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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" class="">Hello all,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" class="">I need some guidance here. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" class="">I am cataloguing an orphan collection of avian eggshells and I’m having a hard time making sense of the labeling system on some of the specimens.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" class="">The dates on the paper labels (and in some cases on the actual eggshells) range from the late 1880’s to 1991, and eggshells come from North America, the Bahamas Islands, Ireland, Iceland and Asia Minor. From
what I understand the method for labeling avian eggshells has changed over the decades, but labeling often includes three different numbers: 1) a 3 digit reference number for the species (i.e. AOU code), 2) a set mark (number of nests the collector sampled
from that day), and 3) the clutch size that egg came from. </span><span lang="EN-US" class="">Some of our eggshells seem to follow this pattern (Fig. 1), however there are some that have two three-digit numbers (Figs. 2 & 3), a combination of numbers and letters
(Figs. 4 & 5), and some</span> that have numbers with decimal points and letters (Fig. 3 & 6). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Does anyone know if there is an international bird species reference list (hopefully with nomenclature updated) that uses a 3-digit numerical coding system (i.e. the AOU or something else)?</p>
<div class="">Is it possible that some of the numbers correspond to the collector’s own catalogue numbering system? </div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" class="">I am not sure </span>how to decipher the information on these eggshells so any helpful links or tips to understanding these types of avian eggshells labels would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" class="">Adriana</span></p>
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<div class="">Fig 1. White Pelican (6-3-91) specimen from Pyramid Lake, Nevada that appears to follow the standard method of 3-digit species reference number, set mark/clutch size (125, 4/2)</div>
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<div class="">Fig 2. Swanson’s hawk (no date), appears to have 2 separate reference numbers or maybe a collector's catalogue number. </div>
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<div class="">Fig 3. Brown Pelican (no date) egg specimen labelled as (616, 3.28, 641). </div>
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<div class="">Fig 4. Western red-tailed hawk specimen (1991) that has a 3-digit numerical code followed by a letter, ‘337b’. </div>
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<div class="">Fig 5. Seven double-crested cormorant eggs (no date) labelled as ‘a-e/3’ or ‘a-e/4’. Unsure what ‘a-e’ refers to but number indicates clutch size.</div>
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<div class="">Fig 6. Night Heron specimen (1899) collected from Plum Island, NY that appears to have a reference or catalogue number. Unsure what ‘(70. E)’ refers to. </div>
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Adriana Lopez-Villalobos, Ph.D. </div>
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Collections and Data Manager</div>
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<span class="" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Fowler Herbarium (QK)</span></div>
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Queen's University Biological Station (QUBS) <span class="" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">URL: </span><span class="" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="https://qubs.ca" class="">https://qubs.ca</a></span></div>
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280 Queen’s University Road, RR #1, Elgin, Ontario, KOG 1E0</div>
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<a href="mailto:adriana.lopez.villalobos@queensu.ca" class="">a.lopez.villalobos@queensu.ca</a></div>
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