LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 127 



colour. Such art in stuffing was never beheld before, and can only 

 be attained by laborious practice, and a thorough knowledge of the 

 anatomy and habits of the creature to be reproduced. This exqui- 

 site museum is now at Ushaw College, and is worth travelling the 

 length of England to see. 



On the top floor of the house, in the opposite direction to the 

 organ gallery, was the chapel, and a small room which was at once 

 Waterton's study, bird-stuffing workshop, and bed-room, if bed-room 

 it could be called when there was not any bed. The Wanderer 

 always slept on the boards, wrapped up in a blanket. His pillow 

 was a block of oak, which had been originally rough, and in course 

 of years had become almost polished by use. The entire room re- 

 vealed at a glance the simple tastes of its occupant. Some prints 

 and pictures, which in his eyes had a meaning superior to art, hung 

 on the walls, some shelves contained his favourite books, his jug and 

 basin stood on a chair, and he had a little round looking-glass and a 

 table. Over the mantel-piece was an old map of Guiana, a record to 

 him of living scenes and loving memories. For mere ornament's 

 sake, there was nothing. To the sleeping eye all rooms are equally 

 blank, and when Waterton was awake in his work-room he was 

 mostly intent upon inward thoughts or outward occupations. 



Waterton had a strong sympathy with the real observers of nature. 

 On the death of Arthur Strickland he wrote, Dec. 4, 1863, " Where 

 are we to look for another naturalist so true and so lucid in his de- 

 scription of our British Fauna ? Whip me, you dry and scientific 

 closet naturalists ! Arthur Strickland never wrote a line that did not 

 impart real instruction to the reader, and I used to say, that he had 

 more orthodox ornithology in his little finger, than most of our 

 mighty closet naturalists have in their entire carcases. So far as 

 correctness in the list of British birds is concerned, I consider his 

 collection without a rival. It is a splendid exhibition of his ardour, 

 his talents, and his indefatigable perseverance, and it shows him to 

 have been a consummate master in the nature and plumage of 

 British birds." During the tour through the United States, Water- 

 ton made the acquaintance of Mr George Ord, of Philadelphia, 

 another genuine field naturalist, as may be seen in his Life of Wilson, 

 and his paper on the Box Tortoise in the Linnaean Transactions. 



