Natural History Collection

Kayla McNeilly, 2015

Radford University hosts a wide selection of taxidermied specimens in the Biology Department’s Natural History Collection. There are over 15,000 specimens that include vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants that have been collected around the New River Valley and beyond (nationally and internationally). The mammal collection includes 87 species of over 700 cataloged and digitized specimens - from invasive Black rats (Rattus rattus) to native White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and (fairly) new arrivals to Virginia, Coyotes (Canis latrans). 

Taxidermy has been practiced for thousands of years and is known as a scientific study and art. This process is a skill that can be valuable to scientists and artists alike. However, the preservation of such specimesn has changed greatly in the last century. For many older taxidermy collections, the animals are laced with arsenic, once a main ingredient for taxidermy. Arsenic is a chemical element that can be found in soils, used in taxidermy since the 5th century BC. It was placed in the underside of the skin of an animal to help preserve and protect it from insects. It’s now recognized as a toxic chemical when exposed to humid air, and is a common ingredient used in rat poisons. This chemical is hazardous to humans (Marte et al., 2006).

Around the 18th century, taxidermists started mixing the arsenic with other materials like aloe, alum, and even cinnamon to help make the specimens smell better. Many of the specimens had the odor of sulfur on them, which also made the specimens change colors and even caused them to burn.  Bécoeur is a well-known figure in the art of taxidermy, known for his arsenical soap that museums employed world-wide. Arsenic in museums collections has been prohibited since the 1980s because of the toxins. With this ban many museums had to inspect all of their displays for signs of arsenic. If it was found the specimens were documented and labeled with tags, warning users to wear gloves if handling these particular animals (Marte et al., 2006).

Because the use of arsenic is banned, Borax has emerged as a safe alternative, also known as a product to supplement laundry detergents. It is also applied to the on the skin of a specimen. This chemical compound is said to help dry skins and for fluffing animals. It is safe and not hazardous towards human skin (Grantz, 1969).  Due to the possession of older specimens in the collection, pre-1980, classroom use is controlled and cases remain locked for safety of the valuable, irreplacable specimens (each represents a piece of history) and of students. If any specimens are used in classes, students are required to wear gloves. 

Radford University’s biology collection is not just for science majors but also for Radford students to enjoy in the halls of Reed and Curie Hall, during lab times or by searching the database through a link through this museum web page. It is also available for students that request specimen data for research and teaching purposes. The collection is often used as a learning tool for visitors and even the students on campus (Dr. Karen Powers, personal communication).

• Grantz, G. J. (1969). Home book of taxidermy and tanning. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. 
• Marte, F., A. Péquignot, D. W. V. Endt. 2006. Arsenic in taxidermy collections: history, detection, and management. Collection Forum, 21(1-2), 143-150

Biography: Willard Ellery Treat
by Jessica Sosnicki (2008)

The Biology Department at Radford University has a vast set of specimens collected over the years. Of that collection, Willard E. Treat contributes a small, but significant part. Born almost a century and a half ago, there is little known about him and why his collection ended up at Radford University. However, his specimens are still important to natural history.

Willard Ellery Treat was born on July 31, 1865 in East Hartford, Connecticut, where he resided most of his life (U.S. Federal Census, 1870). His father, Ellery Treat, worked in East Hartford as a bookmaker, while his mother, Eunice, was a homemaker. According to the 1870 Federal Census, Willard had a sister, Adella (“Della”) G. Treat as well. Although, the Census did not indicate other siblings, he also had two brothers, William Howard Treat and Edwin Cuyler Treat (Warner, 1902). Around the age of 20, Willard attended Wesleyan College in Middletown, Connecticut not far from his hometown. In college, he was a member of Alpha Alpha, a Wesleyan chapter of Chi Psi. The Sixth Decennial Catalogue of Chi Psi states he was part of the Class of 1888 (Warner, 1902). However, Willard only attended one year at Wesleyan; he left during his sophomore year. His two brothers also attended Wesleyan. Like his brother, William Treat left his second year. Out of the three brothers, Edwin Cuyler Treat is the only one that actually graduated from Wesleyan, in 1894. Willard E. Treat married on May 4, 1897 to Emma Brooks Shipman. They were married for over 40 years, until she died while on vacation in Fort Myers, Florida on November 29, 1938. A year later, in 1939, Julia Lansing Kelsey became his wife (U.S. Federal Census, 1930). They lived on Res 524 Main Street in his hometown, East Hartford, Connecticut. There is no record of her death. Nancy Finlay, the Curator of Graphics of the Connecticut Historical Society, stated no children were mentioned in the Federal Census of 1930. According to an article Nancy Finlay found in the Hartford Courant on July 23, 1922, Willard cultivated 10 acres of tobacco in the Silver Lane section of East Hartford. He had been a tobacco grower for over 40 years. In the 1895 and 1911 edition of Zoologisches Adressbuch, Treat is also listed as an ornithologist. Another contact, Suzy Taraba, Wesleyan’s University Archivist and Head of Special Collections of the Olin Library, discovered that Willard Ellery Treat died on May 9, 1955. This information was found in the Alumni Record of 1961, although Willard did not graduate from Wesleyan. In the 1952 edition of the Wesleyan University Alumni Record, more is stated about Willard Treat:

“Treat, Willard Ellery. Chi Psi. b July 31, 1865, East Hartford. Left fr yr; tobacco grower 1897-1923; mem Am Ornithologist Union 1886-1904; taxidermist 1882-1930; pub articles on outdoor life; m May 4, 1897 Emma Brooks Shipman who d 1938; m Julia Lansing Kelsey 1939. Red 524 Main St, East Hartford.”

Even with this information, it is difficult to uncover more in-depth information on his background. One thing is for certain, Willard died in a place he rarely ventured from during his life, East Hartford, Connecticut.

Life as an Ornithologist and Author

Willard Ellery Treat started his interest in ornithology at a young age. He was a member of the American Ornithologist Union (AOU) from 1886-1904. During this time, Willard published a series of small articles in The Auk. All of the specimens described in The Auk were found in Connecticut. In addition, he also published an article in Science titled ‘Great Horned Owls in Confinement’ in 1893. This article showed that Willard could author nature journals with fine detail and observation. Willard is also cited in The Birds of Connecticut (1913) by John Hall Sage, Louis Bennett Bishop, and Walter Parks Bliss. He is mentioned several times throughout the publication where he observed and helped identify birds for the authors. These birds include the double-crested cormorant, pintail, ruddy duck, among others. One bird Willard collected, the yellow-headed blackbird, was given to John H. Sage for his collection in Portland, Connecticut.

Treat Specimens

Although little is known today about Willard E. Treat, his specimens can found in a number of places. The University of Connecticut holds over 1900 animal specimens, most of which are birds. As described on the university’s website, “The collection began with the donation of study skins, (dated between 1875 to 1925) from the private collections of J.H. Sage and W.E. Treat, and emphasizes the fauna of Connecticut and the northeastern U.S.” (University of Connecticut, 2004). Susan Hochgraf, Vertebrate Collections Manager of Biological Research Collections at University of Connecticut, found two of Willard’s ledger books. The first volume is dated January 1, 1887, a year after he left college. In this ledger, he included dates, specimen numbers, Latin names, sex, body measurements, stomach contents, and remarks strictly on bird species. In the first page, he signed his name, followed by his location, East Hartford, CT. In addition, there is a small note, stating the donation of some of his specimens to California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. The second volume includes the same field data, but with mammals, such as bats and shrews. This volume is dated January 1891 through 1915. The meticulousness of Willard’s ledgers shows he was a true naturalist.

The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History houses a very small collection of Treat’s specimens, which includes a song sparrow, four sharp-tailed sparrows, and a redstart. James Dean, Collection Manager of the Smithsonian Institute’s Division of Birds, indicated that all six specimens were collected in the 1890s.

Radford University has a small collection of 29 Willard Treat’s bird specimens, none of which are on display. All of the specimens were collected between 1885 and 1896. The specimens include: one cedar waxwing, one rose-breasted grosbeak, two common redpolls, three common grackles, two brown-headed cowbirds, three rusty blackbirds, two Swainson's thrushes, two American pipits, one black-capped chickadee, two cerulean warblers, two northern parulas, one yellow-rumped warbler, one American redstart, one red-breasted nuthatch, four white-breasted nuthatch, and one ruby-crowned kinglet. There is still no explanation as to why Radford University houses these specimens. No written documentation has been found indicating donations from Willard, the University of Connecticut, or the Smithsonian.

Works Cited

• [1870] U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, (Treat household).
• [1930] U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, (Treat household).
• Askins, R. (2002). Restoring North America's Birds: Lessons from Landscape Ecology. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
• Boyle, W. (2002). A Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.
• Department of Environmental Protection. (2008). Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species in Connecticut. Retrieved October 12, 2008, from Department of Environmental Protection site: http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2702&q=323472&depNav_GID=1628
• Sage, J. H., Bishop L. B., & Bliss W. P. (1913). The Birds of Connecticut. Hartford, CT: The Case, Lockwood, & Brainard Co.
• Treat, W. E. (1893). Great Horned Owls in Confinement. Science, 22, 137-139.
• University of Connecticut (2004). Biological Collections: Bird Collections. Retrieved September 12, 2008 from
  http://collections2.eeb.uconn.edu/collections/birds/birds.html

Beecher S. Bowdish, John I Northrop, and Willis W. Worthington
by Kelle Urban, 2008

Radford University has a diverse collection of >5000 cataloged and over 10,000 un-cataloged natural history specimens that were given or brought to RU over the past century.  In order to better appreciate the value of these specimens, we explored some of our century-old specimens by researching the specimen’s history along with their collector’s history.  Natural history collections are valuable resources that allows for research across many different aspects biological sciences such as, archaeology, forensics, biology,  and geography. By knowing the history of our collection we can asses if we have any ecologically important species. It also helps us develop a picture of the past and how environments and species’ ranges  have changed in the present day.

I have chosen to research bird collectors: John I. Northrop, Willis W. Worthington and Beecher S. Bowdish. I chose each collector because their bird specimens date back to the 1880’s – these specimens could be of significant ecological value and the collectors may have been influential naturalists if their time.

John I. Northrop

Northrop was born in 1861 in New York City. He was a very enthusiastic collector who was extremely observant and was known to have consideration for animals and would not always collect specimens. He is described by classmates, friends and his wife as a genuine person who would always put a friend before himself.  (Osborn, 1967)

Northrop attended Columbia School of Mines and graduated with a degree in Engineer of Mines.  In 1888 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, writing two dissertations: “Histology of Hoya carnosa” and “Fossil Leaves from Bridgeton, N.J.”. In 1890 he became a tutor of Zoology at the University of Columbia. That same year he took a trip to the Bahamas collecting many species we have in our collection and finding a new rare species on the Isle of Andros; Icterus northropi, Northrop’s Oriole (Osborn, 1967).  In 1891, at the age of 30, Northrop was burned severely and died in the night after a routine trip down to the fire-proof vault in the basement of his lab building to retrieve alcohol. What exactly happened is unknown, but there was a large explosion that saturated Northrop’s clothing in alcohol causing the severe burns. His son John H. Northrop was born 10 days later and would carry on in his father’s footsteps to become a very influential chemist (Osborn, 1967).

Radford University’s collection contains 13 specimens collected by John I. Northrop. I was unable to find where exactly our specimens came from due to the heavy trading that occurred during this time. All specimens in our collection were collected in the Bahamas and are listed as “least concern “species by the IUCN Red-list (IUCN). Specimens include (number of specimens in our collection):  

• Western spindalis (1; Spindalis zena)
• Greater Antillean bullfinch (3; Loxigilla violacea)
• Black-faced grassquit (2; Tiaris bicolor)
• Red-legged thrush (5; Turdus plumbeus)
• Stripe-headed tanager (Spindalis zena)
• Thick-billed vireo (Vireo crassirostris)

Willis W. Worthington

In correspondence with Dr. David W. Johnston, I was provided with the historical background information provided in this paper. Willis W. Worthington was born in 1861 in New York.  He was a self-taught bird and mammal taxidermist and earned a living partly by selling and exchanging specimens.  Over his life time he was employed by various wealthy ornithologists to collect birds in areas such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, Texas, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. He also published three articles in the Auk and Wilson Bullitin between the years 1890-1926. In 1910 he was collecting birds in southern Florida where he met Harold H. Bailey, who would eventually obtain many of Worthington specimens, sending them to the Virginia Museum of Natural History, which now has over 90 specimens.  I do not know exactly where our specimens originated, they have been traded and sold many times --most likely because Worthington made part of his living off them.

Radford University’s collection contains four specimens collected by Willis W. Worthington.

• An unidentified plover (Charadrius): collected in South Carolina.
• Black skimmer (Rynchops niger): collected in Georgia. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state threatened or endangered species.
• Red knot (Calidris canutus): collected in South Carolina. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is listed as a candidate for an Endangered or threatened in the Northeast Region of the US. 
  “A decline was seen in individuals during the spring migration. Red knots rely on the availability of billions of horse shoe crab eggs during their migrations. The increase in taking horseshoe crabs for bait in commercial fisheries could be the reason for the major decline. Another necessity of the Red Knots is the middle and high arctic habits that they use for breeding and could be potentially affected by global climate change.” (US Fish & Wildlife Service, 2008)
• American coot (Fulica americana): collected in Florida. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state threatened or endangered species.

Beecher S. Bowdish

Beecher S. Bowdish was born in 1872 in Phelps, New York. Since he was a boy he was always interested in bird and nature and was encouraged by his aunt who was a teacher.  He was thought of by friends and colleagues, who referred to him as “Beech” as a witty, outspoken writer. He had a love for poems and would collect them along with writing his own (Johnson, 1997).
 In December 1910, president William Dutcher of the New Jersey Audubon Society asked Bowdish to help organize the society. His title was secretary-treasurer and his home served as the office for the Society. In 1911 he published “A Guide to the Birds of New Jersey” through the society.  Bowdish also was one of the earliest bird banders and one of the organizers of the American Bird Banding Association (ABBA).  In 1955 he was named the top bander in New Jersey by ABBA and also holds the longevity title for having banded 50,000 birds, 130 species between 1913 and 1958. He resigned from banding birds when he was 87 (1959) because of a cataract that affected his eyesight.

Radford University’s collection contains 13 specimens collected by Beecher S. Bowdish. Due to heavy trade during this period I was unable to find from where our specimen originated. The specimens include:

• Osprey (Pandion haliaetus): collected in Cuba. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list it is not listed as a federally endangered or threatened species but is breeding populations are considered a threatened species by the State of New Jersey.
• Black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola): collected in New Jersey. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state endangered or threatened species.
• American woodcock (Scolopax minor): collected in New Jersey. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state endangered or threatened species.
• Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus): collected in New Jersey. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is listed as a candidate for an Endangered or threatened in the California/Nevada Region.
• Black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus): collected in New Jersey. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state endangered or threatened species.
• Sharp-shinned hawk (2; Accipiter striatus): collected in New Jersey. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state endangered or threatened species.
• Merlin (Falco columbarius): collected in New Jersey. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state endangered or threatened species.
• Kiskadee (2; Pitangus sulphuratus): collected in New Jersey but this could be mis-information because Kiskadee are common in southern region of North America Texas and Louisiana, and south to  South America. It is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state endangered or threatened species.
• Common yellowthroat (3; Geothlypis trichas): collected in New Jersey. Is considered a least concern species by the IUCN red list and is not listed as a federal or state endangered or threatened species.

Conclusion
This information provides us with a chance to do further research and to understand how the land and animals have been changing throughout the past century.  It also helps us understand the life of the first collectors and how they have paved the way for today’s ornithologists.  These three collectors have helped further the education of people about birds and with their specimens in our collection and many other collections. 

Works Cited

• Cant, Gilver. Sports Illustrated, Vol. 11, No. 16 (Oct. 1959): pp.  80-92
• Johnson, Libbie. One hundred years and still counting: New Jersey Audubon Society (Oct. 1997): pp. 8-17.
• Murphy, Robert C. and Amadon D.   The Auk, Vol. 80, No. 3 (Jul., 1963), pp. 414-416
• Northrop, John I., Osborn, Henry F. and Northrop, Alice B. A Naturalist in the Bahamas, A Memorial Volume. New York, NY: AMS Press, Inc., 1967.
• Worthington, W. W., and W. E. Clyde Todd. "The Birds of the Choctawhatchee Bay Region of Florida." The Wilson Bulletin 38 ( Dec. 1926) No. 4: pp. 204-229.
• Worthington, W. W. "The Ipswich Sparrow in Georgia." The Auk, Vol. 7, No. 2 (April 1890): pp.211-212.
• Worthington, W.W. “Golden Eagle at Shelter Island, New York” The Auk, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jan. 1891): p. 11.

P.R. Burch and Mollusks of Virginia
By Kara Hunt

Biography of Paul R. Burch
Paul Burch earned his doctorate at the University of Virginia in 1930. His work there involved hydra and the loss and gain of amoeba cytoplasm.  He began his career at Radford University as a Biology professor and remained there from 1928 to 1954 and also acted as chair of the department sometime in the 1950’s (Allen, 1959 and Hoffman and Mitchell, 1994). He was described by Dr. Richard Hoffman as “thin in stature and nervous of manner”; this nervousness developed into a condition like “stage fright” and prevented him from teaching. This nervous condition urged his retirement from the university in 1954 (Allen, 1959).  Burch resided in Radford for many years and had five children. One son, John “Jack” Burch, followed in his father’s footsteps. Dr. Jack Burch is retired from the University of Michigan, yet he continues his study of malacology as his father did. He is currently working on a book about Virginia mollusks that his father started in the 1950’s (J. Burch, personal communication, 2008).

Research of Burch
The majority of Burch’s research and time while at Radford was directed toward freshwater snails indigenous to this area of Virginia.  He set-aside his training as a laboratory-based biologist and became an enthusiastic student of Virginia’s natural history with a special interest in malacology (Hoffman and Mitchell, 1994). He was said to have the most extensive collection of mollusks in this area of the country at one time (Fig 2.) He collected many of the snails himself from rivers in several local counties. In 1935, he was commissioned by the Virginia Academy of Science to study mollusks. He then spent the summers between 1936 and 1945 at Mountain Lake Biological Station (Giles Co., VA) collecting and identifying mollusks (Allen, 1959). Burch was said to have the most extensive collection of mollusks in this area of the country at one time.

Many publications and one newly discovered species are credited to Paul Burch. Burch submitted his research and findings to the Virginia Academy of Science, Nautilus (Burch, 1947), The American Naturalist (Burch, 1946) and Copeia, (Burch, 1955). These articles discuss the chromosomes of Poloygyrid snails (Burch, 1946) and the salamander Siren lacertina feeding on clams and snails (Burch, 1955).He discovered a new species of snail, Polygyra virginiana, 1800 feet above the New River in Pulaski County, Virginia (Burch, 1947). Due to the rarity of this specimen it is not housed in the RU Natural History collection and instead resides in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. and the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville, VA. Another discovery Burch made was the unearthing of the largest native land snail in eastern North America (Mesodon andrewsae normalis). This particular mollusk had been unknown to the state of Virginia until Burch located it in Giles County. 

Burch’s Collection at RU
Many of the specimens in the collection at Radford University come from counties in southwest Virginia including: Giles, Wythe, Montgomery, Pulaski, Bland, Lee, Scott, Rockbridge and Chesterfield. Five specimens were also found here in the city of Radford. However, P.R. Burch successfully “collected in all 95 counties of Virginia” (J. Burch, 2008) in his lifetime. The lower portion of the James River, New River and tributaries of these rivers are likely sites from which these specimens came.
 The current collection at Radford University is 54 shells total. These specimens are glued to cardboard or preserved in small pill boxes with cotton. There are approximately 30 genera of mollusks within the collection. Many of Burch’s taxonomic names are antiquated, as he accomplished much of the collection over 50 years ago. This made research of the collection’s status difficult and in some cases scientific names remain unclear or incomplete.

Ecological Value of Specimens at RU
All specimens in the collection are fairly common, a search of the 54 species on the IUCN redlist revealed only one species that is endangered, Io fluvialis (Bogan and Seddon, 1996). The “spiny river snail” has very specific habitat preferences: well-oxygenated shoals and riffles but not in the slack water beneath the shoals. The snail is found in the Clinch, Holston and Powell Valley river drainage systems. At one time the snail existed throughout the Tennessee River system (Tangley, 1984). It was also known to exist in the state of Alabama but is now known to be extinct in that state (Lydeard and Mayden, 1995). Dams, mining, agriculture, toxic spills, and introduced species are thought to be major causes of Io fluvialis’ decline as well as many other aquatic fauna in the southeastern region (Neves and Angermeier, 1990).
The reintroduction of Io fluvialis was attempted on the Virginia/Tennessee border in the North Fork of the Holston River in 1978 and then again in one upstream site north of Saltville, Virginia (Smyth Co., VA) in 1979. (Ahlstedt, 1991). The outcome of this reintroduction is currently unavailable. Reintroduction into the Holston River and also the French Broad River was attempted again in August 1996. Preliminary results showed that the adult survival in the French Broad River was capable of maintaining a stable population (Ahlstedt, 1997).

Burch’s Collection at other institutions
A portion of Burch’s snails can also be found in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Washington, D.C. and to the University of Michigan’s Museum of Zoology (UMMZ) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The specimens were taken there or shipped by Dr. Richard Hoffman, a former professor of Biology at Radford University, and also by Dr. Jack Burch. Both institutions have searchable databases containing 10 Burch specimens collectively; however, likely hundreds more are yet to be catalogued including Polygyra virginiana.

Conclusion
The wealth of information collected concerning these mollusks is still not sufficient to describe or understand why Burch’s collection of snails is important. As mentioned earlier, some of the specimens are still without current scientific names. These specimens are integral to Virginia’s natural history; they give us a glimpse into the mollusks that inhabited this region of the state so many years ago. In addition, possessing knowledge of organisms that are rare or threatened may bring understanding to changing biological factors in certain geographical locations.

Acknowledgements
The facts and records collected within this research project were made possible by Dr. John B. “Jack” Burch, Paul Burch’s son, the UMMZ staff and database, Dr. Karen Francl and Dr. Richard L. Hoffman of the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Dr. J. Burch willingly gave us personal as well as professional information that aided in determining the current scientific names for the snails and provided more information about his father’s work. The UMMZ staff offered a link to Jack Burch as well as supplied information about specimens that P.R. Burch collected and are now located in their facility. Dr.Richard Hoffman gave direction in the history of the collection and where to find further resources.

Literature Cited

• Ahlstedt, S. 1991. Reintroduction of the spiny riversnail Io fluvialis (Say, 1825) (Gastropoda: Pleuroceridae) into the North Fork Holston River, southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee. Malacological Bulletin. 8:139-142.
• Ahlstedt, S. 1997. Spiny River Snail reintroduction. Triannual Unionid Report. Report 12.
• Allen, JF. 1959. PR Burch. The Nautilus: A quarterly devoted to Malacology. 72:100-102.
• Burch, PR 1946. The chromosomes of polygyrid snails. The American Naturalist.
• Burch, PR 1947. Polygyra virginiana: a new species from Virginia. The Nautilus: A quarterly devoted to Malacology. 61:40-41.
• Burch, PR 1955. The salamander Siren lacertina feeding on clams and snails. Copeia. 3:255-256.
• Bogan, AE & Seddon, MB 1996. Io fluvialis. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 03 December 2008.
• Hoffman, RL and Mitchell, JC. 1994. Paul R. Burch’s hertpetological collection at Radford College, Virginia: A valuable resource lost. Catesbeiana. 14:3-12.
• Lydeard, C and Mayden, RL. A diverse and endangered aquatic system of the southeast United States. Conservation Biology. 9:800-805.
• Neves, RJ and Adermeier, PL. 1990. Habitat alteration and its effects on native fishes in the upper Tennessee River system, east-central U.S.A. Journal of Fish Biology. 37:45-52
• Tangley, L. 1984. Protecting the insignificant. Bio Science. 34:406-409.

Radford University’s Forgotten Treasures
by Alaina Walker, 2008

Through the years science has shifted its focus from natural history to the widely popular development of genetics and other new areas. It is remarkable for the world to be so widely traveled and have only a fraction of the species identified. One would think that this area would continue to thrive but in truth this area is no longer being funded or taught as widely as it once was.
The natural history collections of Universities around the world are being pushed into lost corners and crevices noticed by little and appreciated by few. As biology students focus their studies it comes to the attention of those taking zoology classes the real importance of having the collections in study as well as research. The Radford University Biology Department has quite a large conglomeration of museum specimens that have come from many localities, from Mexico to the backyards of Radford City, from birds to butterflies.

Specimen arrival at Radford University
How some of these priceless relics have been gathered remains a mystery. For some of the specimens traces of the histories are slowly coming to fruition. For a few their journey to RU has been rather unique and unexpected. The taxidermied birds in Reed/Curie hallway museum cases have had quite the history and were rescued from being thrown in the trash. The eggs once thought to have come from the University of Virginia are actually likely from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History discards.
Exactly how the mounted birds arrived in the cases where they are now is not fully clear. From correspondence with former Radford professors a likely story has been retraced. The first individual to recall any information regarding the specimens was Dr. Richard L. Hoffman (currently the director of the Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, VA). He was a student of the University of Virginia (UVA) and actually took classes in the building, Brooks Hall, that likely housed the mounted bird specimens. Dr. Hoffman said:
"It was a grand, awkward, vintage Victorian red brick monstrosity, and should have been on the list of historic landmarks that could not be touched.  The entire contents: fossils, minerals, rocks, stuffed mammals and birds, was bought from Ward’s in Rochester, and included incredible things that can never be gotten again*.  The centerpiece was a rather cheesy full-sized mammoth, invested in some kind of grass-like “hair”, and so on.  Once when I went back some years after graduating, I went by the Brooks Museum and was astonished that it was being gutted of everything.  Some administrators had decided to rebuild the place as a classroom building." (Hoffman, personal communication, 2008)

Dr. Hoffman also mentioned that a professor Dr. Messersmith and his student Ruth Beck went to UVA in the early 1960s and collected some of the items that were being discarded.
Dr. Francl, a current professor’s correspondence with retired professor Dr. Moore led to new information regarding the mounts. Dr. Moore said that in the late 1960s, Dr. Messersmith worked out a deal with the Smithsonian to have specimens and also salvaged the mounted birds from UVA. Dr. Francl was able to contact Dr. Messersmith directly and he confirmed some of what Moore had suggested. “He [Messersmith] did go in 1962-1963 to UVA with his ornithology student Ruth Androvich--now Ruth Beck, a former president of the Virginia Society of Ornithology to collect specimens… he had just begun teaching ornithology so was looking for specimens. So they drove to UVA and brought back the dusty dirty museum mounts--these are the ones on display in the hallway cabinets, the cassowary” which we still have today. Not all but many of the mounts still have the original tags from Ward’s printed on the bases.

Specimen history prior to arrival at Radford University
Based on this known history, Radford University was not the first residence in an institution of higher learning for these specimens. To understand the full story we must take a step back in time around the late 1860s and the relationship between North and South is one of strained existence.
Rochester, New York was at its height in preservation and exploration of species many museums including those of natural history were being stocked with many exotic and unusual creatures by scientists and explorers. This was the area of science that was at the cutting edge. Many wealthy New Yorkers found themselves funding such endeavors to collect specimens from all of the far reaches of the globe. Lewis Brooks was no exception to this. Hoffman, in his correspondence, suggests that one such New Yorker by the name of Lewis Brooks may be the reason for the collections housed at UVA.

Little is known about Lewis Brooks. He was born 1795 and died in 1877. Brooks’ obituary was printed in the New York Times and an article in a publication known as the Rochester Democrat was also published after his death. It simply states “he was a peculiar man who was not married, who had no heirs, and who made his fortune as a textile manufacturer” (Hantman, 1989). However, we do know that Brooks did much philanthropic work and was cognizant of the strained relations between the two regions during reconstruction. He therefore donated a natural history collection to the University of Virginia to try and mend the relationship between the North and South (Hantman, 1989).

His natural history collection was stored in the Lewis Brooks Hall of Natural Science, which opened in 1877. Brooks donated that fossils, mounts, and specimens it housed. Located east of the Rotunda, the building has been an object of debate since its construction. In 1977, it was almost destroyed by the board of visitors because its design did not match the campus architecture (Hantman, 1989). Jeffrey L. Hantman, an archeologist working at UVA, came across information about Lewis Brooks and his ties to UVA. Hantman found that the man who donated so much left very little personal record behind. It is evidenced by many famous well to do New Yorkers that scientific inquires and development was very important to the men of this time. There was a social men’s group in Rochester created by Lewis Morgan in the 1870s. The group was known as the Pundit Club “devoted to scholarly pursuits”. Lewis Brooks was a part of this club, as was another well-known collector, Henry Ward. Ward made his living during this time collecting and selling scientific specimens. The business he started still continues to this day as Ward’s Inc. which sells a variety of scientific equipment and animal specimens for scientific purposes.

As Ward and Lewis Brooks were both members of Morgan’s Pundit Club, there exists correspondence between the two. According to Hantman, Ward and Brooks were very well acquainted with one another. Ward’s business at this time, 1874, was in deep debt. He saw Lewis Brooks as the key link between the success of his business and the progression of natural history as an important part of science.
“At the same time, Ward was also writing to Lewis Brooks. In these letters he also complained of his financial problems and promoted new museum opportunities. Mr. Brooks, this final blow [the Allegheny College disaster] has fixed my fate as a cabinet maker instead of a teacher and investigator." Ward continued by seeking funds from Brooks for a museum to be built in Rochester. (39) Ward's intent was quite obvious when he wrote to convince Brooks of the need for a natural history museum in Rochester, which he called his long cherished, plan " (Hantman).

In Ward’s letters he wrote:
But, Mr. Brooks, what hope can I have? How many men are there in Rochester who will consider such a thing - to give S10,000.00 to zoological sciences? But you know sir how few will understand the bearing of the natural sciences on the practical questions of life. There is no one who I can think of in this city who will start this subscription in this way if you will not. For you understand and appreciate the department of natural sciences better than does anyone in our city (Hantman)."

Ward was shocked at the death of his friend who was said to be in fine health and died suddenly.
Given this known relationship between Brooks and Ward, we believe that Brooks’ donations to UVA originated from Ward’s natural history business. This assumption is confirmed by that fact that many of the taxidermied birds originated from that UVA collections still have the original tags from Wards on or under the wooden stands.

P.B. Dunnigan and G.C. Packard collection at Radford University: why are they here and how did they get here?
by Annamarie Roszko (2008)

Introduction
The natural history collection at Radford University has over 3,500 cataloged specimens, and probably 10,000 left to catalog. Understanding the history of these specimens can help students achieve a great appreciation for them, and perhaps increase their inherent value. These specimens are important because everyone can learn something from them, such as why different species were in a location, how long they were there for, what kinds of environments they need to survive, if we know where they are found them we can make range maps to see where the different species are located. Specimens can also help us see what species used to be there but what may not be there anymore.

I chose to investigate the history and value of 59 specimens from two collectors: Patrick B. Dunnigan (39 specimens) and Gary C. Packard (20 specimens). From these specimens I wanted to answer several questions about them:

1. Why are they here in the Radford University natural history collection?,
2. How did they get here?,
3. Why were they collected?,
4. What can I learn about these specimens?, and
5. Are they currently at risk of extinction?

Collector 1 – Patrick B. Dunnigan
Mr. Dunnigan attended Mt. Saint Mary’s College and the University of Kansas,  he also attended Duke University, The University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Departure Point, 2004).  He  was a Biology professor at Radford University in the mid/late 1960s, leaving approximately 1969. He is part of Departure Point Travel (Oakton, Va.) and repeated contacts have gone unanswered. Published articles focus on small mammals, e.g.:

Dunnigan, P.B. & Jones, J.K. (1965). Molossops greenhalli and Other Bats from Gurrero and Oaxaca, Mexico. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, 68, 461-462.
Dunnigan, P.B. & Fitch, J.H. (1967). Seasonal Movements and Population Fluctuations of the Cave Bat (Myotis velifer) in South-Central Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, 70, 210-218.
Dunnigan's master's thesis (1965) from University of Kansas is entitled "Pocket gophers of the genus Thomomys of the Mexican state of Sinaloa."

Collector 2 – Gary C. Packard
Dr. Packard attended the University of Illinois for his undergraduate work and the University of Kansas for his graduate work. He worked at Clemson University for one year and spent the rest of his career at Colorado State University until he retired in 2005. I communicated with Dr. Packard via e-mail. Dr. Packard has done many studies of turtles, birds, lizards and many small mammals and amphibians, below are a list of just a few of his many works:
Packard, G.C. (1999). Water Relations of Chelonian Eggs and Embryos: Is Wetter Better?. American Zoologist, 39, 289-303.
Packard, G.C. (1997). Temperatures during Winter in Nests with Hatchling Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta). Herpetologica, 53, 89-85.
Packard, G.C. (1971). Inconsistency in Application of the Biological Species Concept to Disjunct Populations of Anurans in Southeastern Wyoming and North-Central Colorado. Journal of Herpetology, 5, 191-193.
Packard, G.C. & Packard, M.J. (1970). Eccritic Temperatures of Zebra-Tailed Lizards on the Mojave Desert. Herpetologica, 26, 168-172.
Packard, G.C. (1967). Seasonal Variation in Bill Length of House Sparrows. The Wilson Bulletin, 79, 345-346.

He was very helpful but was unsure of how his specimens got into our collection here at Radford University. In one of the e-mails that I received he told me that he did not know about one of the specimens attributed to him – a painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) collected (Wise, VA, 1959) - ever being collected.

Specimens in Radford University’s Natural History Collection
There are 58 specimens in this collection attributed to either Dunnigan or Packard. There are 24 species in 14 families, although a few of the species identifications are incomplete to either family or genus.
Locality Information – Contemporary and Historical Findings
There are 27 specimens with no location listed, and 31 with locality information were collected in Virginia, Illinois, Oklahoma, or Kansas. In Virginia there was one specimen (Chrysemys picta) collected in Wise County. In Illinois, 15 of the 58 specimens were collected in the counties of Vermilion and Cook. In Kansas there were 11 specimens collected from Johnson, Douglas, Barber, and Meade counties. There were three specimens (two Reithrodontomys sp., and Peromyscus sp. (possibly leucopus)) collected from Oklahoma in Beaver County. There is also one bat (Natalus stramineus) in the collection from Mexico - Panuco, Sinaloa. There is a possibility that the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is from Wisconsin. However, the tag reads Hericon Marsh, which we interpreted as Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin, but the tag also says that the specimen is from Virginia in Wise County.
Two of the specimens were collected in the National Gypsum Mine, and it is still there. All the other locations listed, Paunco Sinaloa Mexico, Salt Fork River (Vermilion, Illinois), and Fairmont Quarry (Vermilion, Illinois) are verified localities there and still much the same as they were when these specimens were collected.

Ecological value of these specimens
According to the IUCN Redlist, none of these species were federally endangered or threatened. However, the grotto salamander, Typhlotriton spelaeus, is endangered in Kansas (Kansas Department of Wildlife, 2004). They are protected by the Kansas Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act. The grotto salamander can be found from Missouri to northern Arkansas, west to northeast Oklahoma and to southeast Kansas, living in streams as larvae and moving to caves as adults. Something that I found interesting about the grotto salamander is that when they are adults they are blind (Brown, 2007; Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management). Ashley (2003) states that there have been parasites found on larvae grotto salamanders and that may be decreasing their population. According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks these critical areas are areas where grotto salamanders live and they are protected: “All caves and associated spring flows within that portion of Cherokee County lying south and east of a line beginning at the Kansas-Missouri border junction with U.S. Highway 66 at Sec. 13, T34S, T25E, then extending westerly and southerly along U.S. 66 to the Kansas- Oklahoma border at Sec. 14, T35S, R24E.

Another interesting specimen we have in this collection is a funnel-eared bat, Natalus stramineus. This specimen is very interesting in our collection because it is not native to the United States. The tag says that this particular bat is from Mexico in Sinoloa, Paunco. Their geographic range is from northern Mexico to east Brazil, they are also found in Jamaica, Lesser Antilles, Cuba and Tres Marias Island (Funnel Eared Bat: Natalidae- Funnel-eared bat (Natalus stramineus): Species Account, 2008). They are not endangered (Mitchell, 1967). They mostly live in caves in deciduous forests but sometimes are found in more moist forested areas. Other then what has already been said we do not know much more about this bat in our collection and the story behind its collection and arrival at Radford University is still unknown.

While going through our collection Dr. Karen Francl came across another species that was collected by P.B. Dunnigan, it is a pig frog (Rana grylio). According to the IUCN Redlist is it of Least Concern but it has a population decline (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/58611). The pig frog (Rana grylio) can be found from South Carolina to southern Florida and west to Texas. They are native in the United States as well as the Bahamas and Puerto Rico. According to the study done by Lamb (1984) there was no problem with the population and they were breeding successfully. 
 
Dunnigan and Packard’s remaining specimens in the collection are common within their range. They include: Chrysemys picta (painted turtle), Acris crepitans (northern cricket frog), Rana pipiens (northern leopard frog), Pseudacris nigrita (southern chorus frog), Diadophis punctatus (ring-necked snake), Rana catesbeiana (American bullfrog), Eumecus obsoletus (great plains skink), Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat), Bufo cognatus (great plains toad), Bufo woodhousii (Woodhouse’s toad), Scaphiopus holbrookii (eastern spadefoot), Rana clamitans (green frog), Bufo americanus (American toad), Sceloporus undulatus (eastern fence lizard), Holbrookia maculata (common earless lizard), Crotalus viridis (prairie rattlesnake), and Thamnophis sirtalis (eastern garter snake).

Literature Cited
Webpages:

• Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. 2004. Grotto Salamander (Typhlotriton spealeus). Accessed on November 20, 2008 at: http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Other-Services/Threatened-and-Endangered-Species/Threatened-and-Endangered-Species/Species-Information/GROTTO-SALAMANDER
• Funnel-Eared Bats: Natalidae – Funnel0eared Bat (natalus stramineus): Species Account. 2008. Funnel-Eared Bats: Natalidae – Funnel0eared Bat (natalus stramineus): Species Account. Accessed on November 20, 2008 at: http://animals.jrank.org/pages/2886/Funnel-Eared-Bats-Natalidae-FUNNEL-EARED-BAT-Natalus-stramineus-SPECIES-ACCOUNT.html
• The Center for Reptile and Amphibian Cpnservation and Management. Grotto Salamander Typhlotriton spelaeus. Accessed on November 20, 2008 at: http://herpcenter.ipfw.edu/index.htm?
  http://herpcenter.ipfw.edu/outreach/accounts/amphibians/salamanders/Grotto_Salamander/&2
• The ICUN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Accessed on November 20, 2008 and December 16, 2008 at: http://www.iucnredlist.org/ 

Articles:

• Ashley, C.D. (2003). A Report on a Species of Ectoparasite on the Grotto Salamander (Typhlotriton spelaus) in Tumbling Creek Cave, Taney County, Missouri. Missouri Herpetological Association, 17, 3.
• Brown, A.V. & Grarning, G.O. (2007). Ecosystem Dynamics and Population Effects in an Ozark Cave System. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 39, 1497-1507.
• Culver, D.C. (1987). Eye Morphometrics of Cave and Spring Populations of Gammarus minus (Amphipods: Gammaridae). Hournal of Crustacean Biology, 7, 136-146.
  Dunnigan, P.B. & Fitch, J.H. (1967). Seasonal Movements and Population Fluctuations of the Cave Bat (Myotis velifer) in South-Central Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, 70, 210-218.
• Dunnigan, P.B. & Jones, J.K. (1965). Molossops greenhalli and Other Bats from Gurrero and Oaxaca, Mexico. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, 68, 461-462.
• Lamb, T. (1984). The Influence of Sex and Breeding Conditions on Microhabitat Selection and Diet in the Pig Frog Rana grylio. American Midland Naturalist, 111, 311-318.
• Mitchell, G.C. (1967). Population Study of the Funnel-Eared Bat (Natalus stramineus) in Sonora. Te Southwestern Naturalist, 12, 172-175.
• Packard, G.C. (1999). Water Relations of Chelonian Eggs and Embryos: Is Wetter Better?. American Zoologist, 39, 289-303.
• Packard, G.C. (1997). Temperatures during Winter in Nests with Hatchling Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta). Herpetologica, 53, 89-85.
• Packard, G.C. (1971). Inconsistency in Application of the Biological Species Concept to Disjunct Populations of Anurans in Southeastern Wyoming and North-Central Colorado. Journal of Herpetology, 5, 191-193.
• Packard, G.C. & Packard, M.J. (1970). Eccritic Temperatures of Zebra-Tailed Lizards on the Mojave Desert. Herpetologica, 26, 168-172.
• Packard, G.C. (1967). Seasonal Variation in Bill Length of House Sparrows. The Wilson Bulletin, 79, 345-346.

by Casey Harrell, with updates by Karen Powers (2013)

In 1941, Radford University, which at the time was Radford College, inherited approximately 6,070 hectares of land from Walter E. Wood of Philadelphia. This piece of land was known as the Radford College Farm. It was located in Pulaski County, VA and bordered Floyd, Montgomery, and Carroll counties.

This property had a very diverse landscape and included many habitat types. For example, many springs and creeks are located within one property including Max Creek, Big Laurel Creek, and Little Laurel Creek. These streams contained limestone ledges which provided shelter and food for many trout which lived within the streams.  Along with streams, there were mountains located within the property. The highest mountain on the farm was High Knoll, with an elevation of about 914 meters. Chimney Mountain, elevation 762 meters, was also located on the property. These montane habitats produced timber and included many species of trees such as Carya, Acer, Robinia pseudoacacia, Castanea, and Betula (Hypes, 1945).

This property was sold in the late 1950's or early 1960's. According to professor emeritus Dr. Pat Mikesell, this property was sold for about $60,000.00 and was used to buy the organ in Preston Hall Auditorium (now Bondourant Auditorium) about the time the building was finishing up construction.

Here's where the story gets confusing - a *second* piece of land, also known as the College Farm, was located entirely in Montgomery County. There was and is still a large stable and indoor ring that was used by the Radford Redcoats (our equestrian team). It was used frequently for field trips and collecting natural history specimens.

On December 17, 1977, the Montgomery County parcel was sold for $385,000 by public auction, and this property was later annexed to the City of Radford. It's now known as the High Meadows housing development. 

Upon hearing of this impending sale in 1977, some quick-thinking biology faculty members met with and made a case to then-president Dedmon. Because the Biology Department was losing such a great piece of land for field trips and collections, funds should go towards the new greenhouse. Dedmon agreed, and the greenhouse was completed shortly thereafter (P. Mikesell, personal communication)!

Many species of plants and animals were collected from these 2 parcels, and are now a part of Radford University’s Natural History Collection in the Biology Department. Major scientific collections are studied by anatomists, veterinarians, and molecular biologists, while smaller collections are studied by students as well as other scientists. Collections provide us with data validation and acquisition, exhibition, public and continuing education, knowledge of biodiversity, and evidence of genetic or morphological change over time (Patterson, 2002). The collecting at the Radford College Farms has allowed us to learn about what species were found on the farm and to learn more about the history of the farm. The collections allow students to learn more about the biodiversity of Radford College Farms. Among the species collected were Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse; photo, above right) and Buglossoides arvensis (corn gromwell; photo, below).

Although the Radford College Farms are no longer owned by Radford University, other small land donations still provide students with a place to do scientific research and add to the natural history collection (e.g. Selu Conservancy). The natural history collection in the Biology Department at Radford University continues to grow by the additions of the students and faculty at Radford University.

• Hypes, J., Detailed description of the Radford College Farm. Radford College: Grapurchat, March 13, 1945. Print.
• Patterson, B. D. (2002). On the continuing need for scientific collecting of mammals. Mastozoología  Neotropical, 9(2):253-262
• Williams, B., Farm Sold- $385,000. Radford College: Grapurchat, January 12, 1978. Print.