Report of the Curator of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates
By Mrs. Kate Stephens
The year 1923 has been a year of steady progress, both in material and interest. Several donations have been received, of which one is a small collection of shells from Brazil, gathered in 1865 by the late Orestes St. John, one of the early Government Paleontologists. Mrs. Carrie L. Simons, a member of the San Diego Society of Natural History, has increased her donations of beautifully mounted microscopic shells from Lower California, including one new species,Amphathalamus stephensae.
We also received a very valuable collection of 120 specimens of the interesting genus Oreohelix from Mr. Junius Henderson of the University of Colorado. These shells are particularly desirable, as they complement the already large collection of Oreohelix given to us by Mr. Hemphill, the original student of these peculiar snails. Mr. Henderson's specimens were in exchange for Eocene fossils from Rose Canyon, San Diego.
The invertebrate collections are in a satisfactory condition, though, much remains to be done before all are in systematic order. However, they are now in sufficient order to be available for students. The trouble with mould, encountered in the old Museum, has been entirely eradicated in the present building.
The most pressing need at the present time is cabinets for the card catalogues of this department. The catalogues, numbering many thousand cards, are at present contained in temporary boxes, where they are in danger of being lost or destroyed.
I would recommend that, during the coming year, more attention be given to other branches of invertebrates, particularly to fish parasites and lower crustaceans generally. Owing to the enthusiastic co-operation of Mr. Gillette, the Museum's Preparator, who is preserving such specimens of these orders as are received in his department, this branch can now be profitably studied and would provide results of great economic value. It is also desirable that the littoral fauna of Lower California should receive more intense collecting than heretofore. Much valuable work can be done in this field.
Report of the Curator of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates
By Mrs. Kate Stephens
The year has on the whole been progressive. Much time has been given to routine work. Some cases in the exhibition hall have been renovated, some rebuilt, and one new case of corals has been installed. The public has shown an increasing interest in the exhibits and in the study of sea life, as compared with past years. About 300 shells were identified for one visitor from the east, and about 200 for another; and a number of other persons have had shells identified and instruction given them.
The Society has received several donations—two or three of considerable interest. One of them, a donation from C.A. Pinkham, of Los Angeles, is a collection of remarkably fine fossils from Coyote Mountain, including several specimens that are new to our collection, in addition to those not yet identified. A few shells were received from the estate of the late Orestes St. John, and a collection of interesting shells, chiefly foreign and new to the Society, from the late Dr. J.P. Iddings. Mr. and Mrs. F.D. Cleveland, of Altadena, through whose kindness these shells were given, also donated a collection of corals. These are not yet installed.
The chief work of this department, however, has been the commencement of a systematic study of the paleontology of San Diego County. This promises to be very instructive, but has not as yet progressed far enough to give definite results. Hitherto little work has been done in this field since the early days of Cooper, Stanton, Fairbanks and others. If possible, this work should be extended into Lower California in the coming year.
Report of the Curator of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates
By Mrs. Kate Stephens
The past year has been one of steady growth in the department of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates, although no great or particularly valuable gifts have been received. A new exhibit of sponges has been installed, of which the central feature is a large sponge from Lower California waters donated by Mrs. B. Rashin. An additional case of corals has also been installed, and the case of gorgonias has been rearranged and card-catalogued. Through Mrs. Clara C. Seaver a collection of shells from the estate of the late Mrs. E.M. Chaney of La Jolla was received by the Museum. This accession made possible the installation of a case of very small shells which were arranged on 140 small black disks and provide a rather striking exhibit. There is material on hand for an additional case of crustacea.
After the routine work of identifying specimens for students and bringing the catalogues up-to-date, the chief work of the year has been with fossil shells. A considerable number of local fossils has been collected by Mr. Stephens, many of which have been identified and a number of species new to the collection listed. A great many specimens have also been named for Mr. Charles H. Sternberg. So much study and preliminary cataloguing of fossils has been done that I feel I am now familiar enough with our local fossils to speak with some confidence about them.
I wish to speak very earnestly on the subject of imported mollusks. Four species of imported mollusks have been allowed to enter California. One, Vivipara annulata, has been acclimated several years. Nevertheless, in Japan and China this species is a great pest in the rice fields. If it should get started in the rice fields in Sacramento Valley, it probably would be as great a pest there. Another shell, Planorbis corneus, a European species, has been imported for the purpose of cleaning moss that grows on the glass inside aquariums. We have a native species that will do the work just as well, which can be picked up in almost any pond or stream. Another species, Helix lacta [Editor's note: This species is now referred to as Otala lactea.], a European species, was through the promptness of the Horticultural Commissioner immediately destroyed. I cannot speak too strongly as to the possible danger of these importations. Surely the loss, annoyance and expense to which the Country has been subjected in the introduction of Helix pisana at La Jolla should be sufficient reason for caution.
Report of the Curator of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates
By Mrs. Kate Stephens
The Department of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates is in satisfactory condition. Much work has been done in identifying, mounting and labeling the Eocene and other fossils. Several hundred sets of these fossils have been placed in order and catalogued and are now available for study.
An earnest class of students of shells meets every Friday in my room, and another class meets at intervals. Many visitors bring shells for identification.
Dr. Fred Baker has given to the Society about 150 species of Hawaiian shells, most of which are new to the Society's collections. Several small donations from others have been received from time to time. As heretofore I would urge the collecting of Lower California marine fauna. This would coordinate with the Society's already large collections from California and would make our collections compare with the best on the east coast. A small collection of shells picked up last spring on the Gulf of California at San Felipe by Mr. Abbott and Mrs. May Canfield gives an indication of the rich field that can be worked there.
A rare crab (Uca monolifera) from the Gulf of California, donated by Griffing Bancroft, was new to the Society's collection.
A.W. Galloway has taken up the task of collecting isopods for the Society and we have hopes of great help from him.
A noteworthy happening this year is the finding for the first time of fresh water crawfish in San Diego County. A specimen taken August 13 in a pool in the Escondido River at Escondido was given to the Society by Frank Gander, of the O'Rourke Zoological Institute. Another specimen of the same species, donated by Philip C. Barney, was found by him on September 26 in the head of Spooks Canyon, about five miles from Rancho Santa Fe. I have not yet identified the specimens, but Dr. Myrtle Johnson, of the San Diego State College, and Samuel Harter, of our own Society, have donated material for comparison toward that end.