Rowboater Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Hopefully someone who knows bones can help. Apologize in advance for the cellphone pictures, but will try for more if needed. Thanks in advance for your help. Found a roughly four inch bone piece with a socket joint (maybe gnawed a bit) at one end and a seemingly hollow end (sand packed, but heavy for its size). One side has five clear keels (tendon attachments?) running length-wise; never noticed on other bones. On the opposite side there is a fine ridge that splits in two, and into three, with a much stronger protruding edge near the joint. While most of the edge on the side near this protruding edge is smooth and rounded, the opposite side has a n edge running the length of the bone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Sounds like something @Harry Pristis Would know. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Can you show the hollow end? Bird ulnas often have quill knobs that look similar. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Al Dente has it right -- a bird ulna. The quill nobs (papillae) are found in shore birds such as herons, though not in every shore bird and not limited to shore birds. 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowboater Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 Thanks for the help everyone! Would not have expected a bird, seems heavy and strong (but fossilized). Don't have the complete ulna (only 4") and the joint seems chewed, but this would seem to be a heron-sized bird? The pictures I've seen showed round quill knobs; the five on the bone are clearly elongated. Would elongated quill knobs be specific to herons and wading birds? Added a few photos of the hollow, sand-filled ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 40 minutes ago, Rowboater said: Thanks for the help everyone! Would not have expected a bird, seems heavy and strong (but fossilized). Don't have the complete ulna (only 4") and the joint seems chewed, but this would seem to be a heron-sized bird? The pictures I've seen showed round quill knobs; the five on the bone are clearly elongated. Would elongated quill knobs be specific to herons and wading birds? Added a few photos of the hollow, sand-filled ends. A reliable answer to your question about the papillae requires more expertise than I can muster. You may need to consult an ornithologist. 1 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaholic Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 I believe it is heavy because it is packed with sand or mud. Gently tap it with a pencil and most of it will fall out the broken end. "A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 @Auspex might know. John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowboater Posted April 27, 2018 Author Share Posted April 27, 2018 Just an update. Donated the ulna to the Calvert Marine Museum. Dr. Stephen Godfrey there and Dr. Storrs Olson at the Smithsonian, ID'ed it as a fossilized gannet bone. Evidently they are among the more common bigger bird fossils found from the late Miocene and Pliocene. Always good to see gannets diving when striper fishing! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordTrilobite Posted April 27, 2018 Share Posted April 27, 2018 Quill knobs was my first thought as well. Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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