REARING AND COLLECTING ANIMALS 479 



make a loose oval ball of size and general shape of bird's body 

 and put into body-cavity with anterior end under the posterior 

 end of neck-roll; pull two edges of abdominal incision to- 

 gether over the cotton, fasten, if necessary, with a single 

 stitch of thread, smooth feathers, fold wings in natural 

 position, wrap skin, not tightly, in thin sheet of cotton (op- 

 portunity for delicate handling here) and put away in a drawer 

 or box to dry. Before putting away tie label to leg, giving 

 date and locality of capture, sex and measurements of bird, 

 and name of collector. Before bird is put into permanent 

 collection it should be labelled with its common and scientific 

 name. 



The mounting of birds in lifelike shape and attitude is hard 

 to do successfully; and a collection of mounted birds demands 

 much more room and more expensive cabinets than one of 

 skins. For instructions for the mounting of birds see Davie's 

 "Methods in the Art of Taxidermy," pp. 39-57; or Horna- 

 day's "Taxidermy and Zoological Collecting." For a more 

 detailed accoimt of making bird-skins, see also these books, 

 or Ridgway's "Directions for Collecting Birds." 



In collecting birds' nests cut off the branch or branches 

 on which the nest is placed a few inches above and below 

 the nest, leaving it in its natural position. Ground-nests 

 should have the section of the sod on which they are placed 

 taken up and preserved with them. If the inner lining of 

 the nest consists of feathers or fur put in a "moth-ball" 

 (naphthaline) . 



To preserve birds' eggs they should be emptied through 

 a single small hole on one side by blowing. Prick a 

 hole with a needle and enlarge with an egg-drill 

 (obtain of dealers in naturalists' supplies, see p. 464) . Blow 

 with a simple bent blowpipe with point smaller than the 

 hole. After removing contents clean by blowing in a little 

 water, and blowing it out again. After cleaning, place the 

 egg, hole downward, on a layer of corn-meal to dry. Label 

 each egg by writing on it near the hole a number. Use a 

 soft pencil for writing. This number should refer to a 

 record (book) under similar number, or to an "egg-blank," 



