END OF THE LECTURING TOUR. 229 



On Monday, March 3rd, North Easton was visited 

 again, and the second part of the Ant lecture delivered. 

 Next day came the same lecture at Andover, and two 

 days later, " The Horse and his Owner " was given at 

 Southborough. Andover was visited again on the 

 10th, when " Whales " formed the subject of discourse ; 

 and "The Sea Serpent," as already stated, was de- 

 livered in the Chickering Hall at Boston on the 13th. 

 This brought the tour to an end, as far as lecturing was 

 concerned. 



My father did not leave America, however, until 

 nearly a month later, being busily engaged upon articles 

 for several of the magazines, which he wished to com- 

 plete before setting out for England. He was, moreover, 

 holding almost daily consultations with one of the 

 leading publishers of Boston, with regard to the pub- 

 lication of an International Natural History upon a 

 very large scale. All the arrangements for this were 

 completed before the month was out, but the scheme 

 subsequently fell through, owing to the failure of nego- 

 tiations with the English publishers. 



Several interesting passages occur in the "log" 

 about this time. Here is one on " wooden houses " : 



On getting fairly out of Boston, we find ourselves among 

 wooden houses. Even the mansions of wealthy men are by prefer- 

 ence built of wood. They look exactly as if they had come out of a 

 toy shop and been magnified. The usual colour is white, with 

 bright green blinds (outside) and red roofs. Now and then an 

 aesthetic owner paints his house all yellow, like a sunflower. They 

 look as if they would blaze up like shavings if a match were dropped 

 within ten yards of them. 



