Rowe, F. W. E. (1974). Catalogue of the Sladen Collection in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, Devon. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 6/3: 179-243.
Catalogue of the Sladen Collection in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, Devon
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
6/3: 179-243
Publication
The W. P. Sladen collection at the Exeter Museum is described for the first time. An appraisal is given of Sladen's life and work, his library and the donation of the collection to Exeter Museum by Mrs Sladen. The immense zoological value of the collection should be recognized. There are more than 3800 specimens of recent echinoderms representing 224 genera and 425 species of world-wide distribution. There are over 2000 fossil echinoderms and these represent at least 155 genera and 226 species. Some type-specimens and figured specimens, previously thought to have been lost, have come to light. These, together with many Challenger Expedition asteroid and crinoid specimens examined by Sladen and P. H. Carpenter, make this one of the most important echinoderm collections outside any National Institution. There are over 7000 microscopical foraminiferan, echinoderm and other preparations in the collection. The majority of these were left to Sladen by Drs W. B. and P. H. Carpenter. The foraminiferan slides, in particular, must be ranked with equal importance to the echinoderms. The Sladen library contains over 2200 specialist books and papers.