Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 29-30/2. (2010)
Zoology
THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COLLECTION OF MURE§ COUNTY MUSEUM NATURAL SCIENCE BRANCH Zoltán SZOMBATH Muzeul Judetean Mures, Sectia de Stiintele Naturii, str.Horea nr. 24, RO-540036 Tárgu-Murej, Románia Abstract: This paper presents an inventory of Tárgu-Mure? Natural Science Museum ornithological collection. This collection include a number of 667 specimens prepared as skins and naturalizations. For each species is mentioned the inventory number, age, sex, date and collecting place and the type of preparation. Keywords: ornithological collection, inventory, Mure? County Museum, Natural Science Branch. The ornithological collection of Mure? County Museum, Natural Sciences Branch, is comprised from 667 specimens of birds prepared as skins (329) and naturalizations (338) (October 2010). The necessity of creating a vertebrate collection came at the same time with the creation of the Mure? Regional Museum. This activity intensified once Kónya István (newly licensed biologist) joined the staff in 1952 as a museologist. The first bird specimens were acquired from the taxidermist laboratory of The General Sport Association of Hunters and Fishermen - Bucharest. The specimens were naturalized for commercialization, and they had no collecting data. Their origin can only be approximated (Romania, Muntenia, Danube Delta etc.), and the collecting data is close to the one recorded on the records of proceedings. The common species, without any collecting data can be used for temporary exhibits, yet most of them do not posses qualities that will add them to the basic stock collection. The fact that some were added to the basic stock collection list is motivated by their exceptional quality or by the fact that those were rare specimens. My conviction is that those specimens will last in time (if kept in optimal conditions), and will not be problematic for any future conservatory. In 1957 The Mures Regional Museum, moved in the current location (24, Horea Street) where the Natural Sciences Branch received an office-laboratory of 12 nr, with an attic, and two storage units for collections, set in the hallway. Those scarce conditions have determined the next set of specimens to be preserved as skins. After 1969, members of our group (ITK) “Young Friends of Nature” became part of the Museum outside contributors, bringing as donations dozens of unprepared specimens, at first collected by hunters, and prepared by me as skins afterwards. M A R I S I A, XXIX-XXX, p. 117-154
