DIRECTIONS FOR COLLECTING BIRDS. 



By Egbert Kidgway, 

 Curator of the Deimrlment of Birds, U. S. National Museum. 



§ 1. GENERAL REMAEKS. 



The general principle to be observed in making collections of natural 

 history, especially in a country but little explored, is to gather all the 

 species which may present themselves, subject to the convenience of 

 the collector or j^racticability of transportation. The number of speci- 

 mens of each species to be secured should, of course, include all the 

 varieties of form or condition caused by the different features of age, 

 sex, or season, and also show, within reasonable limits the range of 

 individual variation. 



As the object of the Institution in making its collections is not merely 

 to possess the different species, but to determine their geographical dis- 

 tribution and variation, their migrations, and other matters of scien- 

 tific interest, it becomes important to have as full series as practicable 

 from each locality. In commencing such collections, the commonest 

 species should be secured first, as being most characteristic, and least 

 likely to be found elsewhere, and even the commonest should be taken 

 while they are to be had, since they may totally disappear when least 

 expected. It is a fact well known in the history of museums, that the 

 species which from their abundance would be first exi)ected are the last 

 to be received. 



In every little known region the species which are the commonest are 

 rarest elsewhere, and many an unscientific collector in Texas, Mexico, 

 the Rocky Mountains, Alaska, etc., has been surprised to find what 

 he considered the least valuable species in his collection (owing to the 

 ease with which they had been obtained in numbers) more prized by the 

 naturalist than the rarities, which were in fact only well-known strag- 

 glers from more accessible localities. 



The first specimen procured, however imperfect, should be preserved, 

 at least until a better can be obtained. 



Where a small proportion only of the specimens collected can be trans- 

 ported, such species should be selected as are least likely to be procured 

 in other localities or on other occasions. 

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