174 THE naturalist's guide. 



multiplicity of objects which are constantly inviting 

 his earnest attention, that he will find but little time 

 to devote to mischief. Young and active brains loill 

 find occupation; the old hymn wisely says, 'Satan 

 finds some mischief still for idle hands to do/ Leav- 

 ing his Satanic Majesty out of the question, it is best, 

 as all will agree, to allow our children to occupy them- 

 selves, during leisure hours, in some amusing recrea- 

 tion. What can be better than the enjoyable and 

 health-giving exercise connected with the study of 

 Natural History ? " 



So much for moralizing; now for the subject. I 

 want to reiterate what I have said in the latter portion 

 of the third paragraph, page 4. No matter Tiow com- 

 mon a desirable species may be, when you meet with it 

 in a locality with which you are unacquainted, proceed 

 at once to collect all you want. I have known of many 

 instances where delay, in such cases, was dangerous, 

 the birds having disappeared in a single night. 



I have somewhere seen a remark made by a distin- 

 guished Naturalist to the effect, that any one could 

 collect birds after a short experience. This I deny, 

 and will further state, that not one person in fifty will 

 ever make a good collector, for the gathering together 

 of birds is a high art, In order to become an emi- 

 nently successful collector, many acquirements are 

 necessary. A quick eye, a good ear, perfect coolness, 

 accompanied with ready action in emergency, pa- 

 tience in an extreme degree, a tenacious memory, and 

 an utter disregard of sucli minor troubles as wet feet, 

 scratches from thorns, stings from insects, etc., are 

 among the requisites in the make-up of a first-class 

 collector. 



But the tyro must not become discouraged by read- 

 ing this array, for many of these attributes, if not all 



