Unnamed Resolution Supporting a Census of North American Museum Holdings of Mammals

The collections of mammals in North America were censused by A. B. Howell in 1923, at which time about 410,000 specimens were reported. The number of specimens had increased to more than 939,000 by 1945, as reported by J. K. Doutt, A. B. Howell and W. B. Davis in the Journal of Mammalogy. The status of collections in other countries is also of interest. A new census is warranted now because of its future historical interest and because information about collections will aid users. Collections have expanded; new collections have been assembled; and collections that were privately owned have been deposited in public institutions.

Therefore, I [Sydney Anderson] move:

1. That the President appoint a committee of three members of the Society who are in attendance at this annual meeting to approve the form of a questionnaire to be used in obtaining information regarding the current status of collections of mammals in North America, and perhaps a different questionnaire to obtain information on collections in other continents, and to compile the information obtained in a form suitable for publication in the
2. That the committee shall serve until the compilation of information shall have been published, and no longer; and
3. That the committee shall be known as the Temporary Committee on Collections.

The resolution was approved. The following members were appointed to compose the Temporary Committee on Collections: J. K. Doutt, J. S. Findley and S. Anderson, Chairman. A second resolution by Anderson pertaining to the microfilming of museum catalogues of mammal collections was tabled.