APRIL 
at the 
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
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APRIL MEETING 
DATE: Wednesday evening, April 17 
TIME: 8:00 p.m. (One meeting only) 
PLACE: May Treat Morrison Auditorium 
SPEAKER: Dr. Edward S. Ross 
SupyecT: “THE MANY AFRICAS OF THE 
NATURALIST” 
Over a period of ten 
years, Dr. Ross, Curater 
of Entomology, has made 
four extensive insect sa- 
faris to the Dark Conti- 
nent. The last two, total- 
ing eleven months, were 
done during 1966 - 67. 
The latest took him and 
his party from the south- 
ernmost tip of Africa 
north to the glaring Na- 
’ mib Desert, thence across 
the vast sandy stretches of the Kalahari to the most 
typical African zone—the vast savanna woodland— 
and finally, to the “tourist-infested’” East African 
plains. To round out his coverage of “many Africas”, 
slides from rain forests and sub-Saharan savannas 
taken in 1966 will be included. 
Dr. Ross’ presentation will skip from zone to zone 
through the medium of his superlative color photo- 
graphs. His skill as a photographer qualified him for 
partial support from the National Geographic Society 
on two of his trips. It would not be hyperbole to state 
that few people have seen Africa as much “in depth” 
as Dr. Ross for the distance traveled on his four 
forays approaches 100,000 miles. The fact that his 
collecting truck is presently stored in Nairobi would 
indicate that he may return in the not too distant 
future. 
As indicated previously, there will be only one 
meeting at 8:00 p.m. on a “first come first served” 
basis. Your 1968 membership card is your admission 
to Morrison Auditorium. In case of a capacity crowd, 
late-comers will be invited to see the current sky 
show in Morrison Planetarium at no charge. 
MORRISON PLANETARIUM 
“HOW HIGH IS THE SKY?” continues in the 
Theatre of the Stars through April 28. Here is the 
simple but dramatic story of how man has learned 
to measure distances and sizes in the universe, from 
the first guesses to the present day. 
Performances daily at 2:00 p.m. with evening 
shows, Wednesday through Sunday, at 8:30. Extra 
matinees are given on Saturdays and Sundays at 
3:30. The Planetarium is closed on Monday and 
Tuesday nights. Admission: Adults, $1.00. Children 
(under 16), service personnel and students (with 
card), 50c. 
MORRISON AUDITORIUM 
“THE SEA OF CORTEZ”, an hour-long docu- 
mentary film in color, produced by the CAS, is 
shown exclusively on Saturdays and Sundays at 
12:45, 2:15 and 3:45 p.m. Admission: Adults, 
$1.00. Children, ser'vice personnel and students, 50c. 
SPECIAL EXHIBITS 
From the Academy Collections: ‘GLASS 
SPONGES” from the Department of Invertebrate 
Zoology. Skeletal remains of deepwater forms of 
Hexactinellida. Main Foyer, Science Museum. Con- 
tinues through June. 
“A WALK THROUGH THE REDWOODS”, 
truly beautiful color photographs taken by Mr. Ho- 
ward King in the major redwood parks which the 
Save-The-Redwoods League helped to establish. 
Some 75 pictures on view in Lovell White Hall of 
Man and Nature. Continuing through September. 
NEWS and NOTES....... 
By PREVIOUS STANDARDS, the Department 
of Ichthyology is scarcely recognizable. Since the 
approval of a generous grant of $177,600 from the 
National Science Foundation which provides for the 
curating and expediting of research for the fishes in 
the George Vanderbilt Foundation (formerly housed 
at Stanford University), their merger with those of 
the Academy, and the modification of the ichthyo- 
logical facilities at the CAS (see NEWSLETTER, 
July 1967), pandemonium of a sort has been created 
in the basement. Not only walls but whole rooms 
have vanished in order to make way for the new 
shelving and equipment. The place is teeming with 
plumbers, electricians, painters—and research staff— 
and there is an air of excitement all over the place. 
Accelerated construction began on February 12 with 
a contract let to the DeNarde Construction Company 
of San Francisco. 
To the 6172 square feet of floor space previously 
allotted the department, 3108 feet have been added. 
Eventually, under present plans, this will be increased 
to a total of 11,550. Where once was only 7000 
square feet of shelving, remodeling will increase that 
figure to 20,000. On these shelves, 40,000 bottles of 
Vanderbilt fishes will merge with the Academy’s 
45,000— actually doubling the CAS’ holdings. The 
Vanderbilt collection probably contains the most ex- 
tensive collection of Indo-Pacific shore fishes housed 
in any U.S. museum. 
When finished, Ichthyology will have a modern 
preparation room, a large library, an X-ray room, 
an osteology room (for fish skeletons), five newly- 
furnished offices which will include space for visit- 
ing investigators, and a dark room for photography. 
New staff members include Dr. William Esch- 
meyer, Pearl Sonoda and Gordon Richardson (all 
full-time participants), and Mel Moriguchi and Lydia 
Eschmeyer on a part-time basis. 
The main task is to identify and incorporate the 
Vanderbilt collection with that of the Academy. Al- 
ready, the specimens have been sorted to family. 
Eventually, specialists will work up certain groups. 
Despite the current chaos, 11 loans involving ap- 
proximately 4475 specimens have been made to 
other agencies. 
MRS. NORMAN B. LIVERMORE 
1884 - 1968 
A Patron of the Academy whose generosity 
coupled with that of family and friends made 
possible the Norman B. Livermore Room in. the 
Department of Botany which was dedicated 
October 27, 1959. A sterling champion of con- 
servation, she worked for many years to protect 
Marin County’s parks, beaches and scenic out- 
| posts. The Academy and the State of California 
have lost a staunchly devoted friend. 
Nort AMERICAN HALL OF MAMMALS 
has had a face lift and you are invited to make an 
inspection. The vaulted ceilings have been painted 
and the out-moded skylights in the dioramas have 
been relegated to their proper place. The improve- 
ments began February 26 and you will be pleased 
with the changes. 
In LATE FEBRUARY, a 
partially-sponsored Academy expedition to the State 
of Oaxaca, Mexico, was launched. Involved were Dr. 
John R. Arnold, Professor of Biology, Sonoma State 
