92 



TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



living creature of a high order. The nest is what the bird 

 makes it, and it often tells quite a story. Boys, let us give 

 eggs and skins a rest, and make a fine collection of nests, in 

 situ, as the rockologists say. We can do this after the nest- 



FIG. 21. Bird Nest, in situ. 



lings have flown, if you like, without stealing any eggs or shed- 

 ding any innocent blood. After the young have tumbled out, the 

 nest is a back number, and becomes your lawful prey. Take it, 

 and enjoy it, without remorse over blood that you haven't shed. 

 The most interesting and valuable nests are those that are 

 collected in situ, or, in other words, in the particular crotch, or 

 bunch of grass, or bush in which the bird placed it. Anything 

 that will show just where a nest was placed by its builder adds 

 immensely to its interest, and increases its scientific value. 

 The accompanying illustration of such a nest in Captain Ben- 

 dire's collection (Fig. 21), may be taken as an example of how 

 nests of a certain class can be collected and displayed. The 

 section of the sapling was sawn squarely off a few inches below 

 the nest, and screwed (from below) upon a highly polished 

 ebonized pedestal. In drawing this specimen the label was 

 removed in order that no portion of the principal object should 

 be concealed, but Captain Bendire's system of labelling is fully 

 shown in another figure. 



