NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



INSIT.UCTIONS IX KEFERENCE TO COI.LECTING NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH 



AMERICAN BIRDS. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



The Smithsonian Institution is desirous of collecting as full a series 

 as possible of the nests and eggs of birds of North America, with the 

 view not merely of exhibition in its museum, but to furnish ma- 

 terials for a work on North American Oology, in preparation by 

 Dr. Brewer, of Boston, and to be published in successive parts by 

 the Institution. 



This memoir is intended to give an account of the geographical 

 distribution of North American birds, as well as of their habits and 

 peculiarities during the breeding season, and to be accompanied as far 

 as possible by accurate figures of the principal varieties of the egg of 

 each species, based upon photographic drawings. Of this work, the 

 first part, embracing the Bapfores (vultures, hawks, and owls,) and 

 Fissirostres, (swallows, swifts, and goatsuckers,) is nearly ready for 

 publication, and will be issued during the year 1859. 



The object contemplated by the institution is not merely to procure 

 specimens of eggs not previously in its possession, but also to obtain 

 positive evidence as to the limits within which each species rears its 

 young. For this reason it respectfully invites donations from all parts 

 of the country of as many kinds of nests and eggs as can be procured, 

 with the exception of a few of the very commonest species hereafter 

 to be mentioned ; and requests that special effort be made to procure 

 a full series for each locality. As duplicate eggs of all kinds, and 

 in any number, can be readily used in the exchanges of the Institu- 

 tion, and in supplying other cabinets, no fear need be entertained of 

 sending more than enough lor the purposes in view. 



The eggs, of which a single set only need be collected for the present, 

 are chiefly those of the eastern blue bird, (Sialia sialis,) the robin, 

 (Turdus migraiorius,) the cat-bird, (31imics carolinensis,) the red-winged 

 black bird, {Agelaius phoeniceus,) and the crow black bird, (Qmscalus 

 versicolor.) Those to which particular attention should be paid as 

 groups, are the hawks, owls, wood{)eckers, small waders, ducks, &c., 

 of all portions of the country ; but, as stated, all kinds of eggs, and 

 particularly those from the regions west of the Mississippi, and Irom the 

 northern parts of America, are desired. A subjoined list embraces the 

 specimens more particularly wanting to the collection of the Institution ; 

 those having an asterisk prefixed being, with rare exceptions, entirely 

 unknown to science. The numbers in the list refer to a printed cata- 

 logue of North American birds, published by the Institution, which 

 will be sent to any one who proposes to collect eggs for its museum. 



