168 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



two previously given having been strictly limited to an 

 hour apiece. Thence he went to Peterborough, to find, 

 on arrival, that the hall-keeper, unauthorised, had let 

 the hall for the purpose of an examination, and that it 

 would not be free until the time came to open the doors 

 for the admission of the public ; in other words, that 

 the drawing-screen could not be put up. Consequence, 

 a storm of indignation on my father's part, a threat 

 there and then to leave the town without delivering his 

 lecture at all, and the final submission of the keeper, 

 who contrived to clear the hall by half -past six. Next 

 day came "Unappreciated Insects" at Nottingham, in 

 the Mechanics' Institute, and on the day after he was 

 at Stamford, with the same subject. Thence he went 

 to Driffield to deliver the same lecture again ; and so 

 closed the first part of the season. 



He was soon at work again, however, for December 

 30th saw him at Falmouth, for the first and only time. 

 Then came a short recess, until Bowdon was visited on 

 January 9th ; this for an " experimental " lecture, which 

 was very well attended. The month was not a busy 

 one, however, only six more lectures being given, 

 namely, at Holloway, Salisbury, Slough, Eedditch, and 

 Hull (2). 



February was better filled, with no less than six- 

 teen lectures, including two at Clifton upon the same 

 day (one at the College and the other at the Vic- 

 toria Eooms), one at Cardiff, one at Weymouth, and 

 three at Eugby. At Cardiff another feminine hall- 

 keeper was met with, and was described in terms 



