44 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
"When examining birds’ nests and eggs, do not handle them. 
It does no good, and may cansc the bird to desert the nest. After 
the young birds have left the nest you can, without any hann, seem o 
it for your cabinet. * * * The variety of eggs which a single 
species lays is in many cases very great, and the number of species 
which lay similar eggs is also great, so there is no certain way of 
determining eggs except by observation of the buds. Toui love 
for the birds, your feeling of horror at their useless destruction 
and your desire for their protection and increase ought to make 
you slow to interfere with their nests and eggs. Eggs and nesls 
should never be appropriated except for the purpose of completing 
great collections, which can be studied by thousands of people. 
Such institutions as the American Museum of Natural History 
in New York City, the National Museum in Washington, the 
Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and the New Jersey 
State Museum should, of course, be supplied with full sets of 
eggs,' with their nests. 
‘‘The educational value of such collections overbalances the 
injury done. But the usefulness of private collections is not 
great enough to justify the injury to the birds.” 
The New Jersey State Museum has now a large collection of 
the birds, eggs and nests found in the State, and is adding to 
the collection every year. It is quite complete at this time, and 
will prove interesting to anyone wishing to study birds, their 
nests, eggs and habits. The collection is in the new Museum hall, 
third story of the State House, at Trenton, and is open from 
8 a. m. to 4 p. m. on weekdays, except Saturdays, when it is closed 
at 12 m. 
A visit to the Museum will well pay anyone interested in 
natural history. 
The Commissioners hope to make this department one of the 
most interesting in the State. They ask the assistance of all 
persons interested in it. 
