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.


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> 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.
> >