13 



AUTHENTICATION. 



The most complete method of authenticating eggs is that of 

 writing in ink on their shells, not only the name of the species 

 to which each belongs, but also, as far as the space will admit, 

 as many particulars relating to the amount of identification to 

 which the specimen was subjected, the locality where, date when, 

 and name of the person by whom they were taken, adding always 

 a reference to the journal or note-book of the collector, wherein 

 fuller details may be given. It is advisable to do this on some 

 regular system, and the following method is suggested as one 

 that has already been found to work well in practice. The sci- 

 eiitijic names only to be used, except with a mark of doubt or 

 within brackets, when the specimens have really heen satisfac- 

 torily identified; and if the identification has been made by 

 obtaining one or both of the parent birds, a memorandum of the 

 fact to be added, thus: "Both birds snared;" "Bird shot;" or, 

 in smaller space, "Bd. st." If the identification has been effected 

 only by obtaining a good view of the birds, the fact should be 

 stated thus : "Bird well seen," " Bird seen," or "Bd. sn.," as the 

 case may be. For eggs not taken by the collector himself, but 

 brought in by natives, or persons not having a scientific know- 

 ledge of ornithology, the local name or the name apj)lied by the 

 finder should only be used, unless indeed it requires interpreta- 

 tion, when the scientific name may be added, bnt ahvays within 

 brackets, thus: "Tooglee-aiah {Squotarola helvetica)-^'''' the ne- 

 cessary particulars relating to the capture and identification 

 being added. Eggs found by the collector, and not identified 

 by him, but the origin of which he has reason to think he knows, 

 may be inscribed with the common English name of the species 

 to which he refers them ; or if it has no such appellation, then 

 the scientific name may be used, but in that case always with a 

 note of interrogation (?) after it, or else the words "Not identi- 

 fied." If the collector prefers it, many of these particulars may 

 be inscribed symbolically or in short-hand, but never unless the 

 system used has previously been agreed upon with persons at 

 home, and it be known that they have a key to it. Each speci- 

 men should hear an inscription ; those from the same nest may 

 be inscribed identically; but different nests, especially of the 



