Bird Ecology and Conservation A Handbook of Techniques

208 |Information from dead and dying birds

Appendix II

Protocol for Examination of Unhatched Eggs

Egg received, given laboratory

reference number and receipt acknowledged

Preliminary cleaning

(record)

Candled (drawn

and described)

Probably infertile

Weighed, measured, exterior

drawn, and described

Cleaned with ethanol/methanol

Opened—examined, drawn, and

describedin situ; placed in

Petri dish, samples taken as

necessary

Contents frozen for toxicology, etc

Shell dried, weighed, and retained

Probably fertile

Weighed, measured, exterior

drawn, and described

Cleaned with ethanol/methanol

Opened—examined, drawn and

describedin situ; placed in

Petri dish, samples taken for

histology, bacteriology, etc.

Contents fixed/frozen as necessary

Shell dried, weighed, and retained