Graduate student scholarships

[Gene K. Hess]

DELAWARE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
GRADUATE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

The Curatorial and Research Division of 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 to defray travel expenses
incurred by the student in 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 1 May, 1998.

DMNH's extensive Mollusk Collection comprises over 2 million
specimens and 17,000 species from worldwide marine, land, and
freshwater environments, including dried shells, alcohol-preserved
specimens, and Cenozoic fossils.  Approximately 7% of the collection
is from the Philippines.  It presently ranks as the fifth largest
mollusk collection 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 also world-wide 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 (Malacology) or Mr. Gene K. Hess,
Collection Manager (Ornithology), 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, FAX (302) 658-2610,
email: tpearce at delmnh.org.