def get_specs(self,data):
        """
         takes a magic format file and returns a list of unique specimen names
        """
    # sort the specimen names
    #
#        print "calling get_specs()"
        speclist=[]
        for rec in data:
          spec=rec["er_specimen_name"]
          if spec not in speclist:speclist.append(spec)
        speclist.sort()
        #print speclist
        return speclist
takes a magic format file and returns a list of unique specimen names