THE COLLECTION OF SPECIMENS 51 



ing or dead honeybee, or a dragon fly is taken from 

 the web of an Argiope. In this way the confusion 

 which is particularly liable to creep into one's work, 

 where he deals with a large number of species, and 

 before familiarity with them is acquired, may be 

 reduced to the minimum. For small animals I 

 have found useful a very liberal use of vials, into 

 which field numbers, corresponding to numbers 

 in the field notes, are placed immediately upon cap- 

 ture of the specimens, and not minutes or hours 

 later when the vials have become mixed, and recollec- 

 tion is less sharp. Specimens which have been 

 thoroughly numbered may thus be sent to specialists 

 for determination. This method uses up many 

 numbers, but, fortunately, the supply is unlimited, 

 and it gives greater precision to one's notes, and en- 

 courages detailed observations on individual animals. 

 In the eyes of many the determination of specimens 

 is such a formidable task that they are at once re- 

 pelled from any subject which involves numerous 

 species. But as we have previously remarked, there 

 are phases of ecological study which involve only 

 a minimum amount of such work. On the other 

 hand, one may readily have an undue fear of numer- 

 ous species, but no one can doubt that the smaller 

 number of species found upon mountains or in the far 

 north gives to a beginner certain advantages for 

 study. But if one's studies are confined to the more 

 restricted habitats, the number of species involved 

 is comparable to the more favored localities men- 

 tioned. 



