Owl pellets

or

Bone Things

Clance and I took the most splendid walk one day in the late summer.  This happened several years ago.

large stone wenis

On our journey we stepped over many turds and a good number of murdered shrews.  Abandoned turds on pathways always make me a little bit annoyed but Clance explained to me that the turds were in fact owl pellets. 

She said that whilst toiling as a scientist one time, her task was to dissect one and then reassemble the contents which, lo and behold, turned out to be the bones and fur of whichever tiny creature that particular owl had feasted upon and then hacked back up as a waste product.  

Tiny pelvises and shin bones were mentioned and something about using disinfectant and gloves.  I became intrigued at once, obviously.

hopefully their murderers will one day be brought to justice

When I finally got around to dissecting my own owl pellets however, I discovered the two different types.  One is the type that Clance got, which is a manufactured one filled with really exciting whole bones that form the entire skeleton of a creature.  The other type is the real one, where the bones are mostly just shards and gristle still lurks in amongst them.  Of course, I got the real ones.

But let’s not be too disheartened; I got one really good tiny bone and a couple of bits of what looks like jaw bone complete with teeth.  And is that a fragment of spine..?  It will all be very useful

and she will have something to do with it all