What is it?

On another thread a few days ago, this item (or one like it) was mentioned. Anybody care to identify the bone? I'm pretty certain I know what the round thing on top is.



Jack

Bull field mouse penecker bone .

Marten baccuum?

Looks like a kit fox.

Mink pecker

All the guesses are somewhat close as far a position on the body. What bone is it, and from what species?

Jack

Squirrel baculum?

chipmunk.

I'm not one for drawing things out too far. The specimen in the photo is a baubellum, or os clitoris. From what species? I will hint that it's truly a "trophy", in that it's the second longest that I can find from the scientific literature. And yes, it is from Idaho (something I harvested in my driveway a couple of years ago).

Jack

A snake

Hmmmmm. Ring tail?

Rock chuck

Blue pill or bucket aint gonna help it fer sure....

Darn you Jack,I just figured out the baubellum part but species?I don't know.Black bear?

River otter.

Keith

Bushy tailed wood rat ??

Driveway? Feral cat?

Second guess is skunk- just in case it has to be indigenous

Porcupine bacculum.

Did you run over Hal in your driveway????

I notice that the "anterior" end if sort of blunt, so either worn from you carrying it around, or not a mustelid.
The posterior end shows similar traits.
I am angling toward your good luck charm.

Good guesses all! Taximan, you are hereby moved to the front of the class. The image is indeed from a black bear, Ursus americanus, 11-yr-old female that was terrorizing neighboring garbage cans. She was typical in size, at 130 lbs, and was in discreet possession of this fine specimen of a baubellum. She also provided nearly 50 pounds of fine sausage, as well as a few steaks and a fine cinnamon-colored pelt. In my experience, it is a little-known fact that such a thing as a baubellum, or os clitoris, even exists. True fact, folks.

Badgerman gets a nod as well, simply because he made me vaporize part of my nightly toddy through my nose with his suggestion of a house cat. AKViking, your entry isn't that far off, as the male counterpart from a quill-pig looks surprisingly similar, although a tad bit smaller. And Anaconda, I again lost half a mouthful through my nose after reading your "little blue pill" suggestion.

Thanks, one and all!

Jack

So this naturally raises more questions than it answers. That's a good thing IMO.

So how is baubellum related to parabellum or for that matter bauble ?

I also wonder about my old uncle's wife. The sainted Aunty-bellum

Good stuff Jack. You learn something new everyday unless you're awful careful.

Hey that's not fair, our dial up internet was still loading the picture for me to answer what it was.

An 11 year old black bear only weighed 130 pounds?

Thanks, Jack.

white17 - I remember your Aunty. Wasn't she married to Bob? And wasn't he the guy that was really into baubles?

North - Sorry, man. I didn't want to drag out the thread too long, for fear that someone would suggest that the item pictured was actually a pig castrator, and we'd get into a long argument. Come to think of it, bears are a bit similar to pigs, and castration just might be possible, depending on her mood. Thus, suggesting the baubellum might indeed be a pig castrator might not be too far off.

Ole - Yes, 130. In my opinion, from over 50 black bears I've harvested in Idaho and Alaska, and another hundred or so I've captured in barrel traps, darted from helicopters, or incidentally caught in wolf traps, 130 pounds for adult females is not uncommon at all. I've never handled black bears from these areas where they get big. Typically, in Idaho and interior Alaska, the adult sows are 130-150 pounds.

Yes it was Bob. He spent a lot of time in the water and had a strange affinity for apples. He was also a weight lifter and a drunk. Some folks called him BARbellum

In his later years he raised blue heelers in the deep south. The breed was known locally as the Deepbellum Blues.

Oh, how the memories are coming back. Being a houndsman, I was surprised that he was outspoken against trapping. Kind of an Anti Bellum?

That's a good characterization of him. ..........On the other hand...............he did win the No Bellum Prize

Probably for his tireless work perfecting the pig castrator. And like so many things in life, we have come full circle.

I've never seen a pig castrator with tires !

Interesting to me where these threads go; how they develop.

I'm by no means a Latin scholar, but the language has always intrigued me. "Bellum" means "war". (Antebellum, before the war. Parabellum, get ready for war, etc.). A "bauble" is something that is indeed pretty, but largely worthless. Thus, what is the etymology of "baubellum"? Something that is pretty, but worthless, leading to war? I suspect that sums it up.

Jack

ZACKLY !!!!!

Jack,I was never comfortable in front of the class and can't remember ever getting there through achievement.

I myself was "head of the class" material, having been in the front of the class through most of grade school, I admit I wasn't at all comfortable there. Of course I was only required to sit up there so the teacher could keep an eye on me better.....plus reach me quicker if need arose.