46 



THE OOLOGIST 



the personality of the man indicative 

 of that innate sense of the fitness of 

 things. Else why the sincere respect 

 he pays to Oology by his infinite care 

 and painstaking preparation? 



We have come to recognize three 

 fundamental principles for thorough 

 and consistent care of Oological speci- 

 mens: First, proper equipment for 

 field work; second, patience, care and 

 practice in both the removal of shell 

 contents and inscription on shells for 

 identification; third, prompt cabinet 

 disposal. 



About February 15th of each year 

 is commenced a thorough renovating 

 of all our collecting paraphernalia, 

 which, no doubt, consists of the same 

 working equipment that is in general 

 use. The following however, may be a 

 slight departure and contain a sugges- 

 tion for overhanging cliff work. A 

 four strand self-locking block, and 

 tackle of three-eighth inch Sampson 

 spot cord fastened to the end of a 

 heavy anchor rope and dropped over 

 the cliff to the desired height. A can- 

 vas seat swung below the lower block 

 a sufficient distance to allow a strap 

 around the body just under the arms 

 and fastened to the block, gives per- 

 fect freedom to both arms. One only 

 hoists about one-quarter of his weight 

 and whenever the hoisting strand is 

 released the block automatically locks. 

 With the aid of a jointed fishing pole 

 at the end of which is attached a 

 heavy cloth bag, the mouth of which 

 is held in shape by a circular wire 

 and provided with a thin puckering 

 flap operated from the handle by a 

 line; the bag inverted placed over the 

 egg, the puckering line drawn taut 

 slipping the egg up into the bag en- 

 ables the collecting of many specimens 

 otherwise impossible. 



The conditions under which we col- 

 lect probably have much to do with the 

 methods we have adopted. Few of 



our trips are less than twenty miles 

 distant and many are eighty to ninety 

 miles and remote from water or habi- 

 tation. It is partially this no water 

 question for the proper rinsing out and 

 cleaning of shells that has brought us 

 to the carrying home of all specimens 

 for preparation. Then, too, we feel 

 that better and quicker work can be 

 accomplished when one may avail 

 themselves of every possible conven- 

 ience. Hill, cliff and tree climbing, or 

 even moderate exercise keeps up a 

 blood circulation that is certainly not 

 conducive to the steady hand neces- 

 sary for operating on small and deli- 

 cate specimens. 



It is to Mr. H. W. Carriger we here 

 owe a word of thanks for a safe means 

 of specimen transportation, in the na- 

 ture of a collecting box. Just how 

 clearly we interpreted Mr. Carriger's 

 written explanation and description of 

 his box, we are not sure; but the cut 

 here (Fig. 1) shows a box that may be 

 depenbed upon for most rough treat- 

 ment with positive assurance that its 

 contents are perfectly safe. Each 

 half of this box is filled with remov- 

 able tubular compartments made by 

 cutting into proper lengths exception- 

 ally heavy mailing tube which are 

 lined with perfectly fitting sacks of 

 the best grade of eider down cloth 

 glued to the tubes one-third of the way 

 from the top leaving the other two- 

 thirds free and swinging like a cradle. 

 Thus when unpacking eggs, the tubes 

 may be removed one at a time and a 

 slight pressure into the cradle end 

 pushes the egg out. It does not re- 

 quire a very large assortment of tube 

 sizes to accommodate all eggs from 

 the largest to the smallest. Large 

 and medium sized eggs are placed one 

 in a tube, whereas smaller eggs may 

 be packed several in a tube with a lay- 

 er of cotton between. The box should 

 be made so that both inside dimen- 



