[Nhcoll-l] Identifying passenger pigeons bones

[Thomas Labedz]

Laura

The element of the skeleton, or the portion of the element, will determine the photograph angle to best illustrate the character(s) definitive to Passenger Pigeon.  Some elements of a skeleton may be highly definitive while others less so, to not at all.  I suggest side-by-side comparative photographs with known skeletons from natural history collections.  Due to the rarity of Passenger Pigeon skeletons in collections there could be hesitation about sending skeletons and you may have to travel to the institution with your samples to make the photographs.

Thomas Labedz, Collections Manager
Division of Botany and Division of Zoology
University of Nebraska State Museum


________________________________
From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Nightengale, Laura H <lnightengale at mail.utexas.edu>
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2013 9:24 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Identifying passenger pigeons bones

Listeros,

We have just encountered some bird bones in our collection that, although initially thought to be rabbit, have been identified as passenger pigeon. They are from a prehistoric context, placed in a pot that was interred in a Caddo grave.

I would like to photograph the bone, but need some guidance as to what feature(s) in the bone characterize the bird specifically as passenger pigeon. (I am an archeologist...)

Any help appreciated!

Laura Hillier Nightengale
Head of Collections
Texas Archeological Research Laboratory
1 University Station, R7500
Austin, TX 78712
512-475-6853
http://www.utexas.edu/research/tarl/
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/

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