Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/202

suggests setting the eggs, hole downward, upon a piece of blotting-paper or a soft cloth. The paper or cloth not only absorbs the moisture without sticking to the shell, but, being soft and yielding, the eggs may be rolled about with no fear of breaking, and they may be dried in this manner thoroughly, without rubbing off the color or destroying the "bloom" peculiar to nicely preserved specimens.

A cabinet of eggs is not only an interesting object, but if the owner has collected them himself, he must necessarily acquire an amount of scientific knowledge that will not only at once make him an authority upon ornithology, even among learned men, but at the same time put him ahead of all the boys in wood-craft.

Eggs may be kept in boxes filled with bran or cotton, or they may be gummed on cards and the name of the bird and date of the collection written underneath; but probably the best way is to keep them in a chest of shallow drawers made for the purpose.

As soon as an egg is collected, number it with a lead pencil, and under a duplicate figure in a note-book write the number of eggs that were in the nest, the date of the collection, name or supposed name of the bird, with any and all other remarks of interest.

A collection of nests makes an ornamental and interesting addition to a cabinet, and some very curious nests may be found. The two-story nest of the summer yellowbird is always an addition, especially if both compartments contain eggs.

The summer yellowbirds, though confiding little creatures, are not readily duped or imposed upon. Their instinct is sufficiently near reason for them to detect the difference between their own little fragile, prettily marked, greenish-colored eggs and the great dark-colored ones the vagabond cow blackbird has surreptitiously smuggled into the cosey nest. The domestic