198 



OKNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 12-No. 12 



and so perfectly protected are they by the soft 

 cotton about them that we have not yet broken 

 an egg in this style of box, when only one 

 specimen occupied a space. 



It is not essential that the egg should com- 

 pletely fill the space, but when the agg is much 

 smaller than the space it is well to put a piece 

 of cotton over it to prevent too much play. 



The small boxes may be carried in your 

 pockets, or in a fish basket, which will also 

 serve to bring back nests. Large boxes, if sev- 

 eral are taken, can be strapped together, and 

 carried by hand or as a knapsack. 



We have found three sizes to answer for all 

 general collecting and later in the season the 

 largest will not be likely to be required. The 

 smallest box, which holds eighteen, will accom- 

 modate specimens the size of a Robin's egg or 

 smaller. In this size we have carried Hum- 

 mingbird's eggs on horseback, but a piece of 

 cotton had of course been placed over the eggs 

 to steady them and the lining was very soft, 

 new blanket having been used for this purpose. 



Boxes of this size should measure about six 

 and one-half inches long, by three and one-quar- 

 ter wide and one and one-half inches deep in- 

 side. 



The second size is spaced for eggs as large as 

 a Crow's, and in those partitions several small 

 eggs may, in case of emergency, be packed, if 

 cotton is wrapped about them to prevent their 

 knocking against each other. 



The largest size, excepting special ones for 

 Eagle's eggs, is carried only during the first 

 part of the season, or when collecting sea bird's 

 eggs. It is intended for the large Hawks, 

 Gulls, etc., and requires heavier packing on 

 the top and bottom as well as in the spaces. A 

 rubber band is useful to hold the cover closed. 



With this style of collecting box considerable 

 time is saved in the field, while the security en- 

 sured by their adoption should recommend them 

 to the use of all collectors. It is a deplorable fact 

 that more than fifteen per cent of the sets re- 

 ceived by us in exchange have been damaged 

 through careless packing and in nearly every 

 case the loss could have been avoided by ob- 

 serving some of the causes which have been 

 often noticed by writers. 



Cigar boxes make excellent shipiiing boxes if 

 they are strengthened by additional nails and 

 cross pieces, or elects, in each end and the mid- 

 dle. This prevents the lid from being crushed 

 in, and it is well to test the strength of a box 

 before packing by standing upon it with one 

 foot and if it will support your weight on top, 

 bottom, ends and sides it may be deemed safe 



to send through the mail. It is a mistaken idea 

 that tin boxes are suitable for shipping. If 

 you doubt this, pack a set of rare eggs in a 

 yeast powder can and test the side in the waj- 

 just mentioned for wooden boxes. 



Having prepared a strong and light box, 

 wrap each egg securely with cotton wadding 

 and roll up in a strip of tissue paper, fold in the 

 ends and tie the package with thread. If the 

 ends of the roll are twisted they occupy more 

 space and do not pack as conveniently. Upon 

 the paper, before wrapping, the name, number 

 or set mark may be written. 



Where the Nest Complement is Two 



Eggs, an Interval of More than 



a Day Elapses Between 



their being Laid. 



BY R. B. MCLAUGHLIN, STATESVILLE, N. C. 



In the August number of the O. and O. Mr. 

 J. Parker Norris, commenting editorially, ou 

 an article bj- Mr. Hoxie, says : " More mistakes 

 have been made by writers in the statement of 

 the number of eggs laid by certain species than 

 in any other branch." This recalls a statement 

 made in an article on the Hummingbird, by 

 Charles Wilkins Webber, the author of "Wild 

 Scenes and Song-birds," ''The Hunter Natural- 

 ist ," and I learn from a brief sketch, of '' Some 

 valuable contributions to Natural History." 

 Having described his finding a hummer's nest, 

 Webber, in the article in question, continues : — 

 " Having climbed up first, so as to show her, 

 my sister followed — the girls zised to climb like 

 squirrels, in Kentucky, in my young days! — 

 and many were the expressions of childish de- 

 light as she peei^ed over and saw these three 

 little eggs," etc. 



Is natural history benefited by such valuable 

 contributions as this? I thought it was settled 

 that the hummers lay but two eggs. I have ex- 

 amined hundreds, and I say hundreds because I 

 have examined that many of the nests of the 

 Ruby-throated (T", colubris) and have never 

 known more than two eggs in a set to occur. 

 I have also found a dozen or more nests con- 

 taining one egg each, in various stages of incu- 

 bation, but on several occasions found the 

 broken shell of the missing egg on the ground 

 beneath and believe the other wanting ones had 

 a history also. 



I am quite sure that the usual number is two 

 and do not believe the bird ever lays more, and 



