212 



THE OOLOGIST. 



dealers are usually made from some 

 standard say, for example, lluif Die 

 egg of the Robin is woitli tlui-e cents 

 and the Bald Eagle $5.00, the prices 

 given other species are made accord- 

 ing to their supply and demand when 

 compared with the two species last 

 mentioned. As a rule the prices given 

 in established dealers' lists 



are as near fail- and ac- 



curate as can be made and as the mo- 

 tives which induce oologists to make 

 their collections are either for pleasure, 

 J)asttiine, (ir study, and not for gain 

 from a financial standpoint, it is safe 

 tf) say that all exchanges with brother 

 collectors, should be made at (>ven 

 rates. Making exchanges with dealers, 

 however, is different. The dealer 

 handles specimens from a business 

 standpoint and with hiiu it is first a 

 question of "bread and butter," and 

 the " pleasure " part must take second 

 ])lace. As a rule dealers will take Avhat 

 duplicates, if desirable, a collector may 

 have and alloAv him one-half their 

 regular prices for them, paying the col- 

 lector in return Avith specimens at full 

 rates. At first thought, the collector 

 may think this is alloAving the dealer a 

 good commission for making the ex- 

 change, but it is really all that the 

 dealer can aflfoi'd t(j allow, except in 

 cases where he happens to be in need 

 of the species the collector offers, 

 and the collector Avants, or is Avilling 

 to take species Avhich (he dealers has a 

 surplus. In this case it is an accom- 

 modation to the dealer, as well as col- 

 lector and he Avill often alloAv full, or 

 special rates. Many of our best col- 

 lectors consider it more profitable and 

 satisfactory to exchange Avitli a reliaiile 

 flealer, than to make exchanges with a 

 Virge number of collectors. More es- 

 pecially is this, the case Avhen the col- 

 lector has a large number of specimens 

 f)f a single species and it Avould be nec- 

 e.s.sary to make exchanges Avith a doz- 

 en or more collectors, in order to d is - 



j pose of them, in cases like th s, th(> ad- 

 ditional exi)ense, risk and time, hardly 

 oft'sets the gain on rate. Both methods 

 of exchang(^ has its advantages, and if 

 the Avriter had a lot of du])]icates that 

 he desired to exchange for others, neAv 

 to his collection, he Avould make ex- 

 changes Avith both collector and dealer. 

 Large and valuable lots of fragile speci- 

 mens should ahvays be sent Ijy express, 

 as it is much safer. Express packages 

 should ahvays be sent i)repaid. 



NeA'er sliip a lot (if spet'imens to any- 

 one Avithout first making a bargain 

 Avith them. We have doubtless had 

 more unpleasantness occur, over thi>! 

 one failing on the part of our patrons, 

 than any other single thing. 



A dealer rarely Avants a lot of common 

 eggs at anj'^ price. He cannot aft'ord to 

 givelarge and Ioav j)riced sea bird eggs in 

 exchange, unless the collector is Avill- 

 ing to pay the postage both Avays. 

 Other than strictly first-class specimens 

 are rarely Avanted at any price. Many 

 species that a dealer has in stock, he can- 

 not give in exchange, unless special ar- 

 rangements are made to that effect. 

 Parties desiring to make exchanges, 

 should ahvays observe the following 

 hints, thereby preventing any possible 

 unpleasantness or delay: 



Write, stating jilainlj" Avhat j'ou have 

 to offer, and Avhat you desire in return, 

 should an exchange be arranged: — 



Pack carefully; remember you ship 

 your eggs at your risk. 



Mark your name aiul address on the 

 package; it is often impossible Avhen 

 the collector or dealer to Avhom you 

 send has a large correspondence to tell 

 AA'ho it is from if j^ou do not. 



Last, but not least: Send nothing 

 but sti'ictly Hrst-cla.ss specimens in ex- 

 change. Specinu^ns of any other quality 

 should be heavily discounted, or return- 

 ed at the sender's expense. 



Small exchanges amounting to le.'s 

 than $1.00, are rarely desired by a 

 dealer. 



