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Recording Mammals, Reptiles
and Amphibians
Records of all animals of these groups are wanted from all parts of the
county, and particularly from the coastal areas and the urban fringes.
Notes, including unpublished past records, on all species however com-
mon, will be welcome, but particularly of the following:—Pigmy Shrew,
Water Shrew, Dormouse, Yellow-necked Mouse, Harvest Mouse, Red Squirrel,
Grey Squirrel, Badger, Otter, bats of all species, Adder, Palmate and Crested
Newts.
A good knowledge of the animals in an area can be obtained by collecting
and analysing the pellets of various bird predators, e.g., hawks and owls, and
it is hoped that members of the Club and others, finding pellets containing
bones, will send them to the Recorder for examination.
Records should always be accompanied by a note of the date and the
exact locality (or map reference). Records, pellets or specimens for indenti-
fication should be sent to,
A. C. Wheeler,
14, Theydon Park Road,
Theydon Bois,
Epping,
who would also be pleased to hear from anyone interested in these groups.
The Extraction of Bones from
Bird Pellets
By B, H. HARRIS
Mb. wheeler has suggested that members might be interested in a quick
and efficient method of extracting bones from the pellets of owls and
other predatory birds by the use of an enzyme.
The hairy bolus is first thoroughly moistened in water, then transferred
to a 1% solution of papaine in 0.9% saline and kept therein for twelve hours.
During this time the tissue surrounding the bones is digested, the bones drop
to the. bottom of the container and the hair rises as a mat to the surface.
The bones are then bleached in hydrogen peroxide (10 volumes) with a trace
of ammonium hydroxide for two or three hours and after drying are ready
for examination.
In the field the method may be adapted as follows. The moistened bolus
is placed in a solution made by dissolving as much common salt as will cover
a sixpence and a knife point of papaine in a jam jar of water. Stand the
jar in a warm place and use a well fitted lid as the enzymatic reaction may
cause an offensive smell which, however, is largely counteracted by the bleach.
The only disadvantage of this method is that it does tend to be rather
too efficient in that all the epiphyses in the case of juvenile material are
separated. This can be prevented by frequent examination of the macerating
material, stopping the treatment when teeth become loose in sockets or
separation of epiphyses becomes apparent Papaine may usually be obtained
from dispensing chemists.