Bird specimen

Angela Choi <angelasmchoi [at] gmail__com> writes

>I am looking for information and detailed guidelines on restoring
>the loose tail of a bird specimen.  The bird is red-whiskered
>bulbul. The tail near the primaries and vent part, originally
>attached to its body, however, was getting loose and detached during
>a transportation process.

I have found that the best way of re-attaching a detached bird tail
is to wrap some pre-glued Japanese tissue (about 15-20gsm) around
the area of attachment (feather bases), using neutral PVA adhesive.
Any wadding or filler used to make the mannequin may need to be
consolidated using 10% paraloid B-72 prior to re-attachment of the
tail as these have sometimes deteriorated themselves and tend to be
rather flaky, especially if made of urethane-based foam.

Once the tail base has been glued, using the tissue and the aperture
where it is to be glued is firm, then the tail can be glued into
place using neutral pH PVA and once dry, preened.

Simon Moore, MIScT, FLS, ACR,
Senior Conservator of Natural Sciences.
Hampshire County Council
Recreation and Heritage Department,
Museums and Archives Service,
Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane,
Winchester SO23 8RD UK.
+44 1962 826737


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 21:25
                 Distributed: Saturday, October 6, 2007
                       Message Id: cdl-21-25-006
                                  ***