476 SOME ACCOUNT OF A VISIT TO KNOWSLEY. 



species only, and consequently a fundamental faculty. Because one may have 

 seen a Wolf and a Cat, animals which do not live habitually in a state of union, 

 to be always together, we are not obliged, as it seems to me, therefore to conclude 

 that such is the ordinary state of those animals. It is not surprising that, living 

 isolated, two animals of the same species become attached so far as to remain to- 

 gether, but in order to make the observation conclusive, it would be necessary 

 that the Wolf and Wild Cat had lived in a state of union, though surrounded by 

 several animals of the same species. 



SOME ACCOUNT OF A VISIT TO KNOWSLEY, THE SEAT OF 

 THE EARL OF DERBY. 



By A MfiMBEB OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION". 



As there was no meeting of the Natural History Section on Thursday, at the 

 late meeting of the British Association, I determined, with many others, to avail 

 myself of the Earl of Derby's liberality to the Members of the Association, by 

 visiting his collections. This we were enabled to do by obtaining a ticket of 

 admission from the Chairman or one of the Committee of the Natural History 

 Section. A party consisting of several eminent naturalists — in fact the majority 

 of the Members of the Committee of the Section, the names of whom, I per- 

 ceive, are given in the last number of The Naturalist,— ($• 424)— started in the 

 morning, at 1 o'clock ; but the weather was exceedingly wet, and prevented the 

 attendance of many more. The mode of conveyance was by the rail-way, which 

 passes within three miles of Knowsley, I was not fortunate enough to be one cf 

 their number, for the hours of starting are punctually observed by the trains on 

 the rail-way, and though I was but a few minutes too late, the party were un- 

 doubtedly nearly at their journey's end when I arrived at the station. As the rain 

 descended very fast, I hardly regretted my absence from them. However, at 

 noon it cleared up, and I again repaired to the rail-way station, and started for 

 Knowsley. 



On alighting I found I had several companions on the road making for the same 

 destination. Without the formalities of introductions we were all soon known to 

 each other, and I found in my fellow-travellers some of the ardent and devoted 

 naturalists whose names had long been familiar to my ears and eyes, but with whom 

 for the first time I had the pleasure of conversing. This alone is a strong recom- 

 mendation of the British Association, that it brings into close contact men of kindred 

 minds, and offers to the student of science the example of eminent men, and his 

 intercourse with them a strong inducement to follow the course he has begun. 



