Proceedings. tel 
fall over a precipitous rock, and, falling on his gun, smashed it 
to pieces ; this, although unfortunate, may have saved his life. 
This fall incapacitated him for a few weeks, and compelled him 
to sell a considerable portion of his newly formed collection. 
His old and esteemed friend, the Rev. J. Smith, at this time 
came forward with some good advice, telling Edward to note 
down facts which came under his observation, in order that they 
might be published, and so might benefit others, at the same 
time giving him some works on Natural History. The good 
advice of his friend was after a time carried out, and he sent his 
observations to the ‘Banffshire Journal.’ Edward, being an 
uneducated man, no doubt felt backward at writing articles 
to the scientific journals, as his friend advised him; but after 
a time he consented to his observations being sent to ‘ The 
Zoologist,’ on their first.being looked over and corrected by his 
friend. 
Edward, at the instigation of his friend the Rev. W. Boyd, 
afterwards published ‘‘ The Birds of Strathbeg.”” This was pub- 
lished in the ‘ Naturalist,’ and was one of the first papers to 
which Edward attached his name. 
In 1855 Edward had again to sell his collection of birds, being 
again pressed for money to meet the growing demands made 
upon him by his family; but three years afterwards we again 
hear of his having accumulated another fine collection. 
He was now forty-four years of age, but, instead of being in 
the prime of his life, these nocturnal habits, and serious falls 
which at times he had sustained, were telling their tale on his 
system, and his health at last gave way, and he had an attack of 
rheumatic fever, which caused him to take to his bed for many 
weeks. The doctor had to be called in, and he censured him, 
and impressed upon him the fact that if he did not give up those 
night excursions he would not hold himself responsible for the 
result. Doctors, like lawyers, come expensive, and again Edward 
had to sell forty cases of birds and plants to cover the expenses 
of his illness. 
This illness made him more careful respecting his health, and 
he now gave his attention to the Natural History of the sea- 
shore. It was in this branch of science that he gathered his 
most distinguished laurels. Edward was severely handicapped 
at first, for he had no boat and no dredges; but he found means 
of making traps, which he sunk along the coast, and which he 
periodically visited ; he also found that the large fish were the 
best of fishers, and, by obtaining the stomachs of the cod and 
other large fish, he was able to procure the rarest of the testaceans 
and crustaceans. His daughters assisted him in this work by 
daily visiting the neighbouring fishing village, and twice a week 
they went to Macduff; one daughter was sent to Gardenstown, 
