Muscle Questions

["Bruce Woollatt" <brucewoollatt@hotmail.com>]

Hello all;

I'm in the process of researching the Great Auk (Alca impennis) in preparing 
to build one. I've got information on the limb musculature of two species of 
murres (common and thick billed) which give dry muscle weights. I'm going to 
use these as the starting points for bulking up my Auk. I have a few 
questions for the List;

1) What is the water content of muscle tissue? How much do I have to 
multiply the dry weights I have to get to the "wet" weight?

2) What is the specific gravity of muscle tissue? Once I have my "wet" 
weight, how much volume does a given weight of muscle fill?

3) If anyone knows of any references with detailed muscle and/or skeletal 
studies of the Razorbill (Alca torda, a bird  more closely related to A. 
impennis than are the murres), please forward them.


Thanks in advance,
Bruce.
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