766 9/6, or whatever your system is. Your temporary 

 field number is of no further use, as far as this set goes, 

 and should not appear, only as a reference guide on 

 the completed data. They are for one season's use 

 only, beginning with your No. 1 again the next year. 



Many who read this have no doubt spoiled their 

 chances for good sets of woodpeckers and others from 

 holes in trees. by breaking in on an incomplete number, 

 and it was through disrespect to the intellect of the 

 "screech owl" that I found out that the following 

 little piece of woodcraft could be worked successfully. 

 Not only on the "screechers," but the "sapsuckers" 

 and some of the woodpeckers. Now, I always carry 

 a carpenter's key-hole saw, with some of the tip broken 

 off. I have it set somewhat coarse and a trine sharper 

 than a "safety razor." I mutilate the "door-way" 

 by taking out a circular piece, sawed on a bevel, and if 

 the number of eggs is not satisfactory, put it back in 

 place, with some small brads, gumming up the saw 

 cut with bark. 



If some bark can be removed in a large piece, which 

 is often the case, make your cut where the replaced 

 bark will cover it and tack it in place with brads also. 



SOME GOOD IDEAS. 



What I desired to put particularly to the younger 

 collectors was an earnest plea for them to conduct 

 their exchanges and correspondence on a more busi- 

 ness-like basis. Do you not care for the good esteem 

 of your correspondents? and do you not value a good 

 reputation? Then it is up to you to pick some of the 

 twigs for your nest through these mediums. Pos- 

 sibly you think that the difference is of no considera- 

 tion; that the chances are you will never see any of 

 "these boys," and there is your first mistake. 



A ten or twenty years' correspondence but strength- 

 ens your desire to see these fellows and make their 

 personal acquaintance, while the effect may be far- 

 reaching. 



If you agree with me on these points, let us consider 

 a few "ways and means," leading to your ultimate 

 gain. In sending out your exchange lists, state pre- 

 cisely which sets are of your own personal work and 

 which ones you are offering, which came to you other- 

 wise; or, better still, give your friends to understand 

 in general that your exchange material is personally 

 collected unless otherwise noted. 



If it was necessary to make large holes in the prep- 

 aration of your specimens, do not fail to mention it 

 when such sets are offered. 



Simply crunch every set, of not too high a valuation, 

 if it contains specimens imperfect in preparation. 

 Help us all to suppress the circulation of these un- 

 satisfactory sets, which cause so much ill-feeling and 

 disrupt friendships. 



I wish a general understanding could be had to do 

 away with the use of the A. O. U. numbers in corres- 



Eondence. Yes! I know it is the standing custom, 

 ut how many of us have the table memorized? Bear 

 in mind, that not only do you have to hunt out the 

 numbers in the first place, but we also have to pufin 



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