30/ Desolation and its life under binoculars

In the exhibition we show various environments and their inhabitants as we can see them "with our own eyes". With the help of a binocular magnifying glass and a pocket magnifying glass, we now can have a glimpse into a world that has remained hidden from our eyes.

 

At two sites we have prepared various natural history items from following fields:

  1. geology and botany                       
  2. zoology (that is where you are right now :-)

 

Small guidance for using the binoculars:

  • Ocular lens – part where you look with your eyes
  • Objective lens – lower part pointing towards the observed item
  • Focus wheel – you change the distance of the objective lens from the observed object by rotating it
  • Total focus – focus of the ocular lens multiplied by focus of the objective lens. The maximum focus of our binocular is 40x.

 

ZOOLOGY

 

Examples of land snails and fresh water bivalve from small wetlands

The shown species can live together for example in a stone quarry.

 

Punctum pygmaeum

Pisidium personatum – bivalve

Chondrina avenacea

Carychium tridentatum

Vallonia costata

Vertigo substriata

Alinda biplicata

 

Detail of buttefly wing (Diaethria sp. butterfly)

The scales on a butterfly wing form a colour pattern that is a combination of pigment and structural colouring (the effect of metallic lustre produced by multiple reflections of light in the complex structures of the scales).

 

Fish scale (Common Rudd Scardinius erythrophtalmus)

The scales of carp fish family are thin-walled and rounded. The more rounded part of the scale with pigment spots can be seen on the surface of the fish body, the rest is covered with surrounding scales. Concentric 'circles' indicate gradual growth.

 

Fish fin (Common Rudd Scardinius erythrophtalmus)

The fin of a fish is a thin membrane reinforced with bony fin rays that extend below the surface of the fish's body, and the fish uses special muscles to control the fin.

 

Svlečka zmije (Vipera sp.)

Snakes repeatedly shed the upper, ceratinised part of their skin during their lifetime, because it does not stretch as they grow. The skin retains its scale pattern, and interestingly, snakes also shed the layer of skin covering their eyes.

 

Bird feather (Eurasian Coloured Dove Streptopelia decaocto)

The main axis of the feather is the rachis, from which barbs run out diagonally to both sides, and from them to both sides the barbules, which, with hooks, are fixed into each other. The feather thus holds its shape and resists air pressure during flight. 

 

White Stork’s pellet (Ciconia ciconia)

Some birds regurgitate coarser, indigestible food items (e.g. hair or feathers of prey eaten whole) in the form of compact formations - the so called pellets. Remains of beetles are clearly visible in this specimen.  

 

Bat skulls from cave deposits

Bats hibernate in caves where the temperature is stable above 0°C. Remains of dead individuals gradually accumulate in favourite roosting sites. In the sample you can see parts of bat skeletons, especially skulls.