COLLECTING AND PRESERVING EGGS. 
77 
building. Place straw, hay, cotton, hemp, or any of the 
materials that birds use in constructing their nests, in 
an exposed situation in a swamp or wood, then by watch- 
ing the birds when they come to take it, and following 
them, many nests will be found that would otherwise 
escape notice. 
To remove the contents of an egg, drill a small hole 
in one side with a drill made for this purpose (Plate I. 
Figs. 5, 6 ) ; two sizes of these drills will be required. Now, 
with the blow-pipe — of which two sizes are also needed, 
(Fig. 7) — applied to the lips, force a small stream of air 
into the hole; this will cause the contents, if fresh, to 
escape at the one hole. To prevent breakage while drill- 
ing the eggs of the Humming-Birds, or other small birds, it 
is well to cover the outer surface with thin paper, gummed 
securely on, and dried. 
To remove the contents of an egg that has the embryo 
partially developed, drill as before, only a larger hole is 
necessary; then with a small hook (Fig. 8) remove the 
embryo in small pieces ; after which introduce water with 
the blow-pipe to rinse the interior of the egg. If the con- 
tents are allowed to remain in a few days, it will facilitate 
their removal. If the egg is covered with paper, as in the 
case of the Humming-Birds, the edges of the hole will be 
less liable to be injured by the shell being broken while 
using the hook. 
Never make holes at the end of the egg, or on opposite 
sides , but if this old method is still preferred, they should 
both be made on one side^ with the larger one nearest the 
greater end. 
The best method that I know of for authenticating eggs 
is the following : After the egg is blown, place a number, 
written with ink, upon it, corresponding with one placed 
in the nest, then draw a line beneath it; under this line 
place the number of the egg in the nest : thus ^ would 
