24 



FIELD OBNITHOLOOY. 



face of a label ; the rest are commonly written on the back. Labels should be of light card- 

 board, or very stiff writing paper; they may be dressed attractively, as fiincy suggests; the 

 general items of a large number of specimens are best printed ; the special ones nmst of course 

 be written. Shape is immaterial; small "cards" or "ticltets" are preferred by some, and 

 certainly looli very well when neatly appointed ; but I think, on the whole, that a shape 

 answering the idea of a " slip" rather tliau a " ticket" is most eligible. A slip about three 

 inches long and two thirds of an inch wide will do very well for anything, from a hawk to a 

 Immrning-bird. Something lilce tlie " shipping tag" used by merchants is excellent, particu- 

 larly for larger objects. It seems most natural to attach the string to the left-hand end. The 

 slip should be tied so as to swing just clear of the bird's legs, but not luosc enough to dangle 

 several inches, Sir in that case tlie labels are continually tangling with each other wdien the 

 birds are laid away in drawers. The following diagrams show the face and back of the last 

 label I happened to write before these lines were originally penned ; tlicy represent the size 

 and shape that I find most convenient fur general purposes; wliile tlie " legend " iUnstrates 

 everv one of the twelve items above specified. 



23.00 ■ 5:J.OO •■: 17.60. — Eyes ypllowisli-gray ; bill lioni-bhie, 

 darker at tip; cere wax-yellow; tarsi <lull yc^llowish ; claws 

 bluisb-black. Stom.ach cniitalTicd pdvlinns nf a rabl'it. ; also, a. 

 lare;e tapeworm. 



Directions for Measurement inay be inserted here, as this matter pertains rightfully to 

 the recording of specimens. The following instructions itpply not only to length and extent, 

 but to the principal otlier dhneiisi<ius, wliich may be takeu at any time. For large birds, a 

 t;ipe-line showing niches and fourths will do; for smaller ones, a foot-ride graduated for inches 

 and eighths, or better, decimals to liundredths, must be used ; and fni- all nice measurements 

 the dividers are indispensable. " Length : ^^ Distance between the tip of the bill and end of 

 the longest tail-feather. Lay the bird on its back on the ruler (ai a table; take hold of the bill 

 with one hand and of both h\gs with the other ; luill with reasonabli" force to get the curve all 

 out of the neck ; hold the bird thus with the tip of the bill flush with one end of the ruler, and 

 see wliere the end of the tail points. Put tlie taiie-line in place of the ruler, in the same way, 

 for larger birds. " Erteiit : " Distance^ between the tips of the outspread wings. They must 

 hefiiUi/ outstretched, with the liird on its back, crosswise on the ruler, its bill pointing to yonr 

 breast. Take hold of right and left metacariius with the thumb and forefingtT of your left and 

 right hand respectively, stretch with reasonable force, getting one wing-tij) fltish with one end 

 of the ruler, and see how nuich the other wing-tip reaches. With largo birds pull away as 

 hard as yon please, and use the table, floor, or side of the room ; mark the points and t\\i]'ly 

 tape-line. " Lcm/th of wing:" Distmice from the carpal angle formed at the bend of the 

 wing to the end of the longest primary. Get it with compasses for small birds. In birds with 

 a convex wing, do not lay the tape-line over the curve, Imt under the wing in a straight line. 

 This measurement is the one called, for short, " the wing." " Length of tail : '' Distance 



