190 THE STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. [/in. 



prosperity. So strongly do I feel on this matter, that 

 I should like to see some knowledge at least of 

 Dr. Oliver's excellent little "First Book of Indian 

 Botany" required of all officers going to our Indian 

 Empire : but as that will not be, at least for many 

 a year to come, I recommend any gentlemen going 

 to India to get that book, and while away the hours 

 of the outward voyage by acquiring knowledge which 

 will be a continual source of interest, and it may 

 be now and then of profit, to them during their stay 

 abroad. 



And for geology, again. As I do not expect you all, 

 or perhaps any of you, to become such botanists as 

 General Monro, whose recent "Monograph of the 

 Bamboos" is an honour to British botanists, and a 

 proof of the scientific power which is to be found here 

 and there among British officers : so I do not expect 

 you to become such geologists as Sir Roderick 

 Murchison, or even to add such a grand chapter to the 

 history of extinct animals as Major Cautley did by his 

 discoveries in the Sewalik Hills. Nevertheless, you can 

 learn and I should earnestly advise you to learn 

 geology and mineralogy enough to be of great use to 

 you in your profession, and of use, too, should you 

 relinquish your profession hereafter. It must be 

 profitable for any man, and specially for you, to know 

 how and where to find good limestone, building stone, 

 road metal ; it must be good to be able to distinguish 

 ores and mineral products ; it must be good to know 

 as a geologist will usually know, even in a country 

 which he sees for the first time where water is likely 

 to be found, and at what probable depth ; it must be good 

 to know whether the water is fit for drinking or not, 



