HUNTERIAN ORATION. 173 



weather was frosty, were occasionally taken into a 

 warm room to see what effect heat would exert upon 

 their appetites and activities. The bottom of an arti- 

 ficial pond was dredged in winter to ascertain what 

 the eels and turtles were about. 



During the earlier years of Hunter's career as a 

 naturalist, there was no system in his collections nor 

 in his observations. He would pick up any thing 

 that could be found, purchased, or levied upon, if it 

 promised to be serviceable in making a comparison. 

 Every junk-shop was visited for bones, teeth, horns, 

 hoofs, and claws. Every butcher in London was ac- 

 quainted with Hunter, and many a fisherman on the 

 coast was watching for an opportunity to secure a rare 

 contribution for the " knowledgeable man," especially 

 as Hunter understood the seductive influence of a 

 generous fee. One day a boy, who had heard of 

 Hunter's inclination to purchase specimens in natural 

 history, carried a land-turtle five or six miles in order 

 that he might obtain the reward. Hunter had plenty 

 of such creatures on his estate at Earl's Court, which 

 he would be glad to sell at six-pence apiece, but he 

 gave the lad two shillings for his prize, saying, " Now 

 bring me a live otter and I will give you a guinea for 

 it," w T ell knowing that he should not see the boy again 

 very soon. 



A museum such as Hunter established and left 

 for the benefit of future generations, can not be erected 

 in a clay nor a year. One specimen after another is 

 gathered in, and when several of the same family or 

 species have been collected, the work of classification 

 can commence ; and when many classes get a repre- 

 sentation, the successful first steps have been taken. 

 No one knew the difficulties and extensive labors of 



