On the Nesting of Birds in Wiltshire. 565 



the better specimens if they are selected separately, one from a 

 nest. But it is the indiscriminate glutton, who with senseless 

 recklessness destroys wholesale, his only object being to amass 

 great numbers of eggs on a string, amongst which he knows 

 no difference, pretends to no order or arrangement, and who 

 rejoices in quantity, without reference to variety. He it is who L c 

 such an enemy to the whole feathered race, and his plunderings 

 of eggs can only be characterized as heartless and selfish, and 

 denounced for their cruelty. But for him who desires to make a 

 collection of real value and interest, I offer a few remarks, and I 

 venture to lay down certain broad rules which should be rigidly 

 adhered to. 



1. First, let it be thoroughly understood and determined that 

 any egg, however handsome in appearance, rich in colour, and 

 strange to our experience, is perfectly useless as a specimen, and 

 to be ruthlessly ejected from the cabinet, unless it is certainly 

 identified and absolutely known to be that which it professes 

 to be. 



2. Let every egg admitted to the cabinet be prepared, first by 

 drilling a single hole on one side with an egg-drill ; then by 

 means of a small glass or metal tube, manufactured for the 

 purpose, blowing out the contents ; afterwards injecting a little 

 water, and rinsing out the interior, taking care to remove every 

 particle of the inner skin; and then injecting a very small 

 quantity of solution of corrosive sublimate. The egg wilt then be 

 safe from the ravages of mites. Mem. For very small and deli- 

 cate eggs the latter part of the treatment above described is 

 neither necessary nor advisable. 



3. Every egg prepared for the cabinet as above described 

 should at once be marked with ink on the shell near the drill- 

 hole, either with the name of the species, the date, and the locality 

 where taken, or else with a letter and number, referring to a 

 catalogue in which these details are given. 



4. Eggs so prepared and inscribed should on no account be 

 affixed to a card, but laid on a bed of cotton-wool in the cabinet, 

 each species in its own compartment, and all in systematic order ; 



