What am I?
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What am I?
Only clues are that it is a natural object and 15mm wide; anything else would make it too easy.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
-
rjlittlefield
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23598
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
- Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
- Contact:
Absolutely correct, Mourning Dove.rjlittlefield wrote:Bird feather, probably a wing primary, don't have a clue what species.
--Rik
Found on snow by bird feeder, everything else here is under several feet of snow.
EDIT:
I found this wing cross-section one of the most difficult subjects I have ever photographed.
Anyway, the following image is a close up of the vertical struts on the left side of the wing, besides supporting the dorsal surface the must play some role in air flow.
Last edited by NikonUser on Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
-
rjlittlefield
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23598
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
- Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
- Contact:
No doubt. It would be quite a study to determine exactly what. It's even hard to separate those issues of "supporting" and "air flow".besides supporting the dorsal surface they must play some role in air flow
Quoting from "The Miracle of Flight" by Stephen Dalton (page 102)
--RikThe movements of the outer part of the wing are more extensive and complex, with the wingtip following a tortuous path. During the downstroke, the outer section moves slightly forward as well as downwards. In order for the wing to encounter maximum air resistance, the primary feathers overlap to form an airtight surface. Thrust is provided at the wingtip by the outer primary feathers, which twist as they are forced through the air.
Each flight feather is so designed that the web is wider and more pliable at the rear edge than at the leading edge. Air pressure created by the wing's movement bends the trailing edge more easily, so each feather resembles the blade of a small propeller. As the primary feathers bend back during the downstroke, the leading edge twists increasingly downwards from the base to the tip so that the whole wing becomes propeller-shaped, with the most pronounced twisting towards its weaker end, the tip. In this way, the air is driven backwards and the bird is propelled forwards.
I still enjoy them though so keep 'em coming guys!Thanks Rik for the explanation; that leading edge is far more rigid than the trailing edge.
Laurie: Most insect wings have a completely different structure than bird wings/feathers.
One possible exception are the Plume Moths. Their wings appear to be a series of feathers, be neat to see one of those 'feathers' in cross-section.
Take at look at these moths:
HERE
Laurie: Most insect wings have a completely different structure than bird wings/feathers.
One possible exception are the Plume Moths. Their wings appear to be a series of feathers, be neat to see one of those 'feathers' in cross-section.
Take at look at these moths:
HERE
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
