125 
Animal Diseases 
If there is an epidemic among any wild species, or an animal appears 
to be diseased from unknown causes, it is well to make a “blood slide.” 
Put a drop of fresh blood on a clean glass microscope slide, smooth and 
spread out the drop of blood with the edge of another clean slide. “Fix” 
it with a drop of pure grain alcohol, and, holding the slide by the edges, 
dry it by waving in the air. Then wrap the slide in a sheet of clean paper, 
and submit it to some veterinarian or bacteriologist for examination. The 
veterinary departments of our colleges or the Health of Animals Branch, 
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, will usually be glad to 
get data that will help them in studying animal diseases. {See also Shil- 
linger and Kush, 1937.) 
Through the courtesy of the Veterinary Director General, Health of 
Animals Branch, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, the following addi- 
tional directions were prepared by Dr. E. A. Watson, formerly Chief 
Pathologist, Animal Diseases Research Institute, Hull, Quebec (August 18, 
1932) : 
“As regards the collection and preservation of specimens for pathological pur- 
poses the following methods of procedure are usually employed: 
For gross specimens: immersion in 10 per cent_ formalin [1 part commercial 
formalin to 9 parts water], the volume of fluid being several times that of the 
specimen. [If possible, some of this solution should be injected into the specimen 
itself.] 
For microscopical examination: small pieces of tissue $ to 1 inch in length and 
thickness, in several volumes of 10 per cent formalin. 
For bacteriological examination: specimen material immersed in 20 per cent 
glycerine (in sterilized or boiled water) or packed in gauze impregnated in dry boracic 
acid. Bacteriological specimens should be packed in ice and sawdust and sent in to 
the laboratory as quickly as possible.” 
COLLECTING BIRDS- NESTS AND EGGS 
The collecting of birds’ nests and eggs is a time-honoured schoolboy 
pastime that has largely fallen into disrepute. Though collections of 
eggs are not in themselves considered of great value to science, and indis- 
criminate collecting is generally frowned upon, nests and eggs are essential 
to museum habitat groups, and are of some interest to the general public. 
Although a large proportion of the older ornithologists started their careers 
by birds'-nesting, the study of nesting habits has never received the credit 
it deserves in bringing to light the various manifestations of life histories, 
or habits, which reach their culmination in the breeding season. Although 
many oologists are not very “scientific,” particularly in regard to fine 
points of identification, and others do not put their valuable observations 
on record, they have learned that it is necessary to watch and study the 
habits of birds in life before the nests may be found and frequently know 
much more about the real life history of the bird than the skin collector 
who shoots his specimen at sight. The study of the nest of the bird is 
also of interest, as the nest shows much more about the intelligence of the 
bird than the mere egg-shell, a simple physiological product of nature. 
Much more remains to be done in studying periods of incubation, study of 
embryo chicks, feeding and growth of young birds, and photographing 
nesting sites and the parent birds near the nests. 
When eggs are collected, full sets or clutches (the full number of 
eggs laid by the birds) are desirable, and if possible the eggs should be 
