ITS IMPORTANCE TO TRAVELLERS. 149 



(91.) Natural history, indeed, now forms such an 

 important feature in the best voyages and travels, 

 that the subject is usually assigned to a professed 

 naturalist, and is either made a separate division of 

 the volume, or is published as a distinct work. By 

 such arrangements, science gains the full advantage 

 of the discoveries made, for they are generally given 

 to the world by those most competent to the task. But 

 this, so far from lessening the necessity of natural his- 

 tory forming one of the accomplishments of the tra- 

 veller, rather increases that necessity. The science, 

 as before observed, can only be prosecuted with full 

 advantage by two classes of students ; pursuing, 

 indeed, the same end, but attaining it by different 

 means. The practical naturalist studies in the 

 fields ; he collects specimens, he observes instincts, 

 and he records facts. His scientific brother com- 

 pares these acquisitions with those already existing ; 

 he studies organisation, and he consults books. 

 Both these modes of investigating nature are essen- 

 tial to the true knowledge of her works ; but they 

 can seldom be prosecuted by the same individual. 

 In this, as in almost every branch of science or of 

 art, the advantage of the division of labour is 

 manifest. To the traveller, therefore, belongs the 

 first set of these duties. If he has no intention of 

 publishing, himself, a detailed and digested account 

 of his discoverfes, but is desirous that others more 

 experienced should do so, he has yet to understand 

 the practical part of his subject. The art of pre- 

 serving specimens, and some little knowledge of the 

 science, must be first acquired, before he can judge 

 what species to reject and what to preserve. The 

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