236 MR J. B. DOBBIE ON 
cises a compatriot who insists upon the relationship. It is 
clear, therefore, that as yet all attempts—no matter on 
what grounds they have been based—to formulate a satis- 
factory classification of birds have signally failed. I am far 
from saying that it is possible to create order out of chaos 
by means of oology alone, for that is impossible; but I do 
say, with Professor Newton, that it is absolutely necessary 
to take oology into account when investigating the classifi- 
cation of birds; and with Dr Rey, that any attempt to 
establish a system of classification without the aid of oology 
is a certain sign that its author is not abreast of the present 
advanced state of science. 
It seems to me, therefore, that few subjects offer so pro- 
mising a field to the serious and inquiring student of 
Natural History as Oology. The fact that, for purposes of 
research, possession of, or complete access to a large collec- 
tion is absolutely indispensable, may possibly prove dis- 
couraging to the beginner. For all attempts at systemato- 
logy based upon small or incomprehensive collections—e.7., 
upon a collection of eggs of British birds—must, though 
never so ably made, result in failure. But while its import- 
ance as a guide to the systematologist may justly be regarded 
as the chief inducement to its study, oology presents 
to the biologist numerous difficult and complex problems. 
Some few years ago, an educational collection of birds’ eggs 
was placed in the South Kensington Museum by the autho- 
rities there; and with the object I have in view, I do not 
think I could do better than give a sketch of its plan. The 
series has been divided into six sections: (1) Structure ; 
(2) Number; (3) Form; (4) Size; (5) Texture of Surface ; 
and (6) Colour; and each of these distinctions has been so 
admirably arranged that no visitor can fail to recognise the 
points to which attention is called. 
1. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SHELL. 
This is, in the main, a matter more for the consideration 
of the embryologist and the chemist than for the oologist. 
Professor Sorby has, by means of the spectroscope, discovered 
