[9] COLLECTING BIRDS' EGGS AND NESTS — BENDIRE. 



Nest diameter, outside, inches ; inside, inches. 



Nest depth, outside, inches; inside, inches. 



Nest composed of . 



Situation of nest — '■ . 



No. of parent . Collector . 



On a blank of this size, everything of interest can be readily noted, 

 using the reverse side also, if more space for details is required. 



A small printed blank (those used in the U. 8. Nat. Museum collection 

 measure 2^ by 1| inches, but can be made still smaller if desired) should 

 also be kept with each set of eggs in addition to the above. 



This should give the following information : 



Oological collection of . 



Current No. . Set No. 



Scientific name . 



Collector . Date 



The marks on both blanks should correspond with those ou the set 

 of eggs in question. 



Aside from keeping the data previously mentioned, it is well to keep 

 a regular record book with an index, in which to note down anything 

 of interest relating to every species observed, such as, in the case of 

 migrants, the dates of their first arrival in the spring, the date when 

 last seen in the fall, the localities most frequented by each species, their 

 various call notes, notes of alarm, and song, the contents of the stomachs 

 of such specimens as are shot, and their relative abundance, in fact every- 

 thing of general interest. Field notes should be written on one side of 

 the paper only. Unblown eggs, a part of whose shells have been in- 

 dented, may be restored to their natural shape by first drilling a hole on 

 the same side of the eg^, where the injury is located, but a little distance 

 away from this if possible. Then insert the blowpipe in the hole and 

 force air gently in the egg; as soon as the indentation has disappeared 

 and the shell has taken its natural shape, take a camel's hair brush 

 dipped in collodion and cover the injured surface of the egg with a small 

 quantity, place the specimen away until the collodion has hardened, 

 then finish blowing it. Eggs which have been cracked before blowing, 

 or during the process, may be treated in the same manner, as well as 

 broken specimens. 



The best way to collect and preserve nests is not to detacu or lift 

 them from their immediate surroundings, but to leave them in their 

 natural positions, cutting oft the branches, if placed in a tree or shrub, a 

 coupleof inches or more above and below the nest. In. this way they can 

 be much better preserved in their original shape and are less liable to 

 injury. Nests of the ground-building species should have a thin section 

 of the sod on which they are placed taken up and preserved with them. 

 The inner cavity of each nest should be filled with a ball of soft paper, 

 old newspapers answer the purpose very well, or old cotton wrapped 

 in tissue paper and tied in place. This assists m^iterially in preserving 



