34 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
Specialization, however, is as cardinal a factor in natural 
history as it is in Nature, and in these days of rapid progress 
the professed scientific investigator is forced to confine the 
best of his attention within comparatively narrow limits. 
Thus, as the growth of knowledge accelerates, the specialists 
are driven into ever-narrowing fields of research. The result 
of this minute investigation is a most voluminous and highly 
technical literature, which functions as a barrier between what 
have been called ‘‘ The man of science’ and “‘ The man in the 
street.” 
As a matter of fact, “‘ men of science”’ taken as a whole do 
not constitute a special breed of humanity intended for the 
guidance of the rest, and at least as many good potential 
naturalists (not to speak of private investigators) are to be 
found outside the professional ranks as active scientists within 
them. Commonly enough the amateur has better right to 
the title of ‘‘ naturalist’ than the professional man. 
Specialization tends to put the universe out of focus for the 
conscientious specialist, for he is generally so absorbed in his 
investigations that he has no time to thoughtfully consider 
in what relation his work stands to the work of all other 
naturalists. Indeed, that is a special line of investigation 
itself. As one’s judgment of the whole is warped in proportion 
as one’s knowledge of the whole is disproportionate, specialists 
view the facts of the world by the light of their special know- 
ledge, and not their special knowledge by the light of the facts 
of the world. We all do this, of course, but, inasmuch as 
human life and intellect is limited, it must follow that the more 
special your knowledge, the greater its disproportion, and 
that, other things equal, one’s right to the title of naturalist 
diminishes in proportion as one’s knowledge of some branch 
of natural science increases. Specialization is an admirable 
thing, but its dangers should be recognized, and here it may 
be remarked that the vast accumulation of facts which has 
resulted from the patient labours of those engaged in special 
research opens a great field for general investigation, for 
philosophy, in fact, not for vaguely speculative and groundless 
guesses, which have so often masqueraded as the essence of 
wisdom, but for a philosophy based on a solid foundation of 
