Roxie Laybourne and Carla Dove at Feather Lab Open House
ID: SIA2014-07407
Creator: Unknown
Form/Genre: Photographic print
Date: 2001
Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 04-086, Box 2, Folder 5
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The Smithsonian Institution Archives welcomes personal and educational use of its collections unless otherwise noted. For commercial uses, please contact photos@si.edu.Summary
Carla Dove (left) and Roxie Laybourne (right) are seated in folding chairs during the Feather Lab Open House in 2001. Behind them is a large window with mini blinds drawn closed. On the window ledge is a telephone and bottles.
Subject
- Laybourne, Roxie C. 1910-2003
- Dove, Carla J
- National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Birds
Category
Historic Images of the Smithsonian
Notes
- With Smithsonian Secretary Alexander Wetmore's encouragement, Laybourne accepted a short-term appointment in 1944 in the Bird Division at the National Museum of Natural History, working with taxidermist Watson Perrygo and curator Herbert Friedmann. Known as the "Feather Lady," Laybourne pioneered the field of forensic ornithology at the Smithsonian Institution by studying the detailed microscopic structure of plumaceous (downy) feather barbules and creating a technique of identifying species of birds from fragmentary feather samples. Her methods revolutionized aviation safety by creating a technique of identifying birds involved in aircraft bird strikes. That work led to the development of the first laboratory in the world dedicated solely to feather identification. The methods she developed are now routinely applied to studies of prey remains, evidence from criminal cases, and anthropological artifacts.
- For more images of Roxie Laybourne, see SIA2009-2205, SIA2010-0575, SIA2010-0580, SIA2010-0639, SIA2014-07398, SIA2014-07403, SIA2014-07404, SIA2014-07405, SIA2014-07406, SIA2014-07407, SIA2014-07411, SIA2014-07413, SIA2014-07417, SIA2014-07421, SIA2014-07431, SIA2014-07434, SIA2014-07441, SIA2014-07442, and SIA2014-07448.
Contained within
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 04-086, Box 2, Folder 5
Contact information
Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu
Date
2001
Restrictions & Rights
No restrictions
Topic
- Feathers
- Animals
- Telephone
- Smithsonian Institution
- Personnel management
- Birds
- Employees
- Ornithologists
- Ornithology
- Smithsonian Institution--Employees
Form/Genre
- Photographic print
- Group, candid
ID Number
SIA2014-07407
Physical description
Number of Images: 1; Color: Color; Size: 6w x 4h; Type of Image: Group, candid; Medium: Photographiic Print