REARING ANIMALS AND MAKING COLLECTIONS 469 



demands much more room and more expensive cabinets 

 than one of skins. For instructions for the mounting of 

 birds see Davie's " Methods in the Art of Taxidermy," 

 pp. 39-57; or Hornaday's <4 Taxidermy and Zoological 

 Collecting." For a more detailed account of making 

 bird-skins, see also these books, or Ridgway's " Direc- 

 tions for Collecting Birds. ' ' 



In collecting birds' nests cut off the branch or branches 

 on which the nest is placed a few inches above and below 

 the nest, leaving it in its natural position. Ground-nests 

 should have the section of the sod on which they are 

 placed taken up and preserved with them. If the inner 

 lining of the nest consists of feathers or fur put in a 

 " moth-ball " (naphthaline). 



To preserve birds' eggs they should be emptied through 

 a single small hole on one side by blowing. Prick a 

 hole with a needle and enlarge with an egg-drill (obtain 

 of dealers in naturalists' supplies, see p. 453.) Blow with 

 a simple bent blowpipe with point smaller than the hole. 

 After removing contents clean by blowing in a little 

 water, and blowing it out again. After cleaning, place 

 the egg, hole downward, on a layer of corn-meal to dry. 

 Label each egg by writing on it near the hole a number. 

 Use a soft pencil for writing. This number should refer 

 to a record (book) under similar number, or to an ' * egg- 

 blank," containing the following data: name of bird, 

 number of eggs in set, date and locality, name of col- 

 lector, and any special information about the eggs or nest 

 which the collector may think advisable. The eggs may 

 be kept in drawers or boxes lined with cotton, and di- 

 vided into little compartments. 



For detailed directions for collecting and preserving 

 birds' eggs and nests, see Bendire's " Directions for Col- 

 lecting, Preparing, and Preserving Birds' Eggs and 



