12 
The JVaturalists’ Companion, 
The Oological Collecftor. 
BY G. H. SELOVER, LAKE CITY, MINN. 
There is considerable differance in 
the use of this term and the more com¬ 
mon one, “egg collector.” As defined 
in the last issue of this magazine, the 
“egg collector” is one who strives to 
allay the stings of conscience by taking 
only one or perhaps two eggs instead 
of the whole set, and argues that the bird 
“can’t count” and don’t know the dif¬ 
ference. 
It is evident that this kind ol collector 
generally cares nothing for the eggs he 
takes, except as mere curiosities to be 
shown to Iriends, and to be kept and 
continually added too, for fear that the 
boy on the other side of the street will 
“beat” him and “show off” the larger 
assortment of eggs. As a rule, this class 
of collectors know very little about the 
owners of their eggs, and is only inter¬ 
ested in “getting all he can and keeping 
all he can get.” 
How different from those who make 
the birds their study and the observation 
of their habits the occupation of their 
leisure hours? llrese i.)ersons desire to 
learn all they can about the feathered 
tribe, and, as the most convenient and 
very best way of doing so, they collect 
the eggs and nests of the various birds; 
and not to “show off” as you would 
fine animals or curiosities, but to study. 
In faet, the collections of the most stu¬ 
dious, and of those who derive the most 
benefit from that study, although some¬ 
times it may be very large and rare, are 
seldom seen or heard from. They do 
not spend their time on eggs and birds 
lor show, but for silent study and for 
the lienefit it will give them. 
It is olten stated that it makes no dif¬ 
ference to a bird if you take an egg or 
two from the nest; but this is disproved 
by fadls and by ordinary ol.seivation, 
for there aie very few birds which will 
not give vent to cries of distress on re¬ 
turning to a nest from which one or 
two eggs have been taken. Let the 
upholders of that doctrine take the' 
trouble to watch a.few birds and I am 
convinced that they will find themselves 
in the wi’ong. 
Then, again, a colledfion of single 
eggs has no scientific value. I'o be sure, 
they represent the faCt that such and 
such eggs were laid by such and such 
birds; and only this one fact is attached 
to them. But, on the other hand, as a 
full data should be kept with all sets, 
you have the scientific name of the spe¬ 
cies, the time of breeding of the species 
in a given locality or latitude; some idea 
as to its geographical distribution, the 
state of incubation of the eggs as well as 
their number, the position, and the ma¬ 
terial of which the nest is composed—a 
whole history and description of the 
breeding habits of the species. With 
this system an oologist can set down 
and in a few minutes learn these faffs 
concerning birds which do not breed 
within a thousand mdes of his home. 
Some contend that this way of col- 
ledfing is “so cruel,” and yet they say 
“the bird cannot count,” and if so per¬ 
haps the bird would not notice the 
difference whether a half or the whole 
of the set was taken. And as they ad¬ 
vise the collecting of single eggs, or 
eggs in pairs—and only for show—why 
cannot sets be colleffed, considering 
the good that arises from it ? And as 
they say that the bird replaces those 
which are taken by the ‘‘eggcollector,” 
why can’t she forget tliem all and de¬ 
posit another full complement? 
