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Dear Folks, In regard to the medullary bone: we need to recall that pheasants would be seasonal breeders (unlike domesticated chickens) so the medullary bone would only be present in springtime. best wishes, Anne >David Constantine was asking about how to sex a pheasant skeleton. > >As far as I know there are only two methods, the spur on the >tarsometatarsus (as mentioned by Julie Curl) and the presence of >medullary bone. As with chickens presence of a spur does not >necessarily suggest male but the chances are it does, while >medullary bone means female, absence of medullary bone is male or >female. In case you don't know about the latter method, read Driver, >J.C. 1982. Medullary bone as an indicator of sex in bird remains >from archaeological sites. In B.Wilson, C.Grigson and S.Payne. >Ageing and Sexing Animal Bones from Archaeological Sites. BAR >British Series 109. 251-254. For this method you will need to either >make a hole or break the bone. As you say the skeleton is badly >broken, this shouldn't be a problem. > >Kevin Rielly >MoLSS -- Anne Pike-Tay Acting Director of the Environmental Studies Program & Associate Professor, Dept. of Anthropology Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 email: [log in to unmask] voice: 845-437-5430 (Environ.Stds), 845-437-5505 (Anthro.)