RE: Kirkaldy and SVP Ethics Statement

["Rob Gay" <rob_redwing@hotmail.com>]

> I?ve been trying to study some theropod specimens from the AMNH and
they are on loan (something else that needs to be taken into consideration 
of the people wanting to study it). There are problems in both cases, the 
museum and the private collector.<
This is true. I really have tried to stay out of this one, for a myriad of 
reasons, however, this is something i can relate to. It is quite difficult 
to work on something relevent to your work, when it is on loan to another 
institution beyond your traveling range. Obviously, in most cases, the 
specimen has a good reason for being on loan, but when the measurements on 
the original specimen is not able to be duplicated due to this, one must 
rely on the published figures (which is why figures are published in the 
first place). However, the figures may not always preserve the aspect of the 
specimen that you wish to know. For all intents and purposes, unless you can 
get a hold of the specimen, or someone who can do the measurements for you, 
the data is lost to you (only temporarliy, in the case of a museum loan). I 
would much rather have the specimen than anything else, a cast if the 
specimen wasn't available, and the figures if neither of the other two 
options were open. In any case, that's my thoughts on specimen loans.
Peace,
Rob

Student of Geology
Northern Arizona University
P.O. Box 20840
Flagstaff, Az. 86011
AIM: TarryAGoat
"A _Coelophysis_ with feathers?"

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