38 



THE OOLOGIST 



down from the surface in sandy soil, 

 composed of a few straws at tlie en- 

 larged end and sloping upward. Open- 

 ing 4x3 inches. Birds seen; eggs 

 dirty but fresh." 



Then we start home. Across the 

 fields we travel when suddenly from 

 under foot flutters a mass of feathers. 

 Finally it arises awing and floats 

 away. A Meadow Lark! Looking 

 down we see a tuft of grass with a 

 small opening in the side. Peering in, 

 five fresh eggs are disclosed and trans- 

 ferred, cotton wrapped, to our collect- 

 ing box. Then we sit down beside the 

 nest and enter in our note-book: 



"501 a-5. Nest on the ground in a 

 pasture, partially sunk into the ground 

 in the middle of a tuft of last year's 

 grass, arched over and lined with fined 

 grasses. Eggs fresh. Female flushed 

 from nest. Nest saved." 



Nest saved! Yes. But how? As 

 we are not far from our home we go 

 there, get another spade and a small 

 box 8 X 10 inches and three inches 

 deep. We carefully cut the sod around 

 the nest and under it to the same size 

 and depth as the box, being careful at 

 all times not to in the least disturb 

 the nest or grasses about it, and slip 

 the spade under it, setting the sod 

 with the nest into the box. All the 

 time we are handling the whole affair 

 most delicately, else we ruin it. And 

 if properly and carefully done, we have "' 

 preserved one of the very hardest khid 

 of specimens, — a ground sunken nest 

 amid vegetation. 



We then go home for the day with 

 four nests and four sets of eggs, hav- 

 ing picked up our Blue Bird's nest on 

 the way back. 



Having arrived home with a set of 

 5 Bluebirds, a set of 6 Phoebe, a set 

 of 7 Kingfisher and a set of 5 Meadow- 

 lark, the next thing is to prepare these 

 specimens in such a way that they 

 will last and make a desirable appear- 

 ance when placed in the cabinet. 



The first thing to do is to lay aside 

 each set of eggs separately on a cloth 

 or layer of cotton batting, something 

 that will prevent them from rolling; 

 then procure a basin of water, a 

 tumbler filled with water and the blow 

 pipes and drills we have before men- 

 tioned; sit down at a low table or on 

 a door step or some similar place, so 

 as to bring the basin above the object 

 you sit upon. 



We will commence now with the 

 preparation of the set of Blue Bird's 

 eggs. Picking up one of the speci- 

 mens, look it over carefully to see if 

 there are any stains or any foreign 

 matter on it which can not be re- 

 moved, and if there is, that is the side 

 we blow it on. First pierce the shell 

 with a fine pointed pin or needle, then 

 select the smallest of the drills, which 

 should be No. 0, carefully insert the 

 point of the drill in the hole left by 

 the needle, and holding the egg be- 

 tween the thumb and finger of the left 

 hand, with the larger end away from 

 you, and the second finger under the 

 smaller end of the egg slowly twirl 

 the drill back and forth with the 

 thumb and finger of the right hand, 

 gradually enlarging the oriface until 

 you have drilled clear into the egg. 

 If you have the right kind of a drill 

 the rear end of the burr part of the 

 drill will cut the lining as it enters the 

 egg. If it does not do this, it will be 

 necessary to draw the drill back until 

 the rear of the burr comes in contact 

 with the inner surface of the shell 

 at the hole made by the drill. A few 

 more twirls will then cut the lining. 

 Then withdraw the drill, turn the egg 

 over, still holding it between the 

 thumb and finger of the left hand, take 

 a small blow pipe and hold the point 

 of the same near the oriface of the 

 egg, turning the egg upside down over 

 the basin of water. Then blow 

 through the blow pipe and the air will 



