Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts Volume 6, Number 3 Spring, 1977 MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY FRIENDS’ TRIP PREVIEW — 1978 The Friends of the MCZ are trying the impossible — to improve on this year’s incredible trip to the Galapagos Islands. The 1978 “Explore Ecuador’”’ trip includes a five-day ride aboard the Flotel Orellana on the Rio Napo in the Ecuadorian Amazon, an expanded Quito and surroundings program including nature talks and walks led by MCZ graduate student Kenneth I. Miyata, and a more flexible itinerary in the If you look carefully, you might come across this capuchin monkey in Surinam. Galapagos Archipelago since the Friends are charter- ing the entire m/nIguana. An optional two week visit to Surinam, led by graduate student Russell A. Mitter- meier, will provide hardy naturalists with an opportu- nity to explore this primitive country, well populated with monkeys and birds. The Surinam group will be limited to ten. For detailed information on these trips, contact the Public Programs office at 495-2463. A land iguana on South Plaza Island, Galapagos Ar- chipelago, where reptiles still rule the earth. DR. JOHN F. LAWRENCE LEAVING FOR AUSTRALIA || { oe 3 ”: oe ; > £ NY . a _ ; ss = : : Dr. John F. Lawrence After thirteen years in the MCZ’s Entomology De- partment, where his main research area has been Coleoptera (beetles), Dr. John F. Lawrence is setting out for a new position in a new continent. As of September 1, 1977, he will be Curator of Coleoptera at CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Re- search Organization) in Canberra, Australia. His many friends here will miss him. Notable among the many improvements in the En- tomology Department since Dr. Lawrence arrived from the University of California at Berkeley in Sep- tember, 1964, is the rehousing of the major collections in new steel cases, made possible by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation. Dr. Lawrence has supervised this operation over the last four years, aided by a highly competent staff. The Department's brightly colored doors will be one of many reminders of his distinctive style. Dr. Lawrence’s research interests have moved in two directions from his original work on fungus bee- tles and the intimate relationship between the beetles and the fungi upon which they feed: 1) he has taken a much closer look (with the aid of the scanning electron microscope, MCZ Newsletter Volume 6, Number 1) at the evolution of larval mouthparts, and 2) he has become interested in the evolution of beetles as a whole. Dr. Lawrence plans to continue this work in Australia and looks forward with relish to having a whole new fauna to investigate. Like the mammals, the insects of that isolated continent include a large number of phylogenetic relicts, and Dr. Lawrence is especially interested in comparing this fauna with that of Chile, which is on the same latitude. RUTH EDMONDS HILL, MCZ LIBRARIAN, RESIGNS Ruth Edmonds Hill, who has been Librarian at the MCZ since 1968, has resigned in order to devote more of her energies to managing the burgeoning career of her husband Dr. Hugh Morgan Hill (Brother Blue). She will continue to work part-time, as Coordinator of the Black Women Oral’ History Project at the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College. 4 Mes" RutinEs Fun Mrs. Hill, who holds a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts and a Library degree from Simmons College, held various positions at several libraries (in- cluding Yale University Library, the Berkshire Atheneum, and Berkshire Community College) before joining the MCZ staff. During her tenure Mrs. Hill has developed the Li- brary staff from five to eleven members, reflecting the increased services provided to the scientific commu- nity; she has, among many other things, put a com- prehensive conservation and binding project into op- eration; and she has established the MCZ archives as an important library program. Many of the assistants who have worked in the Library under Mrs. Hill’s guidance feel indebted to her for her positive influence at a formative time in their development and have continued to correspond with her. Several of them have gone on to rewarding, successful careers both within and without the library profession. One of Mrs. Hill’s particular concerns from the beginning of her library career has been the preserva- tion of rare books. In the MCZ collection, of the 250,000 volumes, between 4,000 and 5,000 fall into the rare book category and, according to Mrs. Hill, ‘“more are appearing each day.” In order to adequately care for this invaluable legacy, staff member Mary Keeler has received special training in this area. Ms. Keeler and her two assistants are taking stock of the condition WHY SURINAM? Holding a Surinam toad, Russ Mittermeier demonstrates one of the treats of the Surinam trip. Actually, there are alternate possibilities for navigating this waterway in the Wia-Wia Reserve. One of the aims of the MCZ trips is to take Friends to areas where the environment is still unspoiled; where animals and plants rather than roads and buildings dominate the landscape. Both the Galapagos Islands and Baja, California fall into this category; so does Surinam, a small country which used to be called Dutch Guiana (situated at the top of South America) which has recently started courting visitors to promote international interest in its rich flora and fauna. An exemplary park and reserve system, with well- planned visitor facilities, has conservation as its major purpose. All profits from tourism are applied to pre- serving the natural environment. Russell Mitter- meier’s graduate work has concentrated on the monkeys of Surinam which include eight species. He is eager to introduce seasoned travelers to Surinam’s varied habitats. of the collection and are mounting a campaign to obtain outside funds to properly prevent their con- tinued deterioration. They have also established a bindery and are currently treating materials both in circulation and in the rare books collection. As Mrs. Hill recalls it, the Archives project grew out ofa curiosity about “those filing cabinets in the back of the Library with lots of interesting, unidentified stuff in them”. When David Lakari arrived in 1971 to carry out a project for his A.B. degree in History from Goddard, the file cabinets revealed their mysteries — including manuscripts, correspondence, and draw- ings of noted scientists of the nineteenth century. The project has continued under Ann Blum, who recently co-authored (with artist Sarah Landry) an article in Harvard Magazine on the fine scientific illustrations in the collection. The interest in and demand for these materials is growing dramatically and plans are underway to make them more widely available. Mrs. Jane Baldwin, Cataloguer, is serving as Acting Librarian while the search for a new MCZ Librarian is being conducted. te a > ) BE ae, Watching the water was a rewarding experience off Prov- incetown this Spring. Provincetown Whale and Porpoise Watching was superb again this Spring. Captain Albert Avellar’s Dolphin III took more than 170 enthusiasts on two separate weekends right to the spot where humpbacks, finbacks, and whitesided porpoises were feeding. They displayed considerable interest in their human visitors and performed spectacularly for the clicking cameras. A reunion to compare slides was held on June 20. Three of the more than a hundred white-sided porpoises observed on the Friends of the MCZ May 8 trip. BAJA 1978 Baja will be better than ever next year. The new owners of “our” boat, the Qualifier 105, have com- pleted extensive renovations on this rugged sports fish- ing vessel allowing for faster time and improved facilities. But the natural facilities cannot be improved upon — the California gray whales, by the dozens, the elephant seals, sea lions, harbor seals, the ospreys, white ibises, mangroves, cacti, clear desert air, and long quiet sunsets await the visitor every January. Perhaps this will be the year for you to go? Dates: January 28-February 4; cost $625 plus a $50 tax deductible contribution to the MCZ (airfare not included). Complete itinerary and pertinent informa- tion is available from the Public Programs office. Children’s Saturday Mornings will start again on October 15 for six Saturday mornings. Children (ages 8-12) will explore the Harvard University Museum and learn about African masks, dinosaurs, endangered species, and North American Indians. Activities will include crafts projects, games, and special follow-up suggestions. Time: 9:30 - 11:30, fee for Friends: $35; for others: $45. Call 495-2463 to register. Step 1: Research Step 2: Design and Build Step 3: Open Your Doors to the Public! - Pe “i % AS or. ——= : a ~ Photos by Suzy Lapides Students at the Ohrenburger School in West Roxbury built a museum in their school library this Spring, with a little help from the MCZ Education and Exhibits staff funded by the Massachusetts Office of Equal Educational Opportunity. Aside from being an experience all of those involved will always cherish, future students will also be able to enjoy the museum. The MCZ Newsletter is published three times a year by the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Ox- ford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138; A. W. Crompton, Director. Editor: Gabrielle Dundon Photographers: A. H. Coleman Paula Chandoha Photo by Joan McCabe