292 EDWARD'S INFORMANTS. CHAP. xiv. 



him to feed and clothe his children. Under such 

 circumstances a man cannot buy books. Sometimes 

 his children fared very badly, especially when he was 

 laid up by illness. At such times they had almost 

 to starve. 



How was it then that, under these difficult circum- 

 stances, and amidst his almost constant poverty, 

 Edward was enabled to carry on the study of science 

 without the aid of books ? He did so by the help of 

 correspondents at a distance. When he collected a 

 batch of objects, he sent them off by post to Natural- 

 ists in different parts of the country, for the purpose of 

 obtaining from them the proper names. They referred 

 to their scientific works, and furnished hir^ with the 

 necessary information. 



Edward sent his specimens of Crustacea to Mr. 

 Spence Bate, of Plymouth, Devonshire ; his fishes to 

 Mr. Couch, of Polperro, Cornwall ; and many other 

 objects to correspondents in* Norwich, York, New- 

 castle, Birmingham, and London. The Kev. George 

 Gordon, of the manse of Birnie, Elginshire, was one 

 of his first correspondents respecting the Crustacea. 

 Mr. Spence Bate was then engaged (in conjunction 

 with Professor Westwood) in writing the History of 

 the British Sessile-eyed Crustacea. Mr. Gordon first 

 forwarded to him some of Edward's specimens, and 

 Edward afterwards corresponded directly with Mr. 

 Bate. Thus he obtained his scientific knowledge, 

 not from the books in his own neighbourhood, but 



