1864.] REMINISCENCES OF AMHERST COLLEGE. 351 



is regarded by many as not comporting with the dignity of a pro- 

 fessor. I have not however, in general, paid much attention to 

 such a feeling, except to be pained by seeing it increase, because 

 its prevalence would change the character of the College, by driv- 

 ing away those who are obliged to do their own work. 



" During these twenty-six years' experience in gathering these 

 footmarks, I have met some very unique examples of human 

 nature. While some of my countrymen in the lower classes of 

 society have shown a shrewdness and generosity and made me feel 

 proud of New England, others have exhibited a selfishness and 

 meanness that made me exclaim, Farvum j^cirva decent ! For 

 instance, suppose on your arrival at a locality of footmarks, one 

 had preceded you with whom you were on friendly terms, but who 

 was so anxious to prevent your obtaining any specimens, that he 

 had mutilated the good ones that were accessible, which he had 

 not time to remove ! Alas, if I had not known this vandalism 

 practiced several times by professedly respectable naturalists, I 

 should not mention it. 



"Some of my experiences have been quite amusing. Having 

 found some impressions which I called tracks {Hai'pagopus Hud- 

 sonius) in the sidewalks of Greenwich Street, in New York city, 

 I requested a moulder to take a plaster cast of them, which he 

 did. But on going to the spot again some hours later, I was told 

 that some one else had meantime taken casts of them ! althousfh 

 he could not have known that they were of any value ; but it shows 

 how prone men are to follow an example. A large crowd had 

 gathered when I took the first cast; and I was told afterwards that 

 all which saved me from being voted a fit subject for a lunatic 

 asylum, was the testimony of a young lady, in one of the adjoin- 

 ing houses, who had attended my lectures on geology at Amherst, 

 and who testified that I was no more deranged than such men 

 usually are." 



These are but specimens of the enthusiastic work of a lifetime, 

 which occupies in the narrative no small portion of the book. The 

 results are very marvellous, even when we take into account the 

 credit due to Profs. Adams and Sheppard, and others ; all of 

 which is acknowledged by Dr. Hitchcock. The museum, as it 

 now stands, is one of the finest in America, and, in some respects, 

 as in phonolites and meteorites, second to none in the world. It 

 is valued at more than $100,000, and has been collected at an 

 expense to the College almost nominal. 



