60 BIRDS'-NESTING . 



yet distinctly, there can be no other objection to 

 inditing all the circumstances of its discovery, than 

 that it needlessly defaces the specimen ; but in the 

 case of the smaller species it is simply impossible. 



Never having myself seen the third plan in prac- 

 tice, I can only leave it with each one of my 

 readers to choose whether it will serve his purpose. 

 It might be an excellent idea for the duplicates 

 of a large museum, since it is rapidly applied and 

 leaves the shell free for the ultimate owner to Avrite 

 upon if he chooses and Avhat he chooses ; but I should 

 think the many little three-cornered labels would 

 look very odd in a private collection, quite destroying 

 the beauty of the cabinet, which is something of 

 no little importance to the egg-fancier. The papers 

 would hide the small eggs, too, I fear. But the great 

 objection is, that in spite of the "wonderful adhesive 

 force" of coaguline or any other gum, some, if not 

 many of the labels, would be sure sooner or later to 

 come off, and then — where is your authenticity ? 



What is wanted is a system which shall be very 

 simple yet suitable for all sizesi and conditions of 

 eggs. To fill this want, pro])§^bly no method of 

 keeping records has been offered better than that 

 proposed in the succeeding paragraphs, which has 

 been used both in the United States and in Eno-land 

 with great satisfaction. 



