182 



THE OOLOGIST. 



my young readers, to let them know 

 how they can manage to see the 

 World's Fair at about $10 a week or 

 less. 



Many exhibits are just being placed 

 in shape and the best season to visit 

 the Fair is still to come. There are a 

 great many points I would like to dwell 

 upon, and -many exhibits I would be 

 pleased to describe, but there is yet 

 ample time for full descriptions and in 

 the following articles it will be our en- 

 deavor to refer to all points of interest 

 to ornithologists and oologists. 



Most of my readers are now at school 

 and will not attend the exposition un- 

 til the summer vacation, and therefore, 

 probably not until July or August. In 

 the mean time it is well to get a general 

 idea of what you are most anxious to 

 see, and in order to follow this out, it 

 is perhaps best after registering at your 

 .State Building to call at the exhibit of 

 F. H. Lattiu & Co. 



Special. 



Data Blanks- 



To the genuine student of oologj' a set 

 •of birds eggs without data is of about as 

 much value as so many marbles. The 

 well tilled data blank constitutes the 

 histoi'y of a set and upon its complete- 

 ness and correctness depends largely 

 the value of the specimens. A detailed 

 description of nest and nesting site adds 

 much to the value of specimens and to 

 this end data blanks having plenty of 

 room for description of nest should be 

 selected. 



B. O. Longyear, 

 Mason, 

 Mich. 



We call the attention of our readers 

 to the mistake in one of our ads. last 

 month. It read 'Eureka Silver Plating 

 ■Composure" and should have been 

 "Eureka Silver Plating Compound." 

 We would advise our friends to try it. 



A Few More Hints on Scientific Osteology - 



I have read with interest the two ar- 

 ticles on Osteology, which have been 

 published in the recent Oologists, and 

 think I can add a little to them. 



The latest writer seems to think it 

 vei*y important to allow the rough 

 skeleton to dry and then soak it till the 

 flesh is soft and then carefully pick 

 away the flesh. I have seen very good 

 specimens prepared by cleaning the 

 skeleton as carefully as possible, leav- 

 ing the sinews so as to hokl its joints, 

 and then allowing the skeleton to dry. 

 Then take the skeleton and hold it in 

 steam, escaping from some vessel con- 

 taining boihng water, for a few mom- 

 ents. Then the dry flesh can be scraped 

 away very easily and the sinews not in- 

 jured, as they differ in color and need 

 not be confused. 



Then the skeleton shouLl be soaked 

 in "jarveile water" (the compound of 

 chloride of lime and soda, mentioned 

 by the previous writer), then it can be 

 mounted, and if placed in strong sun- 

 light for a few days will bleach very 

 thoroughly. 



There are a few bones that the am- 

 ateur is likel}'^ to destroy or throw 

 away. At the joint of the wing coiTes- 

 ponding to the wrist joint is a small 

 spur or thumb. This should remain 

 attached to the bone. 



In the neck, at the base of the tongue, 

 there is a bone, the hyoid, which should 

 saved and attached in its proper posit- 

 ion, to the bleached skeleton. It is 

 roughly V shaped. 



The skulls of Owls and all large birds 

 should be handled carefully when being 

 cleaned so as not to crush the nasal 

 and other honey-combed bones. 



VV. C. Hall. 



[A skeleton can be cleaned much 

 quicker by aliovving flesh to dry on the 

 bones before scraping, as larger pieces 

 can be removed at a time. — Ost. Ed. 

 OF Oolugist.] 



