This message was posted today on the Taxacom listserver. It's an interesting
window into the life of a great malacological museum.
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DELAWARE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
GRADUATE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS IN MALACOLOGY AND ORNITHOLOGY

The Curatorial and Research Division of the Delaware Museum of Natural
History announces the availability of two graduate student scholarships in
support of systematic research in Malacology or Ornithology. Each $500 award
will be used toward travel expenses for students visiting DMNH to study our
world-class systematic collections and library. Eligible students must be
enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program and pursuing
collections-based research leading to publication. Applicants should submit
a succinct research proposal (not exceeding two pages) outlining the thesis
project plus the work to be accomplished at DMNH, a brief CV, a budget, and
one supporting letter from a faculty advisor. Application deadline is 20th
September 2000.

DMNH's extensive Mollusk Collection contains about 2 million specimens and
20,000 species from worldwide marine, land, and freshwater environments,
including dry shells, alcohol-preserved specimens, and Cenozoic fossils.
Approximately 7% of the collection is from the Philippines. It is one of the
ten largest mollusk collections in the U.S. Important holdings include the
Weaver-DuPont Volutidae, the Stanford University U.S. Unionidae (on
permanent loan), and over 1,200 type lots.

DMNH's Bird Collection is worldwide in scope, with special strengths in
North and Central America and the Philippines. Approximately 67,000 study
skins, 9,000 skeletons, and 5,300 alcohol-preserved specimens represent over
3,000 species. The bird egg collection comprises another 36,000 specimens,
forming the second largest egg collection in North America. The Philippine
holdings represent this nation's most complete collection of birds from this
biologically diverse island group.

The DMNH Library (10,000 volumes) is one of the finest in classic systematic
works in Malacology and Ornithology. Holdings include a number of rare
pre-Linnean volumes (many on long-term loan from Wagner Free Institute of
Science), as well as recent monographs, reprints, and journals.

Specific questions about the collections should be addressed to Dr. Timothy
A. Pearce, Curator (Mollusks) or Mr. Gene K. Hess, Collection Manager
(Birds), at the address below.

Address applications to: Dr. Timothy A. Pearce, Head, Curatorial & Research
Division, Delaware Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 3937, Wilmington, DE
19807-0937, Tel. (302) 658-9111 ext. 319, FAX (302) 658-2610, email:
[log in to unmask], web: www.delmnh.org


Gene K. Hess
Delaware Museum of Natural History
P.O. Box 3937
Wilmington DE 19807 USA

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www.delmnh.org