INTRODUCTION. 23 



at the stiut t(( 1)(* sun- of this in every case, he had Ijetter leave the 

 matter alone, for without this, his collection, whatever the extent of 

 it may he, will be absolutely worthless. 



Foi' anyone observant of the habits of the biids in the woods, the 

 best yuide to theii' nest is found by watching the actions of the birds, 

 especiallv the female, dui'ing the breeding season, for she is sure 

 e\entuallv to betray the whereiil)outs of her treasures. But l)ii-ds" 

 nests are often close togethei-, and their eggs so nearly alike that the 

 only wav to be absolutely certain of the identity of the rarer species 

 is to secure the parent, either while she is on the nest or when she 

 is seen fluttering away from it. This seems a cruel act, and the 

 collector should not repeat it unless he is actually in need of the 

 .species. 



On taking a .set of eggs, the first thing to do is to I'emove any 

 -stains which they may have acquired from their surroundings ; but 

 this must be done with care, for in fresh eggs the colors sometimes 

 3-ield to the process and disappear. Eggs foi- a collection are now 

 emptied through one hole about the middle of the side. It should 

 first be pricked with a needle, and then the drill applied and worked 

 with the linger and thumb till a smooth round hole is made, large 

 enough to allow the contents to escape. The blowpipe should then 

 be usefl, either close to the hole or a little way inside. In the latter 

 case the blowpipe must l)e loose in the hole to allow the contents to 

 escape around it. if the material inside is thick, and does not run 

 freely, it should be cut up with a piece of fine wire with a shai-]) 

 bent point, and removed with the aid of a small syringe. 



When thoroughly clean, the egg should be laid aside to dry on 

 some substance which will absorb the moisture, cornmeal being 

 recommended because it does not adhere to the shell. Where eggs 

 are in an advanced stage of incubation, those of small size can rarely 

 be saved, but the embryos in larger ones may be cut to pieces by 

 widening the hole a little and introducing a sharp hook. The 

 contents can then be removed piecemeal, Ijut great care and much 

 time are necessarv' to accomplish the task. In some cases it is 

 considered safer to allow the embryo to remain in the shell till it is 

 decomposed. To assist the process of decfiy, a strong solution of 

 caustic potash is introduced, and this is allowed to remain till the 

 embryo becomes soft and ]>ulpy, when it will yield to tlie ordinary 

 treatment. 



The safest mode of carrying eggs from the field, or sending them 

 awav bv mail when prepai'ed, is to have each egg wrap))ed in cotton- 



