30 



THE OOLOQI8T 



Most collectors keep satisfactory 

 data on the sets they take because 

 data blanks with spaces for most of 

 the necessary notes are in common 

 use, but many fail to keep notes on 

 the nests from which they do not take 

 eggs. I find that the sets collected 

 for a very small percentage of the 

 number which I find and examine dur- 

 ing the season and I have made it a 

 practice to rule papers with blank 

 spaces to keep a record of every nest 

 found. When these are afterwards 

 filled out they show at a glance, (in 

 the order named), the date; name of 

 bird; condition of the nest when found 

 or the number of eggs, if any; lo- 

 cality; date of collection, if the set 

 was taken; number of eggs; incuba- 

 tion; location of nest; and last, under 

 a column for remarks, such items as 

 general character of country, materials 

 of which the nest is made, distance 

 from nearest water supply, amount of 

 shade, or kind of vegetation in the im- 

 mediate vicinity of the nest. 



It may seem tliat keeping such a 

 list is a' formidable task but if you pre- 

 pare your blank forms in advance it is 

 a very simple matter to fill them out 

 in the field as each nest is found, and 

 your data then will be much more 

 complete than if you depend on your 

 memory, if only for the reason that 

 you do not notice things clearly until 

 you try to describe them. 



When you find a nest before the 

 complete clutch has been deposited in 

 it do not handle either eggs or nest, 

 but after glancing into it immediately 

 leave the spot without disturbing the 

 nest or its surroundings, for some 

 birds will desert their nest if even 

 slightly disturbed. If the nest is in 

 grass or bushes where it may be diffi- 

 cult to find it again, especially of in 

 rank vegetation where a few days 

 growth may change the general ap- 

 pearance of the spot, it is well to mark 



in your note-book very carefully the 

 distance and direction from the near- 

 est prominent landmark. I also usual- 

 ly break a limb on a tree or bush when 

 possible at a distance of ten or fifteen 

 feet from the nest, leaving the broken 

 branch hanging downward. When you 

 visit the place again the wilted leaves 

 make a mark easily found. Some col- 

 lectors tie a piece of cotton batting on 

 a twig near a nest to mark the spot 

 when possible, but if you are on 

 ground where any other collectors are 

 liable to roam you may find out later 

 that this habit simply makes easy 

 work for the other fellow and some of 

 your rare sets may be missing. A 

 small broken branch is not nearly so 

 liable to attract the attention of 

 others, and even if it did if they 

 found no nest at the spot they would 

 seldom look farther 



Bear in mind tliat sometimes a dog 

 or a fox will follow a man's trail 

 thiough the woods, and for this reason 

 if you are watching a nest on or near 

 the ground it is well not to visit it too 

 frequently and to go no nearer than is 

 necessary to see the contents when 

 you do. 



Remember that in years past profes- 

 sional "egg hogs" have done much to 

 bring our favorite study into disrepute, 

 and do not take any more sets than 

 you actually need. This is in no way 

 intended as a reflection on any man 

 who collects a large series of any 

 species concerning which he is mak- 

 ing a special study and for which he 

 needs specimens for comparative 

 work, but the average student does not 

 need a large number of sets of the 

 same species, and to collect either 

 eggs or birds in excess of your legiti- 

 mate needs is not only useless but a 

 criminal waste of our national re- 

 sources, and will bring you nothing 

 but censure from every naturalist who 

 finds it out. 



