148 CASES FOR THE COLLECTION. CHAP. vm. 



collection of insects; although there were several 

 specimens contained in the former collection, that he 

 could never again meet with. 



Edward had now been observing and collect- 

 ing for about eight years. His accumulations of 

 natural objects had therefore become considerable. 

 By the year 1845, he had preserved nearly 2000 

 specimens of living creatures found in the neighbour- 

 hood of Banff. About half the number consisted of 

 quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, fishes, Crustacea, starfish, 

 zoophytes, corals, sponges, and other objects. He 

 had also collected an immense number of plants. 

 Some of the specimens were in bottles, but the greater 

 number were in cases with glass fronts. He could 

 not afford to have the cases made by a joiner ; so he 

 made the whole of them himself, with the aid of his 

 shoemaker's knife, a saw, and a hammer. 



In order to make the smaller cases, he bought 

 boxes from the merchants ; and in breaking them up, 

 he usually got as many nails as would serve to nail 

 the new cases together. To make the larger cases, he 

 bought wood from the carpenters. He papered the 

 insides, painted the outsides, and glazed the whole of 

 the cases himself. The thirty cases containing his 

 shells were partitioned off, each species having a 

 compartment for itself. This was a difficult piece of 

 work, but he got through it successfully. There were 

 about 300 cases in all. 



His house was now filled with stuffed birds, quad- 



