146 THE MOORS AND THE MOUNTAINS. 



myself when approaching my eightieth year. He received 

 me very kindly, introduced me to his sister, Mrs Gregory, 

 an old woman of the stocking-knitting kind, with a pair of 

 spectacles ; and a niece, whose name was Catherine. We 

 commenced our entomological studies instanter, the niece 

 handing out drawer after drawer from the side cabinets, 

 and placing them on the table in front. The collection is 

 very line, and consists of all the orders. My impression 

 was that he was rich chiefly in Lepidoptera ; but the 

 Coleoptera are also very numerous and valuable. The 

 specimens are almost all \ery perfect ; but they are, in a 

 good many instances, obscured by a whitish mould, from 

 not having been often enough aired. Mrs Gregory wanted 

 to wash them with soap and water ; but the old gentleman 

 would not ' hear of it.' We took from about half-past ten 

 till three merely in giving a cursory glance. There are, I 

 think, about one hundred and sixty drawers. They re- 

 quested me to stay dinner, which I did. By five I was on 

 my legs again, and off on foot to Brechin. At the inn I 

 had a tender parting with the fat landlady. During my 

 absence she had been reading, or trying to read, Keble's 



' Christian Year,' and had discovered M 's sweet lock 



of hair. I told her its history in such a way as to bring 

 tears to the good woman's eyes ; and, that she might con- 

 tinue speaking about the ' dailin' wee crater,' as she called 

 our lassie, she accompanied me through the village, and up 



