BIRDS AT THEIR BEST 7 



together to other neighbouring groups, and to others 

 still further removed. The one advantage of such 

 a plan to the young student would be, that it would 

 help him to get rid of the false notion, which classi- 

 fication studied in books invariably produces, that 

 nature marshals her species in a line or row, or 

 her genera in a chain. But no such plan is ever 

 attempted, probably because it would only be for the 

 benefit of about one person in five hundred visitors, 

 and the expense would be too great. 



As things are, these collections help no one, and 

 their effect is confusing and in many ways injurious 

 to the mind, especially to the young. A multitude 

 of specimens are brought before the sight, each and 

 every one a falsification and degradation of nature, 

 and the impression left is of an assemblage, or mob, 

 of incongruous forms, and of a confusion of colours. 

 The one comfort is that nature, wiser than our 

 masters, sets herself against this rude system of over- 

 loading the brain. She is kind to her wild children 

 in their intemperance, and is able to relieve the 

 congested mind, too, from this burden. These 

 objects in a museum are not and cannot be viewed 

 emotionally, as we view living forms and all nature ; 

 hence they do not, and we being what we are, can- 

 not, register lasting impressions. 



