Good afternoon all,
After my clarification message this morning, Peter
Fullagar contacted me with the observation that in the “olden days”
some museum preparators actually crossed the legs in certain ways to signify
the sex of a specimen, so that a bird with the left leg OVER the right leg was
a particular sex and vice versa. I had not heard of this before so if I (or
perhaps Peter) get the chance I will try and find out more. I don’t know
what happened when the sex could not be determined!
Perhaps Martin B, you should now go back to the AMNH
and have another look at any labelling and which way the legs are crossed……………………….!!
Your’s from a very hot Mark
