146 COLLECTION OF INSECTS. CHAP. vm. 



first searching it carefully, and then removing it 

 to some sheltered spot. He afterwards visited it 

 from time to time. Fish stomachs, and the refuse of 

 fishermen's lines, proved a rich mine for marine ob- 

 jects. By these means he obtained many things 

 which could not otherwise have been obtained ; and 

 he thus added many rare objects to his gradually 

 growing collection. 



He was, however, doomed to many disappoint- 

 ments. One of these may be mentioned. Among 

 his different collections was a large variety of insects. 

 He had these pinned down in boxes in the usual 

 manner. He numbered them separately. When he 

 had obtained the proper names of the insects, his 

 intention was to prepare a catalogue. He knew that 

 there were sheets of figures sold for that and similar 

 purposes, but he could not afford to buy them. He 

 accordingly got a lot of old almanacs and multiplica- 

 tion tables, and cut out the numbers. It was a long 

 and tedious process, but at length he completed it. 



When the insects were fixed and numbered, 

 Edward removed the cases into his garret prepara- 

 tory to glazing them. He piled them, one upon the 

 other, with their faces downwards, in order to keep 

 out the dust. There were twenty boxes, containing 

 in all 916 insects. After obtaining the necessary 

 glass, he went into the garret to fetch out the cases. 

 On lifting up the first case, he found that it had 

 been entirely stripped of its contents. He was per- 



