The Scottish Naturalist. 337 



the authors not appending their Names to their pro- 

 ductions. 



(2.) That a larger number are the work of mere literary or 

 scientific Hacks, who do not observe for themselves, 

 and are careless in narrative, — their object being at- 

 tractive, remunerative, " popular " writing, not accuracy 

 of statement or information. 



(3.) That, as regards records of common virtues or qualities, 

 — such as Fidelity, Courage, Natural Affection, and so 

 forth — it will not repay the student to ascertain whether 

 the narratives are true or the reverse ; inasmuch as per- 

 fectly authentic, recorded instances of such mental or 

 moral qualities are superabundant, and their trustworthi- 

 ness may be verified at any time, in any place, and by 

 any person. Such qualities, in other words, are indubi- 

 table and undisputed. 



(4.) But all records of incidents bearing on the possession of 

 the Higher mental faculties — such for instance as the 

 Religious Feeling or the Moral Sense, or the various 

 qualities that form their essence, basis, or constituents — 

 are well worthy of the student's attention ; and it may 

 repay his time and trouble to institute inquiry as to the 

 authorship of the narratives and truth of the Facts. 



(5.) As a rule, all Anonymous works or contributions should 

 be considered worthless, as bases for scientific gener- 

 alisation, so long as they remain Anonymous. In the 

 absence of any proper guarantee of the accuracy of the 

 statements they contain, it is safe to regard such state- 

 ments — of apparent Facts — as at least " Not Proven." 



The late Dr. Pouchet of Rouen, in the preface to his well- 

 known work on the "Universe" (3d English edition, of 1876,) 

 remarks : "If a work is not worthy of having the Author's 

 Name, it is not fit to see the light . . . When an author 

 consents to publish, it is because he believes his work to be 

 useful, and therefore he ought not to be afraid of placing his 



Name upon it." 



( To be continued. ) 



Note on the Woodcock.— A Woodcock's {Scolopax nisticold) nest was 

 found here in a plantation this spring by the keeper. The young were 

 safely hatched. A considerable number of Woodcocks visited this district 

 last autumn, after having apparently almost deserted it ; formerly they were 

 very common. — W. D. Robinson Douglas, B.A., F.L.S., Orchardton, 

 Castle-Douglas. August, 187b. 



