<html dir="ltr">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<style>
<!--
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math"}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma}
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"}
h1
{margin-top:24.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#365F91}
h2
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:13.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD}
h3
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD}
h4
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-style:italic}
h5
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#243F60;
font-weight:normal}
h6
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#243F60;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:italic}
p.MsoHeading7, li.MsoHeading7, div.MsoHeading7
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#404040;
font-style:italic}
p.MsoHeading8, li.MsoHeading8, div.MsoHeading8
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD}
p.MsoHeading9, li.MsoHeading9, div.MsoHeading9
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#404040;
font-style:italic}
p.MsoCaption, li.MsoCaption, div.MsoCaption
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold}
p.MsoTitle, li.MsoTitle, div.MsoTitle
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:15.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
border:none;
padding:0in;
font-size:26.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#17365D;
letter-spacing:.25pt}
p.MsoTitleCxSpFirst, li.MsoTitleCxSpFirst, div.MsoTitleCxSpFirst
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
border:none;
padding:0in;
font-size:26.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#17365D;
letter-spacing:.25pt}
p.MsoTitleCxSpMiddle, li.MsoTitleCxSpMiddle, div.MsoTitleCxSpMiddle
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
border:none;
padding:0in;
font-size:26.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#17365D;
letter-spacing:.25pt}
p.MsoTitleCxSpLast, li.MsoTitleCxSpLast, div.MsoTitleCxSpLast
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:15.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
border:none;
padding:0in;
font-size:26.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#17365D;
letter-spacing:.25pt}
p.MsoSubtitle, li.MsoSubtitle, div.MsoSubtitle
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
letter-spacing:.75pt;
font-style:italic}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"}
p.MsoQuote, li.MsoQuote, div.MsoQuote
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:black;
font-style:italic}
p.MsoIntenseQuote, li.MsoIntenseQuote, div.MsoIntenseQuote
{margin-top:10.0pt;
margin-right:.65in;
margin-bottom:14.0pt;
margin-left:.65in;
border:none;
padding:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic}
span.MsoSubtleEmphasis
{color:gray;
font-style:italic}
span.MsoIntenseEmphasis
{color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic}
span.MsoSubtleReference
{font-variant:small-caps;
color:#C0504D;
text-decoration:underline}
span.MsoIntenseReference
{font-variant:small-caps;
color:#C0504D;
letter-spacing:.25pt;
font-weight:bold;
text-decoration:underline}
span.MsoBookTitle
{font-variant:small-caps;
letter-spacing:.25pt;
font-weight:bold}
p.MsoTocHeading, li.MsoTocHeading, div.MsoTocHeading
{margin-top:24.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#365F91;
font-weight:bold}
span.Heading1Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#365F91;
font-weight:bold}
span.Heading2Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold}
span.Heading3Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold}
span.Heading4Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic}
span.Heading5Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#243F60}
span.Heading6Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#243F60;
font-style:italic}
span.Heading7Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#404040;
font-style:italic}
span.Heading8Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD}
span.Heading9Char
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#404040;
font-style:italic}
span.TitleChar
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#17365D;
letter-spacing:.25pt}
span.SubtitleChar
{font-family:"Cambria","serif";
color:#4F81BD;
letter-spacing:.75pt;
font-style:italic}
span.QuoteChar
{color:black;
font-style:italic}
span.IntenseQuoteChar
{color:#4F81BD;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic}
span.EmailStyle45
{font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext}
span.EmailStyle46
{font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D}
span.BalloonTextChar
{font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"}
.MsoChpDefault
{font-size:10.0pt}
@page WordSection1
{margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in}
-->
</style><style type="text/css" id="owaParaStyle"></style>
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple" fpstyle="1" ocsi="0">
<div style="direction: ltr;font-family: Tahoma;color: #000000;font-size: 10pt;">I would like to add to Steve's excellent comments.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The idea that the specimens have both mold and residues of arsenicals seems unliklely. Arsenic salts are deadly to mold. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>It is possible that what is being viewed as mold may actually be salt efflorescences from any number of sources ranging from past treatments to naturally occurring materials, fatty spue, or even darkening caused by the action of mercury choride treatments
on sulfur-containing substrates (like hair and feathers) that have been exposed to light after treatment. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Verifying the presence of mold by having a qualified mycologist examine the residues should be the first step. There are indeed, uncomplicated protocols for decontamination should mold be actually present. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Cathy</div>
<div>
<div><br>
<div><font size="1" face="Tahoma">Catharine Hawks</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma">Conservator</font></div>
<div><font face="tahoma"><font size="1" face="tahoma">National Museum of Natural History, MRC 106</font></font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma">Research & Collections, NHB 394</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma">Smithsonian Institution</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma">PO Box 37012</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma">Washington, DC 20013-7012</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma">Office 202.633.0835</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma">SI Cell 202.701.8458</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma"><font face="tahoma">CH Cell </font>703.200.4370</font></div>
<div><font size="1" face="tahoma"><a href="mailto:hawksc@si.edu">hawksc@si.edu</a></font></div>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; font-size: 16px">
<hr tabindex="-1">
<div id="divRpF93167" style="direction: ltr;"><font face="Tahoma" size="2" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu [nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu] on behalf of Steve Sullivan [ssullivan@naturemuseum.org]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 18, 2014 7:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Heather.Thorwald@dmns.org; nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br>
<b>Cc:</b> jessica.cruz@uni.edu<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] taxidermy and mold/mildew<br>
</font><br>
</div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">Treatment for mold can be better addressed by others but I have $0.02 on the use or disposal of specimens like these... A few years ago I coordinated
the re-exhibition of specimens that sound just like yours. Ours were on display for the better part of the century with few augmentations or changes. When they were removed, the specimens exhibited fading, some insect damage, and had accumulated some soot.
But in many cases, the taxidermy was excellent and audiences still responded positively to the artifact.
</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">In our specialties we can often become overly perfectionist. As a taxidermist I am often reluctant to display any specimen that exhibits less than
Carl-Akeley-like perfection. As a curator I want each specimen to have ideal coloration. As a collections manager, any sign of insect damage or other agents of deterioration are anathema. However, as any craftsperson can tell you, most people will not
see the imperfections that you see. In our case, the specimens were removed but not deaccessioned and remained off display for about 10 years. With significantly less work and expense that would be necessary to create a display using new carcasses, we were
able to reuse these older specimens in a new context.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">I worked with interns and volunteers to make new bases and refurbish background material as necessary. Where fading was bad we might simply reposition
the bird to make the unfaded side the show side, but in other cases I simply airbrushed color onto the feathers in the way you might when painting a reproduction fish. In doing this, I used all of the materials a modern taxidermist might (i.e. I was not concerned
with specimen “conservation” in the academic sense of reversibility, etc.). In one case where the feet of a goose had been eaten away by dermestid, I gave him a new puddle to stand in, complete with muddy feet.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">Today we have a new multi-media exhibit that uses these old specimens, along with some new ones, that helps Museum visitors identify common birds
that show up in their backyard. The exhibit does everything it was intended to from a modern aesthetic and informational perspective. Additionally, we use the specimens to talk about the importance of historic collections and specimen preservation, institutional
activities of the past, changes in taxidermy techniques, negative impacts of buildings, cats, and windfarms on bird populations, and many other issues that are more effectively discussed through the use of these historic and not-so-perfect specimens than they
could be with a new specimen. </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">To be able to show Museum visitors a specimen from the late 1800s that looks (to them) almost as good as one that was accessioned yesterday helps
them have confidence in us as stewards of our collections and as users of the natural world.
</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">--Steve</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">Steven M. Sullivan | Senior Curator of Urban Ecology</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">The Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum</span></font><font size="1" color="#1f497d"><span style="font-size:8.0pt; color:#1F497D"></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="1" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:3.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">Museum|2430 North Cannon Drive|Chicago Illinois 60614|<a href="http://www.naturemuseum.org/" target="_blank"><font color="blue"><span style="color:blue">naturemuseum.org</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">Collections|4001 North Ravenswood Ave.|Chicago Illinois 60613|<a href="http://projectsquirrel.org/" target="_blank"><font color="blue"><span style="color:blue">projectsquirrel.org</span></font></a></span></font><font size="1" color="#1f497d"><span style="font-size:3.0pt; color:#1F497D"></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D">P 708-937-6253 | F 773-755-5199 |
<a href="UrlBlockedError.aspx" target="_blank"><font color="blue"><span style="color:blue">ssullivan@naturemuseum.org</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="1" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:3.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D; font-style:italic">A century of memories and lessons from the Passenger Pigeon at
<a href="http://passengerpigeon.org/" target="_blank"><font color="blue"><span style="color:blue">passengerpigeon.org</span></font></a></span></font></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D; font-style:italic"> </span></font></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#1f497d" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#1F497D"> </span></font></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none; border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt; padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-weight:bold">From:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> nnhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu
[mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu] <b><span style="font-weight:bold">On Behalf Of
</span></b>Heather.Thorwald@dmns.org<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, June 18, 2014 2:03 PM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Cc:</span></b> jessica.cruz@uni.edu<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> [Nhcoll-l] taxidermy and mold/mildew</span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I am posting this on behalf of a colleague from the registrars’ listserv. Please reply to her directly at the address below. -- Heather</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From: Jessica Cruz, University of Northern Iowa</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I am in the process of cataloging and dismantling the ornithology exhibit my museum has had on display for the past 25 years. Naturally, this has yielded some unfortunate surprises.
I have found a number of birds that show signs of mold and mildew and wanted to know what people might recommend. Overall, these are not unique specimens so I doubt we will want to invest in conserving them. My initial reaction is to deaccess and dispose of
them, but I wonder if there might be some way to neutralize it. </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I should also mention that these are birds from the late 1800's/early 1900's, and they are being moved to a new display where they will probably sit for another 20-30 years.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">We are assuming these have been treated with arsenic and are taking all proper precautions. I am also working with the University's hazardous materials manager to make sure the
birds we have to depose of are taken care of properly.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thanks!</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Jess<br clear="all">
</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Exhibit Preparator</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">University Museums, University of Northern Iowa</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><a href="mailto:jessica.cruz@uni.edu" target="_blank">jessica.cruz@uni.edu</a></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">319-273-2495</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>