1107 
Dr. TICEHURST’S APPEAL. 
Our members may be interested to learn that Dr. Ticehurst has just written 
to me wth reference to his appeal for spirit specimens of chicks of Indian or 
other birds which recently appeared in the Journal. He informs me that he 
has now examined the chicks of about 70 species of Indian birds and that this 
material, although of course insufficient for any definite results of A-alue, has 
sho\ra that the enquiry, if continued, is likely to be most interesting and to throw 
a good deal of light on classification problems. It appears however that very 
few members have responded to the appeal, the majority of the specimens 
being due to the efforts of two members only. I think possibly many people 
are deterred from helping from the idea that it is a matter for the expert alone, 
and also by the somewhat formidable thought of “spirit specimens’’. May 
I disabuse them of these ideas. 
Anyone can help with even a very slight knowledge of Indian birds. Every 
observer or sportsman automatically comes across a nest or two during the year, 
or meets with the downy chick of some game bird. At present almost every species 
is still a desideratum, so there need be no fear that any chick found is too com- 
mon to be wanted. So if only our members would make up their minds to save a 
specimen of any young chick they come across, it would help on the survey 
immensely and immediately. The only thing required is that the chick must 
be named, though some sfight latitude can be allowed in this respect. At 
the present state of the enquiry a Bee-eater chick for instance Avould be of 
A-alue even if the sender could not accurately determine the actual species. 
There is no need to be frightened of the idea of a “sjfirit specimen”; all that is 
requhed is to drop the chick into a small bottle of any common spirit, AvhateA er 
is hand}^ : jjersonaOy I find spirits of wine the best but others may har-e 
something else more handy. If more than one chick is obtained, to prevent 
subsequent confusion, a little card can be tied to one leg : on the card the name 
of the bird should be VTitten in pencil ; ink of course would wash out. 
If any member like to send his sjAecimens to me I can forward them to Dr 
Ticehurst in England. For posting, simply wraii each chick in a small bit Oj. 
cloth after it has soaked for about a week in the spirit, and damp the cloth 
with spirit. Then pack in the ordinary way in a tin or wooden box. If several 
specimens are obtained it is often easier to send them along in the original 
spirit bottle, though wrapped separately in cloth to avoid jolting ; all the spirit,' 
except as much as the cloth absorbs, can be poured out before packing : this 
saves postage and avoids leakage. 
May I remind our Oological members that the chick exhibits down before 
hatching, that is to say a hard set egg, Avhich cannot be saved for the egg collec - 
tion, will be of value to Dr. Ticehurst. Simply make a hole in the shell to admit 
spirit and add the egg to the spirit bottle. The most convenient way of labelhng, 
if several eggs are likely to be confused, is to wrap a piece of cloth round the 
egg inserting in it a slip with the name pencilled on it. 
To end up : — The eggs of most Indian birds are well known by now, but the 
chicks of nearly all are unknown. On the present state of our knowledge more 
is to be learnt from one chick than a dozen clutches of eggs. 
HUGH WHISTLER, F.Z.S., 
Dhakmsala, Punjab, 
24</t June 1922. 
Indian Police. 
