A rare bird egg display carried a warning with it when it went on show at the weekend.

Visitors, including children, were advised that is against the law to steal eggs from nests to build up a personal collection.

Curator John Campbell with a stuffed Guillemot

Not so, however, in the 19th century when the items featured in the "Eggstravaganza" exhibition at the county's Museums Store in Standlake were collected by the Rev Jourdain, of Appleton.

Then, it was a popular scientific pursuit.

The Jourdain collection is now one of the most important collections of birds eggs in western Europe and came into the care of the county's museums service last year.

It was given a rare public showing on Saturday and Sunday to celebrate Science, Engineering and Technology Week.