4 TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



camera and dry plate are of great value, but commend me to the 

 pencil and sketch-book that " sticketh closer than a brother," 

 and that never fail you on account of weather, weight, or acci- 

 dents. Therefore I say, sketch ; sketch poorly if you cannot 

 sketch well, but above all, sketch. 



The moment you make up your mind to go on a collecting 

 trip, even if be only into the next county, read everything you 

 can get hold of which will tell you aught about the natural his- 

 tory of the country you are to visit. Ask what has been written, 

 search library catalogues for titles of books, then get all you 

 can, and read all you get. Only the churl will refuse to lend 

 you a book you cannot afford to buy. Read all about the phys- 

 ical geography, geology, climate, inhabitants, fauna and flora, 

 for all these will have a direct bearing on your work. If you 

 are going to unexplored territory, about which nothing has been 

 written, then " read up " on the adjacent countries, for even that 

 will be very useful information. 



GUIDES AND COMPANIONS. No matter where you go, you will 

 be obliged to have one or more companions, who know the coun- 

 try, to act as guides and general assistants. It may be that you 

 can find a single person combining the necessary qualities of a 

 guide and .interpreter with those of a boatman, a teamster, or 

 porter. The expense of such assistants must be counted upon 

 from the very first. It may be stated as a general rule that in 

 the tropics the services of natives can be had cheaply,- while 

 those of Europeans are generally dear in comparison with what 

 they do. 



CLOTHING AND FOOD. These subjects I propose to leave entire- 

 ly alone. They make excellent " padding " for a work of this kind 

 when there is a lack of really useful information with which to 

 fill up ; but every man feeds and clothes himself according to 

 the dictates of his temperament, his purse, or his own sweet 

 will. Whether his way is the best or the worst, he will still 

 have food and clothes more or less suitable to his needs, and 

 time spent in advising him what to wear and to eat is time 

 wasted. These questions are generally controlled by the local- 

 ity and circumstances. 



PRESERVATION OF HEALTH. There are certain hygienic princi- 

 ples which apply all the world over, and since their observance 



