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| THE BIRD BUILDING BOOK A Manual for Preparing Bird Skeletons with A Bone Identification Guide Vol. 5 |
| In a way, this is two manuals bound together. The first part is the step by step instructions on preparing and articulating a large bird skeleton with a section on a VERY large bird ~ ie., Big Bird ~ ie., an Emu. The skeleton used for illustration is mostly an eagle skeleton but the techniques are the same for anything the size of (or larger than) a chicken or a raven--a good classroom project. The second part of the manual is a detailed guide to the bones of a bird with enough labeling and detail to be able to sort a pile of bird bones into the skeletal elements, including which side of the bird each bone came from. This is very helpful information for zoo archaeology students who are working with bird bones. (89 pages) $34 (plus shipping) (Manuals are 8.5 X 11 inches, soft bound with spiral binding.) |
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| PROMISING NEW CLEANING METHOD FOUND IN THE SMALL MAMMAL MANUAL AND FEATURED IN THE BONE BUILDER'S NOTEBOOK |
| For small mammals and birds we've been working on a new technique that may be a good alternative to beetles for preparing small skeletons. Someone was quick to point out that it is unlikely that this is really a new technique, as people have been working with skeleton cleaning for a couple hundred years. However, I have never seen anything in print on this technique and one of the main ingredients (concentrated hydrogen peroxide) wasn't produced much before WWII even though it had been first discovered in the 1880's. The process uses concentrated hydrogen peroxide to oxidize flesh. This so far involves soaking small animal carcasses in a strong ammonia solution for ten days and then in baths of 15-20% hydrogen peroxide solution until the flesh is gone, but before the bones become disarticulated. The articulated skeleton is then removed and posed until it dries. Experiments as to the exact steps, times and limitations are still being conducted. I will add details here as the process gets fine-tuned. The major advantage, if this works, is being able to prepare very small skeletons without using environmentally hazardous chemicals or having to deal with the nauseating smells of decay. There is a brief write-up about this method in the Small Mammals Manual, and a more complete write-up in the Bone Builder's Notebook. |
| Here's my first skeleton prepared by this method; a Northern Saw-whet Owl. The entire skeleton weighs 5 grams, the same weight as an American 5 cent piece. |
| Big Bird |
| URL: http://www.theboneman.com Boneman Last Update: January 24, 2008 copyright 2005 by Lee Post illustrations by Lee post |
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The Bird Building Book $34.00 (USD)
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