7192 Birds. 



culars relating to the amount of identification to which the specimen 

 was subjected, the locality where, date when, and name of the person 

 by whom they were taken, adding always a refei-ence to the journal or 

 note-book of the collector, wherein fuller details may be given. It is 

 advisable to do this on some regular system, and the following method 

 is suggested as one that has already been found to work well in prac- 

 tice. The scientific names only to be used, except with a mark of 

 doubt or within brackets, when the specimens have really been satis- 

 factorily identified ; and if the identification has been made by obtain- 

 ing one or both of the parent birds a memorandum of the fact to be 

 added, thus : " Both birds snared," " Bird shot," or in smaller space, 

 '* Bd. St." If the identification has been effected only by obtaining 

 a good view of the birds the fact should be stated thus : " Bird well 

 seen," Bird seen," or " Bd. sn.," as the case may be. For eggs not taken 

 by the collector himself, but brought in by natives, or persons not 

 having a scientific knowledge of Ornithology, the local name or the name 

 applied by the finder should only be used, unless, indeed, it requires 

 interpretation, when the scientific name may be added, but always 

 within brackets, thus : " Tooglee-aiah {Squatarola helveiica) ,^'' the 

 necessary particulars relating to the capture and identification being 

 added. Eggs found by the collector and not identified by him, but 

 the origin of which he has reason to think he knows; may be inscribed 

 with the common English name of the species to which he refers them ; 

 or if it has no such appellation then the scientific name may be used, 

 but in that case always with a note of interrogation (?) after it, or else 

 the words " Not identified." If the collector prefers it, many of these 

 particulars may be inscribed symbolically or in short hand, but never 

 unless the system used has previously been agreed upon with persons 

 at home, and it be known that they have a key to it. Each specimen 

 should bear an inscription ; those from the same nest may be 

 inscribed identically ; but different nests, especially of the same or 

 nearly allied species, should never be so marked that confusion can 

 possibly arise. It is desirable to mark temporarily with a pencil each 

 egg as it is obtained ; but the permanent inscription, which should 

 always be in ink, should be deferred until after the egg has been 

 emptied. The number terminating the inscription in all cases referring 

 to the entry in the collector's note-book, wherein full details will be 

 found, and the words or letters preceding the number serving to dis- 

 tinguish between different collectors, no two of whom ought to employ 

 the same. The initial letter of the collector's name prefixed to the 

 number will often be suflficient. 



