22 British Birds, their Eggs and Nests. 



If the vent-hole is necessarily made large, tliere is 

 no objection to placing a piece of thin or gauze paper, 

 wetted with the varnish or white of the ^gg, so as to 

 cover the entire orifice, and so exclude dust or other 

 intrusive substances. As to mounting the eggs, and 

 labelling for insertion in the collection, much depends 

 on taste. An ordinary " printer's " card is as good for 

 the purpose as anything, and a little very strong gum- 

 water is the onl}^ other requisite. A little attention 

 to placing the eggs sj^mmetrically and neatly, and the 

 use of a few gun- wads or halfpence or small wooden 

 wedges, to retain the eggs when accurately set in their 

 true position, until the gum has had time to harden, 

 are matters which will almost surely suggest them- 

 selves to any youthful egg-fancier who is only toler- 

 ably given to admire the " simplex immditiis." As for 

 labels, they may either be neatly written, or procured, 

 at a very slight cost, printed on purpose for such 

 application. [See the remarks on the " Ibis " list in 

 the Introduction which follows.] 



