THE OOLOGIST. 



53 



elements are perhaps, equally difficult for you can find, so that in case you should 



some to understand. Most oolo<fists of the 

 present time, ropiidiate the idea of having 

 cracked or fraumentary specimens, but if 

 they are collecting simply for ornament and 

 the acquirement of specimens, this, perhaps, 

 is excusable. But our great naturalists 

 are also collecting for the acquirement of 

 specimens, but not that alone ; they are 

 often deliglited to possess even half a shell, 

 if it will add to previous information or de- 

 velop anything new, and such fragments 

 are cherished with more than the usual 

 care. These broken specimens often con- 

 tribute more upon the subject they repre- 

 sent, than scores of more ordinary ones. 

 The Smithsonian Institntion, Philadelphia 

 Academy of Sciences, Paris Museum, and 

 other I'amous scientilic institutions, possess 

 many rare fragmentary eggs, and it is 

 through these 

 that much in- 

 telligence has 

 been impart- 

 ed. 



Now, if an 

 amateur ob- 

 tains a rare 

 specimen, and 

 it is not per- 

 fect in each 

 and every re- 

 spect, it is 

 cast aside as 

 Avorthless, all 

 its history, 



wish to decide some disputed point, you 

 can refer to your notes. If you think such 

 specimens objectionable, and they are of 

 any rarity, forward them to some person or 

 institution interested, and in nine cases out 

 often, they will be gratified to receive them. 



FoT'etgTL (^trds. 



The Gray Call Duck. 





THE GRAY CALL DUCK. 



^'^HE Gray Call Duck, illustrated on 

 |) I this page, is a very diminutive bird, 

 ^ inhabiting the Oriental countries. It 

 possesses all the elegance of the Wood Duck, 

 being very much like it in habits. It is 

 commonly employed by sportsmen as decoy 



for other wild 

 species, on 

 account of its 

 loud, shrill 

 quacking. 

 The name of 

 Call Duck is 

 thus estab- 

 lished b e - 

 cause of the 

 continuan ce 

 and high tone 

 of its voice, 

 which may 

 be heard a 

 great d i s - 



Avhich might, upon investigation, prove of { tance upon the water. In outline and mark- 

 benefit, is lost. We can cite numbers of i ings, the description of the Mallard applies 



collectors, who, though much interested in 

 their work, if a broken Q^^g of the Vireo 

 Belli taken in Massachusetts, or Zontrich- 

 ia albicoUis from Florida, were presented 

 them, would not accept them ; and yet, were 

 those eggs taken in the localities mentioned, 

 they would equal in value a score of like 

 sound specimens, found in their native lo- 

 calities, to the true naturalist. 



Do not think thus of eggs in poor condi- 

 tion. Preserve them, and above all, in 

 colieetiug any specimens, obtain all the data 



very well to the present species, there being 

 little difference between them except in size, 

 the latter being but little over half as large 

 as the former. 



They are easily bred and domesticated, 

 and, li'^.e other varieties, soon become tame. 

 They are bred usnally for show purposes, 

 in which they take the position among 

 Ducks that the Bantam fowl does among 

 chickens. On the water they are extreme- 

 ly active, and make a beautiful appearance. 

 There is another species of this Duck called 



