1878.] Methods of Labeling in Oblogical Collections. 307 
the collector possessed one or more sets of the same kind, or 
large quantities of eggs of the same species, as in the case of 
water-birds. It is still worse, when each egg or set of eggs of the 
same kind was obtained on the same day under different circum- 
stances and in different localities. Here there should have been a 
separate label in each case; but what collector is there that has 
been able or disposed to furnish one, or if he has done so, who at 
his death will be able to decipher them? A cataloyue of contin- 
ued difficulties rises before the collector; labels pasted, or mark- 
ings written on the egg, deface portions of its natural colorings. 
Slender shells often crumble in the hand while attempting to 
inscribe a written narrative thereon. Eggs are exchanged, passed 
into a new collector's hand, who rubs away at the original mark- 
ing, and deprives it of its natural luster and finish to make way 
for a new and more extended announcement. Drawbacks of 
these descriptions are sufficient to place any science below par 
and cast suspicion on its accuracy. 
But at last an expedient has been determined upon which, if 
followed, seems to cover the entire ground and to keep each 
individual egg forever in a condition that will enable one to pre- 
serve an accurate record of it. 
Having occasion during the past year to make an arrangement 
of the collection of odlogy in a certain Academy of Sciences in 
the west, my attention was more than ever drawn to the absolute 
necessity of having a different system of labeling from the one 
I employed there, especially in so large an institution where 
duplicate eggs are stored away by the thousand with no distinc- 
tion whatever. Soon after obtaining additions to my own collec- 
tion of eggs, some of which required mending, I was attracted 
by the wonderful adhesive force of “coaguline’? in cementing 
shells together. Following out the line of-thought presented at 
the time, I was enabled to perfect a system of labeling which is 
essentially described here: 
Slips of paper are to be prepared in triangular form, or at least 
to have one portion tapering to a point as in Fig. 1. The slips 
690/ 
Fig. 1. 
*A preparation sold by druggists. 
d 
