seen anywhere else in comparable time. The trip will end in Lake Mead, from where by bus we'll travel to Las Vegas, to fly home— sad to leave the Great River and a grand fortnight of our lives, but happy and proud to have experienced it. Although the trip will not be rigorous, numerous innercanyon hikes are planned. Camping out on the river will be without tents. Meals will be excellent A pre-trip meeting at Field Museum is scheduled for Saturday, February 9, at 2:30 p.m. Dr. Nitccki will lead the trip. The cost of $1,500 covers all expenses (including air fare, boat fare, meals, camping, sleeping bags, etc.), and a donation of $250.00 to the Field Museum. The trip is limited to 19 persons. For additional information and reservations for all tours, call or write Dorothy Roder, Field Museum Tours, Roosevelt Rd. at Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, III. 60605. Phone (312)922-9410. I'hrec Xandi lion hunters, cast in bronze in 1925 by Cart E. Aketey. This life-size group, together with the pair of lions shown opposite and the triumphant hunt- ers on p. 8. are now on view in Hall 22. THE SCULPTURE OF CARL AKELEY Visitors to the Hall of Mammals (Hall 22) are greeted these days by a special welcoming commit- tee: weapon-brandishing Nandi tribesmen and two crouching lions who seem ready to spring. But not to worry! This formidable assemblage— though nearly life-size and realistic in silhouette— is cast in bronze: their spears are forever immobile and the lions entirely stationary. The arresting group of three castings was created in 1925 by famed sculptor-artist-explorer- taxidermist Carl E. Akeley, Field Museum's staff taxidermist 1896-1909, and presented the following year to the Museum by trustee Richard T. Crane. (A duplicate set is in the American Museum of Natural History.) In recent years the group has been in Hall 10, now closed for renovation. Just months before his untimely death in 1926, Akeley wrote the following account of lion hunting by the Nandi tribesmen of Uganda: The story of lion spearing is the sort of thing that is worthy of being recorded in bronze. It is a story of red blood and courage, of the efficiency of primitive men using primitive weapons, weapons made by themselves as they have been made from time immemorial. The story in brief is this: a naked man, by twirling a stick between the palms of his hands, with the end of the stick pressed against another of softer wood, produces fire throuf^h fric- tion. Charcoal is then made, and in a crude retort of clav he smelts the iron ore. On a block of granite serving as an anvil, with a smaller stone as a ham- mer, he fashions crude hammers from the iron. With these as his only tools he shapes a spear which is to be sharpened finally on native stones. Thus he makes a beautifully balanced weapon, with which he goes forth to kill the lion that has raided his flocks and herds. He takes a great pride in the achieve- ment, for he will make a headdress from the mane which his exploit entitles him to wear. This badge of distinction will forever command the respect of his fellows. When lions are to be killed, as they must if civilization is to replace primitive life, the most humane method yet devised, as well as the most sporting, is that of spearing. The time elapsing be- tween the first spear thrust and the end may be counted in seconds. There is small chance of the lion's escaping to die a lingering death from his wound, as so often happens when he is hunted with guns. If there are two or three natives together, it is reasonably certain that they will come out of it without a scratch. Shooting is not nearly as safe for the hunter. Moreover, spearing involves a fair com- bat between man and beast. In the spring of 1910, after several strenuous months on elephant trails in Uganda, I went back to the Uashin Gishu Plateau for a lion hunt with Nandi spearmen. I had no difficulty in securing one hun- dred men, for they were to be paid and fed for play- ing the game they loved. In the twenty days devoted to the work there were many tense and thrilling moments. My band of sportsmen killed ten lions and five leopards. Only two men were injured. The first day out a leopard ivas surrounded in a patch of bush, and while I waited in the open for what was sup- posed to be a lion— as it should be driven out in front of the camera before being speared — there was a great commotion. A few minutes later the beaters brought out a leopard with sixty spear holes in his skin and one of the Nandi with his scalp hanging over his eyes. The leopard had refused to be driven and had given a good account of himself Prompt surgical attention to the wounded Nandi resulted in a speedy recovery. Two days later a single lion was brought to bay in a strip of forest and speared before the camera could be brought up within view of the direction he unexpectedly took. Then for several days we hunted for lions u'ithout success until one morning, as the white members of the party were riding along in front and were just entering the bush that fringed a donga, we met face to face a band of lions that promptly took to cover as the alarm was given. In whatever direction a lion tried to escape a spearman bobbed up in the grass in front of him. The lions were forced to fight it out. Pandemonium reigned as the Nandi. shouting, and lions, grunting and growl- ing, ran helter-skelter among the trees and high grass while I tried desperately to find a vantage for the motion picture camera. When it was all over, and we took stock, we found that we had the memory of a few glimpses of tawny skins but no pictures. There were, however, three lions to be skinned, and we had reason to believe that two had escaped. Again as we rode beside a wooded donga a boy in front of me held up his hand in warning. As I swung off my horse a lion grunted close by, and as I was adjusting the camera a lioness came straight toward me, within ten feet, swerved and passed, then turned and plunged into the donga— all before the camera could be adjusted. Then I responded to a call from the left flank and hurried the camera to a point overlooking the part of the donga where a lion had taken cover in the high grass at the bottom. I had begun cranking the camera when the first spear was thrown. The spear hit the target, other spears followed quickly, and the lion never left his tracks. It was all over in less time than it takes to tell it. The film shows not only the falling spears but also the movements of the lion in the grass. Immediately I was summoned to another group of spearmen who were holding another lion at bay until I could have my camera brought into position. Again a film record was made. As we were making camp near by and the two kills were being brought in to be skinned the Nandi brought in a third lion from down the donga. We learned that one of the spearmen, a youth who had been loitering behind when the lions were located. had been charged by a lioness as he was running past her. He had killed her, but she had bitten his leg before she died. The boy's wounds were not serious and he was hunting with the rest a few days later. He was now entitled to wear a lion's skin headdress since he had killed a lioness alone. It was perhaps a week later that we were riding along the slope of a hill overlooking a valley when I detected a moving object in the grass at the bottom of the vallev. We soon found that five lions were leisurely making their way up the opposite hill. Four of them succeeded in reaching the bush along the banks of a small stream on the other side of the hill before being brought to bay by the Nandi. One had turned back and was rounded up in a small patch of high grass near the crest of the hill. This was a splendid chance for a picture, for the men could have held him there almost indefinitely as thev awaited the camera. As I was breathlessly adjusting the awkward thing, one spearman, more excitable than the others, threw his spear. Of course, the rest followed and the job was finished before the camera was ready. Again three of the five lions had been taken, but no film. This was our last encounter. I was not pleased with the results, as the film seemed an inadequate record. Had I, however, at this time planned to make a sculptural record of lion spearing, I should not have regarded the film as unworthy, for the pictures and other data were highly valuable for that purpose. 12 A special exhibit o materials on Car Akeley. primaril\ photos and publica tions, is now on view ir the F'ield Museun- Library, open 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m.. weekda\ s "Chrysalis." a W24 bronze hx Carl Akele\ CARL AKELEY as Naturalist, Taxidermist, Inventor Akeleys museum assistant explains how the flghting bull elephants in Stanley Field Hall were mounted more than 70 years ago After Cari, Akeleys Death in 1926, C. L. Dewey, who had worked as his assistant from 1903 to 1908, wrote the following tribute, which appeared under the title "My Friend Ake," in the December, 1927, Nature Magazine: The number of boys, girls, men and women who have wanted to work for and with Akeley, is unbelievable. Love of Nature, love of the outdoors, and love of animals were the first things that Akeley inquired about of the applicant. Then he wanted to know what you knew about the job that you wanted, and this generally led to downfall. I came out of the tall sticks to ask Akeley for a job, and when I plead- ed ignorance of any knowledge whatsoever of the workings of taxidermy and kindred arts, he said he would give me the job if I was sure that I knew nothing about it. He had tried for some years, he said, to break in a young man for the particular job Akeley uitk trophy in 1906 in Somo'lic during Briti.J- ;■. ~. AO African Expeii: that he thought I might fill, but they all knew so much about the work they couldn't learn anything from him. The first trip afield that I made with Akeley was into the lake region of northern Illinois to col- lect material for the projected Illinois Bird Room for the Field Museum of Natural History, then known as the Field Columbian Museum of Chicago. This plan of presenting the birds of Illinois in their natural surroundings, with photographically repro- duced colored transparent background and com- plete data pertaining to each species, though shelv- ed when partly finished, was the beginning of the plan which has consummated in the projected Roosevelt African Hall in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and for which Akeley gave his life. In the field Akeley was supreme. He knew every species and sub-species of birds, just when and where they nested, could tell from even a partly- constructed nest what species was building. He knew the habits, food, nest sites, songs and, it seem- ed to me, even the thoughts of the birds and ani- mals. We were collecting material from which to re- produce the natural surroundings of bird homes. This included making plaster casts of leaves and flowers, taking color notes, and other detailed work. Akeley knew just what colors of oil paint and what proportions to use to reproduce in colored wax the first light yellow green leaves of the early-leafing willow as a setting for the early-nesting yellow warbler, or the dark green oak leaf of the mid- summer nesting cedar waxwing. Nothing escaped him to the last detail, nothing was too difficult if it accomplished the desired results The papier-mache manikin method developed by Akeley through years of experimenting worked wonders with mammals such as deer and antelope groups, but was not practical for the immense size of a bull elephant. Many years ago Akeley had mounted, or stuffed, as it was termed. Jumbo, the circus elephant that tried to butt off the track a full sized locomotive and gave up his elephantine ghost in the attempt. Since then Akeley had developed in his mind a complete method of mounting one of these huge beasts and the two enormous skins and skulls which he brought back from Africa in 1906 gave him ample opportunity to execute his plan. He first modeled in clay accurate replicas in miniature exactly one-twelfth size of the original animals, working to measurements and photos taken in Africa immediately after the elephants were shot. These were modeled as two fighting bulls, one single-tusker attacking the slightly larger bull, standing on three feet, one foot raised sUghtly off the ground, with tusks and trunk raised in the air nearly seventeen feet high. Working to this model we laid out with crayons full size on the studio floor, the outUne of one of pachyderms, and inside this outline a back bone, neck and legs of structural steel, much as if we had intended to build a steel bridge. The back bone and corresponding members in the elephant s "tummy" were made of two four- inch steel channels, back to back, separated by means of two inch by four inch lumber, about thirty inches long, spaced about two feet apart and stand- ing vertically like spines in some pre-historic dinosaur. Heavy bolts passing through both chan- nels between each pair of uprights clamped the uprights securely, and permitted adjustments for working out details in contour. The ribs were work- ed out with curved steel angles of suitable weight. Akeley modeled the head full size in clay over the immense skull with the huge tusks in position. A plaster cast in four sections was then made of the completed model. This cast, when hardened and removed, served as a mold or form into which was fabricated a Light steel frame-work following out in detail the plaster mold. This steel-head-skeleton was then added to the body structure and in this manner the complete steel skeleton was constructed. The body or shell was formed of one inch square wire loosely woven so that it was capable of warping without buckling. The ears were made of lighter wire mesh over a light steel frame, as was the trunk, two small steel pipes running the fuU length of the trunk, raised high in the air. Over this entire steel and mesh frame was plastered by hand a mixture of plaster of Paris and tow, this being like unwoven rope, to a thickness of about one inch. When this was completed, there stood an elephant minus his hide, twelve times the size of the working model and exactly his counterpart as he roamed the slopes of Kenya for probably more than a century. It is a problem successfully to bring out of Africa the skin of an elephant in condition fit to mount. These huge hides are from an inch to two inches in thickness when removed from the carcass. They are cut in five or six pieces and immediately work must be started in the dense wet bamboo forests to pare the skin down by hand to a thickness of about one half inch. These are then heavily salted and loosely rolled together, bound securely in native cloth, and made ready for transportation many miles to the nearest point where oxen could be secured. Each section would weigh several hundred pounds and be carried by eight or ten native porters for the magnificent sum of thirty cents per month — and grub. To mount "green" skins is not practical, so Akeley developed a special method of tanning never before used. As a result the elephant skins were turned into a high grade leather hide presenting the same exterior as worn by "Tembo" in his native haunts — sparse, stiff hairs, wrinkles, warts, tick- holes and all. The big sections of skin were first laid in their proper position on the finished manikin and by means of huge syringes somewhat like the pres- ent day auto grease gun, a mixture of hydrated plas- ter of Paris and glue was shot in under the skin through small slits easily closed, and then the skin Akeley's fighting bull elephants, secured in Africa in 1906 and now on view in Stanley Field Hall. Lower left: Akeley relaxes at day's end. 11 (o tmfrgt thf I If for in htf Ifm match iritA th* Ift^pani WmponUtt. h* tubdufd (ht SO-pound h.: •< iHroat V it tilth tht otktr. 12 wi'k-d into shafX' \*ilh numtTous wrinkk's as in ac- tual life, the plaster of Pari