“Science terminology really falls flat on its face when it comes to describing the differences between [carpometacarpus] bones. For example, part of the description of this owl carpometacarpus reads:
"Carpal trochlea ends in a long shallow depression deeper than but continuous with a groove on the lateral surface of metacarpal 3. Metacarpal 3 flares at proximal end. Intermetacarpal tuberosity flaring on the interior side of proximal end of metacarpal 3."
By comparison, my description was more like: a sad-looking fellow with a bent back, mousy ears, and a slightly open mouth, looking like a character being yelled at for not bringing home any food today.”
―
Lee Post,
The Bird Building Book: A Manual for Preparing Bird Skeletons with a Bone Identification Guide
