LABELLING. 47 
or other expedition (if any), during which the specimen was 
collected. 2. Name of the person in charge of the same (and 
it may be remarked, that the less he really cares about birds, 
and the less he actually interests himself to procure them, the 
more particular he will be about this). 38. Title of the insti- 
tution or association (if any) under the auspices or patronage 
of which the specimen was procured, or for which it is de- 
signed. 4. Name of collector; partly to give credit where it 
is due, but principally to fix responsibility, and authenticate 
the rest of the items. 5. Collector’s number, referring to his 
note-book, as just explained ; if the specimen afterwards forms 
part of a general collection it usually acquires another num- 
ber by new registry ; the collector’s then becoming the ‘ origi- 
nal,” as distinguished from the ‘‘ current,” number. 6. ZLocal- 
ity, perhaps the most important of all the items. A specimen 
of unknown or even uncertain origin is worthless or nearly so ; 
while lamentable confusion has only too often arisen in orni- 
thological writings from vague or erroneous indications of 
locality: I should say that a specimen “not authentic” in this 
particular had better have its supposed origin erased and be let 
alone. Nor will it do to say simply, for instance, ‘‘ North 
America” or even ‘‘United States.” Ornithologists generally 
know already the quarter of the globe from which a bird comes ; 
the locality should be fixed down to the very spot. If this be 
obscure add the name of the nearest place to be found on a 
fairly good map, giving distance and direction. 7. Date of 
collection — day of the month, and year. Among other reasons 
for this may be mentioned the fact that it is often important 
to know what season a particular plumage indicates. 8. Sea, 
and if possible also age, of the specimen} an item that be- 
speaks its own importance. Ornithologists of all countries are 
agreed upon certain signs to indicate sex. These are ¢ for 
male, 2 for female; the symbols respectively of Mars and 
Venus. Immaturity is often denoted by the sign ,; thus, ¢,, 
young male. Or, we may write @ ad., 9 yeg., for adult 
female, young female, respectively. It is preferable, however, 
to use the language of science, not our vernacular, and say ¢ 
