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Egg-collecting and Its Object — Part 2

Certain birds, such as the prairie horned lark, build several nests during the season, the first nest being constructed in a much more substantial manner than the second or third. This is probably owing to the change in the weather conditions. Early in the season the ground is damp from the frequent rains, while later on the ground becomes dryer and there is more protection from the weeds and grasses which surround the nest. Such observations as these soon lead one to realise that much more interesting information may be gathered by studying carefully, systematically, and intelligently the habits of the birds, together with the peculiarities of their nests and eggs, than by making collections of the eggs themselves.

In order to get a collection of eggs it is by no means always necessary to destroy the nest, or even to cause the birds to abandon it; that is, of course, unless you wish to have complete sets of eggs, and this may fairly be said seldom to be essential for the amateur or general student.

If you are fortunate enough to find a nest before the eggs are laid, watch for the first one. This should not be touched, but the second may be taken and sometimes a third and fourth; then leave the nest alone, and in most cases the bird will lay the complete complement.

Care should be taken not to disturb the nest or frighten the birds. In this way I have seen as many as six eggs taken from a single nest, and four more were afterwards laid and hatched.

Some birds are exceedingly shy and will desert their nests upon small provocation, especially if they are disturbed while building. Others, however, such as the golden-winged wood-pecker and crested flycatcher, are difficult to drive away.

When eggs vary in size, shape, or colour, as those of most of the sparrows, the bobolink, and many others, it is an advantage to procure a fairly large number or series of sets, showing as many of the differences as possible; this adds greatly to the interest of a collection, particularly when the difference correlates with locality and varied conditions. A well-arranged collection of bird's nests, even without the eggs, is both picturesque and valuable. They should as far as possible be left as the bird had placed them; if built in a bush or on a branch, enough of the support ought to remain with the nest to show by what method it was secured. With ground nests that are placed in tufts of grass, the tuft should be removed with the nest; in the case of woodcock, ruffed grouse, or any bird that forms its nest roughly of leaves, a wire hoop covered loosely with muslin or wire gauze will answer the purpose; this can be slipped under the nest so that it need not be disturbed.

When the eggs are laid in a hole in a tree it is not always feasible to cut down the tree or even the branch. Sometimes the branch can be cut just below the nest (taking care not to cut through the lower part of the nest itself), and then an opening can be made in order to show the eggs and whatever there may be in the way of a nest, leaving the original hole through which the bird had entered. If the nest is taken before the eggs are laid, or even when the bird has commenced sitting, during the early part of the season, not much harm is done, as the bird immediately begins building again. As the season advances it is better that the nest should be left until after the departure of the young, although then it is not in such good condition as before being used--particularly if it happens to be the nest of the cuckoo, which leaves its nest in a most filthy condition.

The egg-collector's outfit comprises a few drills of various sizes, a blow-pipe of either glass or metal (for home work those made of glass are preferable, as they are easily cleaned, but for the field metal is, of course, more serviceable), forceps of various sizes, scissors, and an embryo-hook.

When the eggs are fresh they are easily blown, and the hole should be very small; the blow-pipe may be used by holding it near the hole and forcing air into the egg, thus emptying it of the contents. By this method the hole need not be large if the egg is fresh; another way is to insert the end of the blow-pipe, when the contents may be quickly blown out.

The usual plan adopted by boys is to make two holes, one very small and the other varying in size according to the condition of the egg; this has the disadvantage of making two holes, and when the egg isn't quite fresh, it takes a boy's stomach to stand it.