a few very rare or vanishing species. These matters are wisely regulated by the 

 State, and lately by the Federal Government, and we do not apprehend any 

 further trouble along this line. But in regard to the loss occasioned by the general 

 collecting of birds' eggs for scientific purposes, I have to say, very emphatically, 

 that the danger is enormously exaggerated in the minds of the uninformed. In 

 fact, if regard be had only to scientific institutions, the danger does not exist. 



The misapprehension, which does exist, ensues from the underestimation 

 of three important factors: 



First, the enormous abundance of bird-life; 



Second, the enormous levy which the world of breeding birds is fitted to 

 bear, and does bear in the ordinary course of nature, apart from human agency; 

 and, 



Third (really a restatement of the second), the enormous fecundity of 

 birds, and especially of the smaller species. The casual observer has no concep- 

 tion of the aggregate number of breeding birds of the smaller species. Santa 

 Barbara is not especially favored in this regard, yet I venture to assert that no 

 less than a quarter of a million birds of all species breed within the seven-mile 

 limit already referred to. The annual requisition made in this home area by 

 the M. C. O. is not over one hundred nests, all immediately replacable, as we 

 shall presently see. 



The breeding cycle of the birds is geared up to stand a heavy strain. It 

 is annually subjected to a toll so vast that the peculations of the oologist do not 

 and cannot seriously figure. To take a single illustration, that of the California 

 Jay. It has been estimated that the aggregate annual destruction of bird's 

 eggs chargeable to this species alone, within California, amounts to 29,000,000 

 sets, or clutches. I believe these figures are way within the mark. When to 

 this is added the destruction occasioned by Cooper Hawks, owls (of certain 

 species only), cats, foxes, coyotes, weasels, chipmunks and snakes, the imagina- 

 tion is fairly staggered. Yet so far as all these adverse influences are concerned, 

 the bird-world pays the price cheerfully through the provision of an additional 

 number of eggs and through repeated nestings. 



This last point is of the utmost importance. The inference of our critic 

 that a bird's hopes are done for because its nest is robbed, is utterly unwarranted 

 by the facts. Birds, all birds, except some of the largest and rarest species, when 

 their nests are robbed immediately set about building another. The smaller 

 species accomplish this within an incredibly short space of time, sometimes as 

 little as six days. The average "recovery time " as we call it, for all passerine 

 birds, is eleven days. Ponder that, please. A linnet whose nest is taken today, 

 will have another nest with a full complement of eggs eleven days later. Even 

 larger birds are subject to the same law. A typical instance has just come to 

 hand. The instance is vouched for by two well-known collectors at Sespe, whose 

 names I can give. A Barn Owl's nest was found which contained nine eggs. 

 As this was a good number, the set was taken; and, for experiment's sake, six 

 successive sets of nine eggs each were taken from that same pair of birds using 

 the same nesting hole in that one season. The seventh set, of nine eggs, was 

 left, and the birds hatched and reared this brood successfully. The net result, 

 so far as the birds were concerned, was precisely the same as if the birds had 

 never been touched. The birds had made their annual contribution toward the 

 maintenance of the species. 



Now conscientious collectors do not make a practice of taking second 

 sets, save in rare instances and then only to accomplish definite purposes, as to 

 carry out constancy and variation studies. The net annual effect upon the 

 status of bird life as the result of our operations is almost infinitesimal. The 

 loss is made good. 



Of the benefits derived by science from our studies, there is not space 

 to speak here. We can only assure our fair critic that there are very substantial 

 benefits; and that we are privileged to afford pleasure and legitimate mental 

 satisfaction to some thousands of visitors whose appreciation of our work is un- 

 qualified. Our pursuit is just as legitimate as a scientific investigation of poultry 



