2S THE BAY STATE OOLOGIST. 



Instructions for Collecting and Preserving Birds and Eggs. 



BY PROF. J. A. SINGLEY, GIDDINGS, TEXAS. 



(continued from page 27.) 



Each of the three eggs should be marked No. 10. By this method, the first num- 

 ber always representing the number of the set, the second , the number of the 

 species and the third the number of eggs in the set, mistakes are almost impossi- 

 ble. If he saw the bird he should write "seen" after the last item. If the bird was 

 caught or shot, he can mention it instead of "seen." The last two items explain 

 themselves, and all these items except the first, must enter into the data of the set. 

 It is not necessary to give materials of nest, except in the case of rare species. I 

 follow the above method of authenticating, to save time; but. the collector who 

 has plenty of that commodity to spare, can of course write out full particulars of 

 each set in the field. Never trust to memory in these matters, have it in black 

 and white. 



The collector, having returned home and being ready to prepare his eggs, lei 

 him take them out of his box where he has placed them well wrapped in cotton, 

 as taken, and unwrapping them, place each set by itself on the "dryer" described 

 elsewhere (he will now begin to appreciate that useful article.) now getting his 

 tools, not forgetting a glass of water to use in rinsing the eggs, he is ready to go 

 to work. 



The points of the drills, as bought, are always dull, and it is recommended to 

 *tart the hole in the egg with a pin or needle. These useful articles are small, 

 likely to get lost while working with, and make one more article to look after. 

 You can dispense with them by carefully filing the point of your drill to a needle- 

 like point. Select the least showy part of the egg, and holding it (the egg) in 

 your left hand (the right it you are left-handed) put the point of the drill against 

 this "least showy part,'' and twirl it (the drill) between the thumb and forefinger. 

 Don't bear on the drill, as if you were drilling in iron, if you do you'll have a hole 

 clear through both sides of the egg, something you don't want. The hole, bein.n 

 drilled until the largest circumference of the burr passes inside of the egg, don't 

 t r y to pull it out, as a broken egg will be the result if you do. There is an inter- 

 nal pellicle lining the egg: if this is not cut out where the hole is drilled, it will 

 interfere with blowing the egg. By bringing the burr of the drill up against this 



