60 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



Time passed on pleasantly with him for a little time. 

 He improved his knowledge of reading by reading the 

 prints which were exhibited on the stalls which attended 

 the market, and spent his spare pennies in the purchas- 

 ing of the Penny Magazine and other periodicals. Trade 

 afterwards became very bad, and Aberdeen shared in 

 the universal depression which was then experienced. 

 Many people left England and Scotland and emigrated 

 to the United States, and Edward would have done 

 this if he could have raised money enough for the 

 purpose, and, failing this, he made a strong effort to 

 get out as a stowaway, but was discovered in his hiding- 

 place just as the vessel was about to sail, and so had to 

 give up the plan. 



In 1831 he enlisted in the Aberdeenshire Militia, at 

 which time he was eighteen. One day the regiment to 

 which he belonged was out for drill on the sea-shore. 

 The afternoon was bright and warm, and there came 

 flying in the neighbourhood of where the men were 

 standing a butterfly. Edward caught sight of this, 

 and no sooner did he do so that off he started to catch 

 it, and flew in and out of the small sand-hills, making 

 energetic clutches at it as he ran along. "What a chase 

 he had ! and what a chase the corporal of the company 

 had too, to catch Edward; but he presently did so, and 

 laid hold of him roughly by the neck. Back he was 

 marched, and the corporal had instructions to lodge him 

 in the guard-house for breaking away from the ranks 

 during drill, as butterfly-catching was scarcely con- 

 sidered a part of military training. Two militiamen 

 walked in front of him and two behind, and he was 



