6 THE AMERICAN OOLOGISTS' 



INTRODUCTION 



BIRDS' EGGS 

 ALWAYS COLLECTED FOR STUDY AND BEAUTY 



Since the earliest activities of man of which we have any reliable historic 

 record, the wonders and mysteries of nature have appealed to the greatest 

 minds among men. Artists have painted, poets have sung, and scientists have 

 written of the marvels which surround us on every hand Collectors in all fields 

 of natural history research have gathered together accumulations of the objects 

 of nature; for study, comparison, and exhibition. Perhaps the most marvelous 

 of nature's mysteries relate to the reproduction of animate life. And one of 

 the methods employed by nature, is to wrap the life spark of the family of Aves, 

 (Birds) up within a hard partially porous shell composed largely of lime, with a 

 generous supply of food for the young bird; and to cause this life spark to germi- 

 nate during a period of incubation, which varies in length with different birds, 

 during which in most cases, the egg is kept warm by the mother bird sitting on 

 it. At the end of this period of incubation the young bird hatches, that is breaks 

 out of the shell. 



The size, shape, color, markings and texture of the shells of birds' eggs is of 

 infinite variety, and their beauty is proverbial. These facts early attracted the 

 students of nature. Being easy to preserve these shells when properly pre- 

 pared, lasting for an almost endless time, if properly protected, and presenting 

 in the collector's cabinets a beautiful sight, birds' eggs early attracted the col- 

 lectors of natural history specimens. 



CATALOGUES 



In the course of time those collecting in different parts of the country com- 

 menced to exchange specimens with each other, and in time some persons began 

 to deal commercially in eggs, or rather the shells of eggs, and it became the 

 custom of such dealers to issue catalogues or price lists. Most of these were in- 

 spired by arranging the prices so as to get the most profit for the dealers. At 

 times lists were issued for the purpose of equalizing the prices of specimens 

 from the different parts of the country. Still others were issued apparently for 

 the purpose of giving one part of the country an advantage over other parts in 

 the matter of prices. Various concerns issued their lists in times past. F. T. 

 Pember of Granville, N. Y., in 1885. F. H. Lattin of Gaines, N. Y , in 1884. 

 E. H. Short of Albion, N. Y., in 1892 and 1905. Southwick & Jenks of Provi- 

 dence, R. I.; Chas. J. Maynard, of Boston; F. B. Webster & Co., of Hvde Park, 

 Mass., issued lists at various times; and Harry R. Taylor of Almeda, Calif., in 

 1907, issued the last general American price list. All of these lists gradually 

 became obsolete. 



The last generally accepted revision of prices for North American Birds' 

 Eggs was in 1905, though an alleged revision in 1915 was advertised, and a few 

 copies sold under misleading advertisements, but it was never received or ac- 

 cepted by the body of American Oologists as anything but a miscarriage. 



The need of a" general overhauling of Exchange prices become imperative. 

 Years had passed and birds once common have become scarce, and in some in- 

 stances extinct Many birds whose nesting places were unknown a few years 

 ago, have been discovered in their summer homes. Others whose breeding wa^ 

 in d'istant lands, or little known places, have been brought into closer touch with 

 the collector, by the railway, the motor vehicle and the penetration of far away 

 places by steam and motor boat. 



Many eggs formerly very rare because the owners nested in distant places 

 have become common, because the settlers have occupied their home territory, 

 and brought them in common contact with the collector This great change has 

 worked both ways, enchancing the value of some specimene and markedly de- 

 creasing the value of others 



