ORNITHOLOGICAL OBJECTS. 367 



collection, and which should be headed in the following 

 manner. 



The first column of your note-book will contain your 

 own number, progressive of course ; the second will 

 contain the number attached to the species on the 

 printed list of birds you adopt for reference ; the third 

 will contain the name of the species ; the fourth the date 

 on which it was collected ; the fifth the locality in which 

 it was taken ; the sixth the name of the collector; the 

 seventh the situation of the nest ; and the eighth should 

 be set apart for any general remarks of importance. 

 The collector can abolish a part of these columns, and 

 simply retain the first two, and put the remainder of 

 the matter in one general column. The former mode, 

 however, I consider to have the preference, although 

 certainly more elaborate, for the several items of interest 

 can be reviewed at a glance. 



Now as to the egg itself. With a pen and ink proceed 

 to mark on the shell, as neatly as possible, the catalogue 

 number and your own -private number, placing the 

 former just over the hole in the side of the egg, and the 

 latter beneath it, on the other side of the hole near the 

 small end of the egg. Of course eggs of the same clutch 

 will be numbered alike. These numbers, if done well, 

 will look very neat, and are far preferable to labels, which 

 are always liable to get rubbed off or become soiled and 

 dirty. The side of the egg containing the hole and the 

 reference numbers is turned downwards in the cabinet, 

 and what appears to be a perfect egg is exposed to view. 

 The simplicity and utility of this method of arranging 

 your specimens enable you to obtain easy reference to 

 them, and of course enhances their value. 



I scarcely need impress upon the collector the 

 desirability of thoroughly authenticating his specimens, 



