Birds. 7423 



me which most nearly approached them in size and colour ; thus, 

 though all the eggs the bird had laid had been removed, she was not 

 driven to abandon the nest, but induced to go on laying, so that there 

 was every probability of one's being able to obtain an additional num- 

 ber of specimens on a future visit, and also of having the opportunity 

 of clearing up any doubt about the species, if doubt upon the point 

 existed. This plan succeeded, and all went on well for a time, but 

 having upon one occasion placed the egg of a whitethroat in a reed 

 warbler's nest as a substitute for the one it previously contained, and 

 which I took possession of, it was destroyed the following night, like 

 the one already alluded to, by vermin, the consequence of which was 

 that the bird abandoned the spot without laying again. I now sub- 

 stituted models cut in chalk or freestone, and coloured for real eggs, 

 and these I have found to succeed admirably, as the bird will readily 

 lay to them and there is no danger of their being destroyed or even 

 removed by vermin. 



The nests of some species are situated in holes, from which it is often 

 difficult, and in some cases impossible, to obtain the eggs without the 

 aid of an instrument of some kind ; those I use are very simple in 

 construction, and I find them very effective. I will endeavour to 

 explain how they are made : 1 procure a piece of wire, of the size and 

 length 1 think necessary, and takiug hold of one end with a pair of 

 pliers, I coil it once round the point, which should be so small that 

 the diameter of the first coil may not exceed a quarter of an inch, if 

 the instrument is intended for small eggs ; I then, by shifting the 

 pliers as occasion requires, coil the wire round again with a wider 

 sweep than before, giving it a spiral direction, and then again with a 

 still wider sweep, then twice or thrice with a width of sweep about 

 the same as the last ; thus the bowl, as it may be termed, of your 

 instrument is formed, while the uncoiled portion of the wire, which 

 may be of any desired length, serves for the handle. For small 

 eggs, such as those of the wryneck, nuthatch, titmouse, &c., wire of 

 the size of a common knitting needle will be proper ; for large ones, 

 such as those of the tawny and barn owl, &c., much larger and stiffer 

 wire must be used ; and for those of an intermediate size, as the 

 starlings, green woodpeckers, &c., an intermediate sized wire will be 

 best. The dimensions of the bowl of your instrument must of course 

 be proportioned to the size of the egg it is intended for. 



The advantages attending instruments of this description are, 

 that you can make them without the least difficulty yourself ; they 

 can be made in a few seconds, and of any size, and they can 



