282 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING BIRDS’ EGGS. 
operation several times, and after a few days the contents will be- 
come sufficiently decomposed to take away. 
h. After removing the contents of any egg cleanse the shell 
thoroughly. Fill it with clean water and shake vigorously, blow 
out the contents and repeat the operation until the specimen is 
perfectly clean. This is particularly desirable in white eggs, as 
black spots will show through the shell after a time if the least 
particle of the egg or blood stains remains inside. 
6th. Save all your eggs in sets—that is, keep alt the eggs each 
bird lays by themselves. This is the only way to form a correct 
knowledge of the eggs of any species, as a single egg, particularly 
of the blotched ones, frequently gives a very erroneous idea of the 
general markings—a very unsatisfactory representative of a set. 
For instance, in my collection are four eggs of the Buteo noob 
found in the same nest, two of which are pure white and two — 
blotched. It is not very uncommon to find great variations in 
markings in the same species and in the same nest. 
7th. Keep a memorandum of the place and date of collecting 
each set of eggs. 
8th. Use some kind of a blowpipe in preparing your eggs for te : 
cabinet. The common blowpipe, with the addition of a fine “3 ; 
tip, will answer; yet it is a severe tax on the lungs and brain 2 
you have many eggs to blow. F have many a time been yeni : 
almost blind from overtaxing my lungs in this operation. Wi 
a few years Mr. E. W. Ellsworth, of East Windsor Hill, Com 
has invented a blowpipe which is operated by the thu 
finger, which works very perfectly and expeditiously. 1 would d 
be without it on any account. After using it for a time, 
letting it remain unused until the leather packing — 
instrument does not work satisfactorily to those unaccust 
it. The remedy is simple. Take off the blowpipe and w 
instrument submerged in a bowl of warm soap suds, "i 
leather packing becomes pliable and works as well as mer yell 
as well 
used the same instrument six years, and it works to-day tl á 
when new by following the above directions. The prn 
cient guide in case repairs are needed, and the 
referred to for any further information required. 
