Ross,

You could always cover the vacuum hose with cheesecloth to keep the
hummingbirds out of danger!


On Sat, 23 Aug 1997 21:21:18 -0400 Ross Weeks <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>You're right, Nancy...if you can actually reach the specimens with a
>vacuum
>hose....it's best not to have eagles down there at eye level....
>
>and what about the hummingbirds?   <whoosh> right into the suction
>tube.
>
>
>----------
>> From: Nancy J Russell <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Bird Dusting
>> Date: Saturday, August 23, 1997 2:43 PM
>>
>> I would be very cautious about blowing the dust off the specimens .
>I
>> don't know their history, but have you tested them for arsenic?
>There are
>> kits that can help you do this. don't forget your own health and
>safety.
>> Check out the Conserve-O-Gram about arsenic. I also vaguely remember
>a
>> Conserve-O-Gram about the care of feathers. Does SPNHC have anything
>> about cleaning mounted specimens? (I don't have my books with me
>right
>> now to check these things out).
>>
>> I would start by testing them first. If they do have arsenic, use a
>> ventilator and rubber gloves during the cleaning. I'm going on my
>memory
>> here (who knows how accurate THAT is?) but it seems to me you can
>dust
>> with a small brush into a vacuum cleaner. Remember, the vacuum
>cleaner
>> bag then becomes hazardous waste and has to be disposed of properly.
>>
>>  Even if the specimen isn't contaminated with arsenic, I would still
>dust
>> into a vacuum cleaner. Who wants to breathe/spread around all that
>dust?
>>
>> Just my two cents.
>>
>> Nancy Russell
>>
>>
>> On Sat, 23 Aug 1997 09:20:43 -0400 Ross Weeks
><[log in to unmask]>
>> writes:
>> >We have one each of the same, and use at present an aerosol product
>> >that is
>> >intended to gently blow the dust off delicate objects.  No damage
>has
>> >been
>> >noted to these, nor to other locally indigenous birds we exhibit.
>> >
>