THOMAS EDWARD. 81 



It was scarcely possible that so many nights spent 

 out of doors in all kinds of weather should not 

 have some serious effect on his health, and this now 

 gave way. A severe attack of rheumatic fever seized 

 him, and for four weeks, and for the greater part of this 

 time he was wandering about his insects and birds. 

 The doctor told him that if he wished to have his life 

 preserved, he would have to cease entirely from his 

 nightly excursions. His earnings had been so small 

 that he had been able to save only very little ; but, as on 

 previous occasions, his chief savings bank — the collection 

 of natural history — was the means by which he was 

 once again cleared from debt, and was scattered among 

 purchasers. 



He had been obliged to take very seriously to heart 

 what the doctor had said, and although he was. for- 

 bidden to go out and spend nights in the open air, he 

 was determined not to give up his studies immediately 

 his strength returned, and he was able to follow his 

 daily employment. In his spare time, which he always 

 made for nature, he began to devote himself to the 

 natural history of the sea-shore, and in this department 

 of study he was very successful in discovering a number 

 of new specimens not previously known. 



Several of his daughters were exceedingly useful to 

 him in this work, for they woidd go among the fisher- 

 men as they brought their night's catch to market, 

 and obtain the rubbish out of their nets, for which they 

 did not care. This so-called rubbish he obtained some 

 very valuable specimens of Crustacea. Both he and his 

 family soon became well known to the fishermen, and 



