7190 Birds. 



2. Idenlijlcation. 



The most satisfactory, and often the simplest, way of identifying 

 the species to which a nest of eggs, when found, belongs, is to obtain 

 one of the parents by shooting, snaring or trapping. But it sometimes, 

 in practice, happens that this is found to be difficult from one cause 

 or another, such as the wary instincts of the birds, or the necessities 

 of his position compelling the traveller to lose no time, or the scarcity 

 of the species making him unwilling to destroy the individuals. In 

 any of these cases there is nothing to be done but to make as careful 

 an examination as circumstances w'xW admit of the precise situation of 

 the nest, the materials of which it is composed (supposing that the 

 collector cannot bring it away with him), and accurately to survey 

 the surrounding locality, to observe by what species it is frequented ; 

 all the particulars of which examination and survey should be fully 

 noted down at the earliest opportunity possible. Should, however, 

 either or both the birds be killed, they should be skinned, or at least 

 some characteristic part of each preserved,* and duly labelled to cor- 

 respond with the inscriptions subsequently put on the eggs, and always 

 with a reference to the collectors journal or note-book, wherein fuller 

 details may be found. 



The oologist is especially warned not to be misled by the mere fact 

 of seeing birds around or near the nests. Many of the crow family 

 {CorvidcB) are great eaters of eggs, and mistakes are known to have 

 originated from birds of that kind being seen near nests of which they 

 were certainly not the owners. Others, such as the titmice {Parid<se), 

 though not plunderers, obtain their food by incessantly seeking it, 

 even in the very localities where many species build. It often happens, 

 also, that two different birds have their nests situated very close to 

 one another ; and if they be allied species the collector may be easily 

 deceived. Thus, it has come to the writer's knowledge that the dun- 

 lin {Tringa alpina) and the purple sandpiper {Tringa maritima) have 

 have had their nests only a ^ew feet apart. At first a pair of the latter 

 only were seen, which by their actions betrayed their uneasiness. A 

 short search discovered a nest with four eggs. The observer was one 

 of the best practical oologists then living, and his eye at once saw 



* Birds may be preserved entire by simply pouring (through a small funnel) a few 

 drops of pyroligneous acid down their throats, and saturating the feathers, especially 

 about the vent, with the same fluid ; after leaving them to dry for an hour or so, they 

 may be wrapped in paper and packed. This fact was kindly communicated to me by 

 Mr. John Hancock, and I have since made successful trial of the plan. 



