Mysterious fossil found in my Nat Geo kit

[The Meg]

Found an interesting fossil in my Nat Geo fossil and gemstone kit. Looks like the head of a bird, lizard, or maybe even a tiny dinosaur. Location unknown. US Quarter for scale. Fossil learning guide doesn't say anything about this fossil. Please help identify. 

[Fossildude19]

Unfortunately not a fossil.  It does look interesting, but not a skull of any kind.

 

This looks like an eroded coating of calcite from between layers of rock where it was procured.

If you put  a bit of vinegar on it, it should fizz with the reaction to the acetic acid in the vinegar.

 

[Crusty_Crab]

Putting acid such as vinegar on it will start to dissolve that cool skull-shape. I agree that it is not a skull, but it has its merits as a cool discussion piece or aesthetically. If you like it, I would not do anything to it and be happy with it as is. 

Edited December 27, 2021 by Crusty_Crab

[Ludwigia]

Looks somehow a bit like George Washington to me, but I may be wrong there The one on the left looks like Woody Woodpecker.

[Crusty_Crab]

6 minutes ago, Ludwigia said:

Looks somehow a bit like George Washington to me, but I may be wrong there The one on the left looks like Woody Woodpecker.

Hahaha, you're right! Actually, I always thought that portrait looked a lot like George III. Wrong on so many levels, but I challenge anyone to look at their portraits and see if they don't have a lot of similarities: the eyebrow, prominent hooked nose and chin.  

[The Meg]

2 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

Unfortunately not a fossil.  It does look interesting, but not a skull of any kind.

 

This looks like an eroded coating of calcite from between layers of rock where it was procured.

If you put  a bit of vinegar on it, it should fizz with the reaction to the acetic acid in the vinegar.

 

I licked it. It was sticky. 

[Fossildude19]

2 hours ago, The Meg said:

I licked it. It was sticky. 

 

Not really a valid test for fossils.

[fossilus]

2 hours ago, The Meg said:

I licked it. It was sticky. 

Glue? I use a lot of that on my fossils.

[Fossildude19]

Using your tongue to lick a fossil is more a test of porosity, than of something being a fossil. Fossil bones can be porous, as can coprolites,  but pumice or other minerals can be porous also.

If your tongue sticks to it, it is just an indication that it is porous. Not necessarily bone. Also, there is no 3-dimensional symmetry or skull morphology to this item. It is flat. While bone can be crushed flat, it is usually much more dense looking than what is presented here.

 

If you do the vinegar test with a single drop of vinegar, and it fizzes/bubbles, you have your answer.  You can rinse it with water immediately, and keep your item intact.

If you do not believe us, than please take your item to a local museum or university, and have a paleontologist look at it.