Specimens which are difficult to label directly on their surface because they are tiny or because the surface is rough and uneven e. When natural history specimens are neglected and not considered as important as other objects in a mixed collection, this data may never be collected in the first place or may be disposed of due to a lack of understanding of its worth. Alkaline dusts from concrete and organic acids from wood products are two examples of construction-related pollutants that may attack certain mineral ores. Shells are particularly vulnerable to organic acids emitted from wooden drawers and cabinets.
Powdery white crystals will appear on affected shells and the smooth, hard surfaces will be destroyed Figure Dust is a significant issue with specimens like the mesolite shown in Figure 5. Once this kind of surface gets dusty, it is very difficult and time-consuming to clean. Examples of deterioration to shells when exposed to a high concentration of acetic acid vapour. The two shells on the left were not exposed and show no signs of deterioration. The two shells on the right show deterioration and are covered with powdery white deposits.
Most items in an inorganic collection are not light sensitive; however, there are a few notable exceptions. Minerals such as rose quartz may be faded by exposure to light. Others, like amber Figure 13 and cinnabar, become discoloured, while minerals like realgar can be transformed into other compounds. In terms of the degree of light sensitivity, amber can be considered to rank in the medium-sensitivity range, while rose quartz, cinnabar and realgar are estimated as ranking in the low to medium range.
Samples of Canadian amber from Medicine Hat.
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Amber can discolour due to exposure to light. Mollusks and eggshells may also contain light-sensitive pigments; the pigments are considered highly sensitive to light. Even though most inorganic specimens are not particularly sensitive to RH, it may be surprising to learn that a few are very RH-sensitive. This causes it to powder and eventually disintegrate. Acidic by-products of this reaction sulfuric acid are corrosive and will also destroy labels and boxes. Pyrite appears bright and shiny like gold, as shown on the left. Pyrite suffering from pyrite disease appears dull and gray, covered with a layer of corrosion products, as shown on the right.
For some specimens, incorrect RH may also lead to deliquescence i. Subfossils are specimens that are not fully fossilized and therefore still contain a portion of organic material collagen. Ice age specimens, such as mammoth bones and teeth, are common examples of this type of material. These specimens are highly sensitive to fluctuating RH, which can cause cracking and delamination.
They should be treated like organic bone or ivory specimens in terms of their vulnerability to incorrect RH. This material may also be damaged by pests consult Pests.
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- A Blazing Gun (Catalan) (Catalan Edition).
- Taxidermy, Vol. 4 Insects by Various Authors on Apple Books;
- Caring for natural history collections.
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Organic specimens include taxidermy, non-fossilized bone and skeletons, insects, botanical specimens and birds' nests. Common and effective preservation strategies usually focus on safe handling, pest control and proper measures for storage, display and security. In particular, the following agents are specific to organic natural history specimens:. The most common forms of damage to organic natural history specimens are breakage and loss due to poor handling and storage practices. Mammal specimens missing ears and tails, or birds with broken legs or damaged wings Figure 15 , are common occurrences.
Oversized items, such as large mounted animals, are particularly awkward to move and are easily damaged in the process. A stuffed snowy owl exhibiting extensive damage the straw stuffing is visible at the neck area. Thin, brittle materials, such as those found in botanical specimens or insect and butterfly collections Figures 16a to 16c , are highly vulnerable to physical stresses.
Breaks and losses that may result will significantly decrease their interpretive, aesthetic and research value e. Birds' nests are also prone to being damaged since they consist of loosely held brittle pieces that are easily detached.
- Enchanted Afternoon (Mills & Boon M&B) (The Calhoun Chronicles, Book 4).
- Les Patriarches : roman - collection littéraire dirigée par Martine Saada (French Edition).
- Taxidermy Vol. 4 Insects. The Preparation Preservation and Display of Insects | eBay;
- Taxidermy Vol. 4 Insects. The Preparation Preservation and Display of Insects.
- Taxidermy Vol. 4 Insects. The Preparation Preservation and Display of Insects.
CCI Figure 16a. A bound herbarium from the 19th century showing extremely fragile specimens. Dry and fragile plant specimens were typically pasted onto paper leaves in the bound volume. The paper as well might have become brittle with age. Access to this volume should be controlled; simply turning the pages risks flexing the specimens and causing losses.
CCI Figure 16b. A dried botanical specimen showing damaged leaves. CCI Figure 16c. Insect specimens here, mayflies are particularly fragile. Create nests or padded rings to protect bones and similar materials.
Taxidermy Vol. 4 Insects. The Preparation Preservation and Display of Insects
For example, wrap skeletal objects in thin polyethylene foam. Store in trays, boxes or containers. Rather than storing bone items together in bags, where they may knock against one another, keep each item apart, bagged separately or, as shown here, secured within nests carved of polyethylene foam and then placed in a box or on a tray. This also facilitates handling. CCI 2 Figure A new wider base for this mammalian specimen was made of strong fluted plastic with twill tape ties.
The display of fur pelts, trophy heads and taxidermy mounts of certain animal species may be controversial in some communities. Vandalism of these items by protesting individuals or groups is a risk. Dissociation is generally a medium to high risk for organic natural history specimens, for a variety of reasons. One of the principal risk factors is that it is often difficult to inscribe accession numbers directly on items such as plant, insect and taxidermy specimens Figures 20 and 21 , so usually they are only tagged or the number is identified on the support e.
Such specimens can easily be separated from their accession numbers. An insect and label held together on a pin. Paper tags are attached by string to bird study specimens. Historical labels can be of high value. Consult Agent of deterioration: In the case of natural history specimens that are endangered species or consisting of materials that are internationally controlled ivory, tortoiseshell, certain feathers, etc.
Omissions of required paperwork during international transit could result in confiscation. Pests pose a very high risk to specimens made of fur, feathers and oily skins. Clothes moths and dermestid beetles Figure 22a are the most commonly found pests in natural history collections. Unless they have been previously treated with arsenic, mercury or other pesticides, these collections should be considered particularly vulnerable.
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Identification of frass i. Many pelts and taxidermy specimens show evidence of old infestations, which may further confuse the issue. In addition, fur and feathers may not necessarily appear to be detached; they could be chewed at skin level yet held in place by the surrounding hair and feathers. CCI Figure 22a. The localized loss of hair and the holes in the skin of this pelt are examples of insect attack. CCI Figure 22b. Mounted specimens in storage require periodic examination in order to detect signs of insect activity early on. This storage cabinet with sliding trays protects the specimens on many levels while providing easy access for periodic inspections.
Each specimen is secured to the shelf drawer to prevent risk of toppling when accessed. The enclosed cabinet also shelters the specimens from light and dust. Dust is the chief pollutant to guard against when caring for organic natural history specimens. In particular, it is a major concern for mammalian and bird specimens because dust gets trapped in delicate feather structures or enmeshed within the hair.
Removing dust deposited on furs and feather surfaces is a delicate, time-consuming process that requires special equipment and training to prevent damaging the specimen. It may be impossible to remove it completely. Surface colours may also become obscured, and specimens may end up having significantly reduced interpretative and research value Figure A northern bald eagle taxidermy specimen needs to be protected from dust deposition if its feathers at the head and neck are to remain white, as they are in nature. Oily bone or hide materials are also highly vulnerable because dust deposits will stick to the oils and darken the surface.
Dust is typically abrasive and contains compounds that contribute to the oils' degradation, which in turn contributes to surface darkening and causes embrittlement. Botanical and insect specimens need to be kept free of dust because their sheer material fragility makes them extremely difficult to clean. Dust also often attracts pests, compounding the problems for hides, furs, feathers and insect collections already quite prone to insect infestation.
The natural colourants found in organic specimens are typically at medium to high risk of light and UV damage. Visible light and UV-induced fading, discolouration and embrittlement may be observed on bird, animal and plant specimens that have been on display for many years. Variations in pigmentation from species to species make it difficult to predict rates of fading.
The colour of most furs and feathers Figure 24 is particularly vulnerable, ranging from medium to high in sensitivity. Bright colours on bird specimens are sensitive to light damage; brown tones are moderately sensitive. White feathers can yellow. Organic materials may be damaged by incorrect RH in the form of dampness, dryness or significant fluctuations.
Skins of mounted specimens are usually held taut and are therefore prone to tears due to large drops in RH. Bone and especially ivory are sensitive to RH fluctuations. Teeth are particularly vulnerable due to their structure, frequently cracking shortly after being collected. In ivory, dust can become trapped in cracks as they open and close, leaving telltale dark lines on the material.
Keratinous materials, such as hooves and claws, are also prone to distortion, cracking and delamination, although they are much less sensitive to RH than bone or ivory. For more information on RH and its effect on collections, consult Agent of deterioration: In storage, crab specimens are susceptible to damage when randomly placed on coarse fabric, which has a tendency to snag small projecting parts Figure 25a. Also, specimens placed closely together could rub or jostle against each other when the drawer is opened and closed.
Crab specimens stored loose in a large drawer are susceptible to damage. In order to better protect these specimens in storage, each specimen was placed in a polystyrene box with custom-made dividers cut from stable foam plastic Figure 25b. This way, the specimens are prevented from sliding into one another as the drawer is pulled open and closed.
Taxidermy Vol. 4 Insects. The Preparation Preservation and Display of Insects | eBay
The boxes can be removed individually for examination purposes. Crab specimens stored in boxes and with padding are less susceptible to being damaged when accessed. Crab specimens in boxes and with padding as per Figure 25b, now in a higher-quality metal storage cabinet. Purchasing improved cabinets is expensive and requires long-term planning. In this example, the entire storage cabinet was changed from a wooden construction to powder coated steel Figure 25c. Metal cabinets are robust, they do not emit any harmful volatiles which may affect parts of the collection, and their drawers open and close quite smoothly, minimizing risks of accidental jerks which could reverberate onto the specimens within and cause physical damage.
The addition of a powder coating seals the metal and inhibits the formation of corrosion rust. Often, objects that are used for educational purposes take more than their fair share of handling. This is especially the case with specimens used for school groups and similar clients.
Such specimens should be securely attached to a mount that can be held instead of handling the object itself Figure This mounted specimen of a red fox is secured to the base of a transparent carrying case, so it is protected from all physical forces while in use. For more details on building mounts and supports, consult Mount-making for Museum Objects Barclay et al. The mount of a fossil specimen from the Canadian Museum of Nature's Ice Age Mammals travelling exhibition is attached to the base of its travelling display case.
This eliminates the need for dismounting and remounting at each venue. The mounts of two fossil specimens are attached directly to their display case's base in the Canadian Museum of Nature's Ice Age Mammals travelling exhibition. No ratings or reviews yet. Be the first to write a review. Best-selling in Other Non-Fiction See all. One Line a Day: Page Hardback, Dear Mum by from you to me Hardback, Save on Other Non-Fiction Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days.
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