Number 8 - Geological Curators Group

NOTES AND NEWSNews from the Natural History Museum inLondonThe exhibition 'Dinosaurs' celebrated its first birthdayon 15 April 1993. This block-buster exhibitionhas boosted the Museum's annual visitor numbers to1.7 million - an increase of 100,000 visitors on theprevious year. With the advent of Steven Spielberg'sdinosaur movie 'Jurassic Park' in July, 1993 looks setto be another good year for dinosaurs. The Museum'sretail sales were also well up - an increase of 24%,with dinosaurabilia accounting for half of all sales. Ahot seller for the year was chocolate-coated dinosaurbiscuits with visitors getting their sticky fingers onover 40,000 packets.New Visitor services: a complex of new visitorfacilities opened at the end of May on the ground floor,including three new shops, a restaurant and newadmission and information desks.'Wonders': on 1 July, Diplodocus in the Central Hallwas joined by othcr wonders of the natural world,making up a new introductory cxhibition to the wholeMuseum; rcal specimens and interactivc computerdisplays guide visitors around the Museum, in a totalof six languages.Rcccnt research has shown that Diplodocus would nothave dragged its tail around on the gmund as wasoriginally supposed, but would have carried it straightout behind. Consequently the Museum's most famousdinosaur cast has recently undergone a dramatic taillift.Each of the 73 tail vertebrae has been recast anda steel superstructure designed to support its 13-metrelength, at a height of 3 metres. The finished skclctonfollows the lines of a well designed cantilever bridge.Royal Literary & Scientific Institution, BathEddic Avent (Chairman, Bath Geological Society)writes:'TheRLSI (16.18 Queensquare, Bath), established in1824 for the advancemenl of science, literature and artin Bath, is in the process of being revitalised after overfifty . years . of inactivity and is now looking to crcate anew rncmbership. For a century after its inception theInstitutionflourished andenjoycd amembershipwhichincluded many scholars and men of science, some ofwhom made significant contributions to the advancementof knowledge. Several carly mcmbers donatedvarious artefacts, leaving the Institution with a largeand interesting collection including outstanding geologicaland natural history specimens, fine paintingsand sculptures, an extensive library and manuscripts(including original letters written by Charles Darwin).'The tortuous 'progress' made by the RLSI has been thesubject of many references in Geological Curator overthe years. Indeed, the fate of its geological collectionswas a major stimulus in creating GCG in 1974, whileRon Pickford's role in almost single-handedly rescuingthe museum from oblivion was recognised by theGroup in 1986 when Ron became an Honorary Member.Anyone interested in being considered for foundermembership of the newly-formed Institution shouldwrite to Brenda Vicary-Finch (RLSI SubscriptionSecretary, 24 Lambridge Place, Bath BA1 6RU) forfurther information.Diary of a fossil hunterCindy Langham writes:'Peter Langham of 'Dinosaurland' (Lyme Regis,Dorset) continues to livc up to his reputation as one ofthe most successful colleclors to have worked theDorset coast since the days of Mary Anning. Peterbegan collecting carly this winter season (1992-1993)when August Bank Holiday weekcnd saw him out onthe beach for the first time after a busy summcr at'Dinosaurland'. On his first day out, he discovered a4m ichthyosaur at Pinhay, Lyme Regis. This is atpresent bcing developed to museum display standardby Peter.Mid-November, Somerset: an ichthyosaur skull plusscattered body section (the tail had been eroded away).End-November, Somerset: a small ichthyosaur skulland paddle,Early Dccember, Lyme Regis: the complete middlescction of an ichthyosaur, approx. 0.6m in length (tailand skull missing); this baby would have been approx.1.2m long.Early Decembcr, Somerset: in one day Peter discovcrcdthe middle section of an ichthyosaur (skull andtail missing) approx. the same size as the Lyme Regisbaby; a 0.3m Lepidotes fish and an ichthyosaur skullabout 0.3m long with opcn jaw showing good denlition(very impressive).