Editing Oology (section)

==Collecting==

===Methods===
When collecting eggs, normally the whole clutch of eggs is taken. Because eggs will rot if the contents are left inside, they must be "blown" to remove the contents. Although collectors will take eggs at all stages of incubation, freshly laid eggs are much easier to blow, usually through a small, inconspicuous hole drilled with a specialized drill through the side of the eggshell. Egg blowing is also done with domestic bird's eggs for the hobby of [[egg decorating]].

===Major research collections===
*[[Natural History Museum, London|Natural History Museum]] (610,000 eggs), UK
*[[Delaware Museum of Natural History]] (520,000 eggs), US
*[[H. L. White Collection]], Melbourne, Australia
*[[National Museum of Natural History]] (190,000 eggs), Washington DC, US
*[[Muséum de Toulouse]] (150,000 eggs), Toulouse France
*[[San Bernardino County Museum]] (41,000 clutches with 135,000 eggs)<ref name=Henderson /><ref>{{cite web|title=The Hatching of Oology at the County Museum|url=http://www.sbcounty.gov/museum/media/2005/06-04-05a.htm|publisher=San Bernardino County Museum}}</ref>
*[[Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology]] (190,000 clutches with >800,000 eggs), California, US
*[[Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History]] (formerly the Museum of Comparative Oology) (11,000 egg sets from 1,300 species), Santa Barbara, California, US