Many readers will recall that I write articles about birds, especially those of Ohio. They will understand that in many cases it is important to describe in these writings what is known about these species' presences in Ohio as specimens. An example I mention in an article in preparation about solitary sandpipers is that the Cincinnati Museum is said to have possessed a specimen of a cinnamomea solitary sandpiper collected in Hamilton County in 1880; this western subspecies is not otherwise known --so far as I know--in our state. Neat, but I had to know a helpful informant at the Museum to locate it, because as of yet the Cincinnati museum, like other institutions, has not finished a way for the public to browse its bird collection. As far as I know, the only large collection of birds in Ohio that's been finished and shared with the public is that at Ohio State University here in Columbus (now available on VertNet). I use its list often, and helped as a volunteer during its development, so I have a feel about how long this task requires. Since the OSU collection was inventoried a couple of years ago the two other large museums in the state--in Cincinnati and Cleveland--have been working for more years on searchable internet collections. There are lots of very interesting specimens in their holdings, but you have to make a formal request for information on each one (if you know what to ask for), which ties up staff to record and mail information for each inquiry. What rare and interesting specimens do these and other Ohio museums possess? How does the average person find out, other than making formal requests for a given species in each case? I know that both museums have been working for years on internet entries to records of their collections, which is a good thing. But this effort is taking such a long time. Do they have dodos, an archaeopteryx? Ohio specimens of whooping cranes, ivory-bills, corncrakes, anhingas, or albino crows? Should the public soon be able to scan through their holdings to find out certain specimens? If so, are databases of flora or bacteria under consideration holding up those of birds? Free the birds! Ask the questions! Bill Whan Columbus ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]