The OoLOGiST. 



AOL. XXVII. No. 4. Albion, N. Y. April 15, 1910. Whole No. 273 



Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, X. 1'., and Laron, Illinois. 



SOME ADVICE 



As the result of more than thirty years experience in North American 

 Oology extending through boyhood, youth and middle age, and at the risk of 

 being somewhat criticised therefor, we desire to suggest the following to the 

 oologists on our subscription list for their guidance at least in part iluring the 

 season of 1910, which is just opening. 



A collection of eggs should represent not merely an accumulation of speci- 

 mens, but more than all else, it should reflect the methods, habits and character 

 of the collector and the associations connected with its taking as well as the 

 scientific knowledge acquired in forming it. 



Too little attention has been paid for many years to the preparation of 

 specimens, and too much attention to the accumulation of a large amount of 

 material without regard to its preparation. It is far better to take few speci- 

 mens and prepare them neatly, accompanying them with full notes of the ob- 

 servations made at the time, rather than to gather a large amount of hetero- 

 geneous material in unscientific ways. Too little attention has been paid in the 

 past to the study and observation of our common species, and too much atten- 

 tion to gathering large series of their skins, nests and eggs. It is far better 

 to take a half dozen sets with nests and full data and observations of any one 

 of the more rare species than to accumulate large series of our more common 

 species. And it is much better to take a few well i)repared sets of the more 

 common species and splendidly made skins, accompanied with scientifically 

 correct data and information with relation thereto than to collect specimens by 

 the basket full. 



There is no market for birds eggs; the exchange demand for the common 

 species is long since over-supplied, both for eggs and skins. We would sug- 

 gest particularly to the younger oologists to take no specimens of birds eggs 

 for exchange purposes except those that are rare; for if you do. you will find 

 you have a lot of useless material and have causelessly sacrificed many of the 

 common birds. 



The Editor. 



