1 80 Journal of Travel and Natural History 



tribution and the laws affecting that distribution. A mono- 

 graph of the trees is also much required, and the fresh-water 

 and lacustrine fishes, as well as the marine, would yield ex- 

 cellent results. With birds, less remains to be done, as they 

 are, thanks to the labours of Mr Hepburn, Mr Lord, and 

 of the Pacific Railroad naturalists, tolerably well wrought up. 

 Our knowledge of the cetacea and seals of the North Paci- 

 fic is almost a blank. Though I can scarcely think that, with 

 the enormous expense of travelling through these countries, 

 and the difficulties of transportation, it would " pay" a naturalist 

 now-a-days to go on an errand to these countries, yet one resident 

 there, could at odd times, without interfering with his professional 

 occupations, do much towards elucidating some unsettled points 

 in their natural history ; and the hospitable generous character of 

 people, would at all times lead his neighbours to assist him. 



One word more and I have done. A naturalist should always 

 remember, that a country is not "worked out" because so and so 

 has been there. I have always found that a diligent naturalist 

 does better when he visits a country after another, because he has 

 then a sort of frame-work to weave his labours around — his 

 predecessor's labour acting as a sort of lamp to guide him through 

 the obscure paths wherein he is wandering. 



