618 PRACTICAL ORNITHOLOGY, 



A collector can scarcely pick up with his own hands speci- 

 mens of the eggs of half the species that breed in this country, 

 some being rarely met with, or only in a particular district, 

 and others being to be found in rocks, on remote islands, or in 

 places not easily accessible. For example, how many British 

 ornithologists have robbed an Eagle's or an Osprey's nest ; who 

 of all those that have described the JNIagpie's eggs have seen 

 them in situ ; and who has laid his grasping hand on those of 

 the Raven, the Hooded Crow, the Chough, the Rock Dove, 

 the Ptarmigan, or the Stormy Petrel I To make a collection 

 of eggs, one must purchase from dealers, hire herds and boys, 

 and lay his friends under requisition. But let him also search 

 for himself, otherwise he will miss much knowledore. 



The best way to empty an egg is to drill a hole near each 

 end with a triangular needle, which is to be gently twirled 

 between the finger and thumb. The contents are then blown 

 out with the mouth. A solution of gum injected with a small 

 syringe gives when dry strength to the shell, and prevents the 

 membrane from being destroyed by insects. I have seen egg- 

 shells almost filled with moths, and nothing is more common 

 than to find them rendered so brittle by the disappearance of 

 the film that they can scarcely be handled with safety. The 

 apertures may also be filled with wax, or a small bit of thin 

 paper may be pasted over them. Eggs must not be varnished 

 or gummed over, because their natural surface would thus be 

 altered. Nor should they be much washed, as the spots of 

 many are easily abraded. They are best kept in the drawers 

 of a cabinet, in pasteboard boxes, of a blue or other agree- 

 able colour, having cotton or chopped moss in the bottom. 

 Those of each species are of course to be kept apart, and the 

 whole may be arranged according to the ornithological system 

 adopted by the collector. Some write the name on the shell, 

 which is thus liable to be greatly disfigured ; others on slips 

 pasted upon the boxes ; and others on small cards attached to 

 them, or lying loose. Eggs kept in this manner form a beauti- 

 ful collection, which ought not to be exposed unnecessarily to 

 the light, otherwise the colours soon fade. Half a dozen 

 drawers of moderate size are sufficient to contain specimens of 

 all the British eggs that can be procured. 



