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INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING, PREPARING, AND PRESERV- 
ING BIRDS’ EGGS AND NESTS. 
By CHARLES BENDIRE, 
Honorary Curator of the Department of Oélogy. 
In making a collection of nests and eggs, it _s of the utmost impor- 
tance that the identification of all specimens taken should be absolutely 
correet. The only sure way to accomplish this is to secure the parent at 
the same time. This should at least be done with all the less known and 
rarer birds, and continued until the collector is thoroughly familiar with 
the breeding habits, nesting sites, and eggs of the species in question. 
Unless the would-be collector intends to make an especial study of 
odlogy and has a higher aim than the mere desire to take and accu- 
mulate as large a number of specimens as possible regardless of their 
proper identification, he had better not begin at all, but leavethe nests 
and eggs of our birds alone and undisturbed. They already have too 
many enemies to contend with, without adding the average egg-collec- 
tor to the number. The mere accumulation of specimens is the least 
important object of the true odlogist. His principal aim should be to 
make careful observations on the habits, call notes, song, the character 
of the food, mede and length of incubation, and the actions of the species 
generally from the beginning of the mating season to the time the young 
are able to leave the nest. This period comprises the most interesting 
aud instructive part of the life history of our birds. 
Do not start in with the idea that because a certain species may be 
common with you everything must consequently already be known 
about it, and that your observations would be useless. Rest assured 
that some new and interesting fact can still be learned by the observant 
odlogist about even our commonest birds. 
A small, thoroughly identified, well prepared, and neatly cared for 
collection, even if only a local one, is worth far more scientifically and 
*n every other way than a more extensive one obtained by exchange or 
purchase. One of the most important matters is the preparation of 
tue specimens. Eggs, when first taken and before blowing them, should 
as far as practicable have all stains and dirt on the shells wiped or 
washed off. Care must be taken, however, not to scrub the shell too 
much or too hard, as such treatment may result in breaking the speci- 
men or injury to the coloring matter, which in many species is not 
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