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Science 19 December 1969:
Vol. 166. no. 3912, pp. 1516 - 1518
DOI: 10.1126/science.166.3912.1516
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Articles

Spherical Urine in Birds: Petrography

R. L. Folk 1

1 Geology Department, University of Texas, Austin 78712

The white part of bird droppings (the urine) consists of microscopically uniform spheres 2 to 8 micrometers in diameter. Strange behavior of the spheres in polarized light indicates that they are often made of a spiraling arrangement of crystals that are particularly well revealed by the electron microscope. Bird urine has a varied composition, and x-ray analysis shows that it does not consist largely of uric acid, as has frequently been parroted.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Uric Acid Dihydrate in Bird Urine.
K. Lonsdale and D. J. Sutor (1971)
Science 172, 958-959
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