Taxidermy Decoy 1967-88.1
Shelburne's mounted decoys are believed to come from Swanton, Vermont. The decoys appear to be identical in construction, and all had a powdery, white material on the surface of the feathers. The decoy was chosen for radiography on the suspicion that arsenic or a heavy metal pesticide may be present. Arsenic was commonly used in taxidermy processes in the first half of the twentieth century, and as a metalloid (an element that has properties of both metals and non-metals), if present, it is opaque to x-rays on a radiograph. This is also true of heavy metal pesticides containing lead or mercury, which were used by museums in the past to prevent or treat pest activity on organic objects that were susceptible to pest attack.
The radiographs of this black duck hen reveal cervical vertebrae in the neck, pygostyle (bones beneath tail feathers), and wing bones extant beneath the wing feathers. The outlines of the feathers are also visible. The stuffing in the body was not clearly defined and is likely a material without radiopacity such as paper or cotton. In addition, a metal armature, several metal pins, and shot pellets are visible in the radiograph. The powdery looking substance on the surface, thought to possibly be a pesticide residue, was not radiopaque and therefore was determined not to be arsenic or heavy metal pesticide residue. However the duck skin is radiopaque, so it is likely that arsenic was used in the taxidermy process as the use of arsenical soaps (applied to the interior of the skins) was common in taxidermy preparations at the time the decoy was produced.
