Feb. 1886.] 
AND OOLOGIST. 19 


number, as in the case of the Wild Turkey, the 
Virginian Quail, the Ruffed Grouse, and many 
others.” 
This is very true, and accounts for the dispro- 
portionate size of the eggs of all Plovers, Snipe, 
and others of the Limicolw order; but what ex- 
planation is to be given of the general rule that 
the smaller the bird the greater is the number of 
its eggs? The notable exception of the Hum- 
mingbirds will at once occur to every one which 
only lay two eggs; but Titmice and Chickadees, 
(Paride), the Nuthatches, (Sittid@), the Wrens, 
(Troglodytide,) etc., carry out the general truth of 
this assertion. One would naturally suppose that 
large and powerful birds, like many of the Rup- 
tores are, would raise and provide for a numerous 
family, but such is by no means the case. The 
rule stated above as to the relative size of the 
bird to the number of its eggs, holds good as to 
them also. When one finds a big Red-tailed 
Hawk (Buteo borealis,) sitting on its two or three 
eggs one cannot help wondering why it is that 
their number is so few, when the little House 
Wren, (Tvroglodytes wdon), is not contented with 
less than three times the number? Certainly the 
hawk could better provide for seven or eight 
young ones than the wren. Why is it that the 
hawk often lays only two eggs? 

The Proper Arrangement of a Col- 
lection of Eggs. 
This is a subject which has probably caused 
many of the readers of THE ORNITHOLOGIST 
AND OoLoGist considerable thought, and about 
which there is much diversity of opinion. That 
eggs are best kept in closely fitting drawers, away 
from the light, every one will admit, but whether 
the drawers should be divided by wooden parti- 
tions or not is a much debated subject. Some 
collectors advise that the spaces made by the 
wooden partitions should be filled with cotton, 
and others with grated cork or sawdust. The 
two latter are objectionable on account of their 
weight in large quantities, and also because they 
will find their way into the eggs through the 
holes by which they are blown. Therefore if the 
drawers are divided by wooden partitions the 
spaces had better be filled with raw cotton, and 
enough should be put in to bring the eggs near 
the top of the drawer. The great disadvantage 
in this method of arranging a collection, however, 
is the danger and trouble occasioned by the fre- 
quent moving of the sets of eggs, (if not kept in 
the original nests), which is necessitated by the 
constant acquisition of new clutches or new spe- 
cies. It is true that it has often been attempted 
to avoid this moving of eggs by leaving empty 
spaces for the new acquisitions, but apart from 
the bad effect produced by this plan, it will be 
found ineffectual. No one can calculate in ad- 
ance just what space he will require to meet the 
needs of a growing collection. 
The writer therefore strongly advocates the 
employment of paste-board trays to hold the 
eggs in the drawers—one for each set. They 
should all be of a uniform height—and half an 
inch has been found to answer admirably for all 
eggs from the smallest to the largest—but can be 
made of a sufficient variety of sizes to accommo- 
date their contents. Here one of their greatest 
advantages is at once apparent—they waste no 
room. <A drawer with the eggs arranged in trays 
will hold two or three times the number of sets 
that can be accommodated in one that is divi- 
ded by wooden partitions. Then, too, consider 
the ease with which the trays can be shifted from 
place to place in the drawer as the collection in- 
creases in size, and also from drawer to drawer. 
One who has once employed trays would never 
be willing to go back to partitions. 
The trays should have a pieee of sheet raw cot- 
ton (very thin) cut the exact size of the bottom. 
This will keep all but large eggs from rolling 
about when the drawer is moved, and in the case 
of large ones, fluffs of raw cotton put between 
the eggs will keep them in position. Underneath 
the raw cotton on the bottom of the tray should 
be placed a small paper label, or data blank, 
about 1.85 by .85, on which the data can be 
copied—using the back of the label for the name 
of the species, details as to nest, etc. The origi- 
nal data are generally too large to put in the tray 
with the eggs, and are conveniently kept in a box 
by themselves, arranged in their proper order, 
(by numbers) and thus can be easily referred to. 
It is not advisable to keep the nests in the 
drawers with the eggs, because many of them are 
infested with insects or their larvee ; and no sat- 
isfactory way of ridding them of these pests has 
been discovered. Let them be kept in a cabinet 
by themselves. 
Strips of wood, half an inch square, and long 
enough to extend from the front to the back of 
the drawers, will be found convenient for keep- 
ing the trays in line; and printed labels contain- 
ing the name of the species can be pasted on 
small blocks of wood, having the front bevelled 
at the top. The latter will be found very conve- 
nient to label the collection, and are easily moved 
from place to place. 
The depth and size of the drawers are of 
course matters of taste, bnt a uniform depth (out- 
side measurement) of four inches, and a width 
