INTRODUCTION. 17 



taken ; the bird does not perceive your " touch," as many- 

 persons suppose, but one's hand very often so disturbs the 

 nest, and the exact position of the eggs, that the intrusion be- 

 comes very marked. As a rule, a nest should never be visited 

 from the time of its discovery until all the eggs are laid, and 

 an egg should never be taken except from a complete set. 



§ Q. Should you find a nest of value, when you have not a 

 box, mark the spot by observing some conspicuous landmark, 

 unless it be necessary to take the nest at once. Otherwise, 

 carry large eggs, and those taken from a hole or a frail nest, 

 wrapped in a handkerchief, and carr^' small eggs in their nests, 

 placed upright, with a handkerchief tied tightly over the whole. 

 Packing in either case is desirable, soft, clean moss being 

 generally the best material to be found in the woods. 



When a hole is enlarged with a hatchet or knife in order to 

 reach any eggs, the parent almost invariably " deserts," and it 

 is therefore necessary to break it open at the proper time, since 

 all or no eggs should be taken from such a nest. In at least 

 one of the cases before cited, relating to the Pigeon Wood- 

 peckers, the hole was large enough to allow the insertion of 

 the hand and fore-arm. This species, however, as has already 

 been remarked, frequently deepens the hole to lay again ; so 

 do other woodpeckers. 



§ E. Health, energetic perseverance, honesty, experience, 

 and moderation, are the necessary qualities or cardinal virtues 

 of a wise and successful collector. It is for young oologists 

 an excellent rule, which has, however, many exceptions, never 

 to take more than one egg from a nest, nor to have more 

 than two or three of one species, except when (verj^) rare, 

 peculiarly marked, or suitable for an advantageous exchange. 



