NUNBURNHOLME 65 



modating, and never grumbled at waiting a few 

 minutes. This in a measure atoned for his tardiness 

 at the other end. 



The afternoons were for the most part devoted 

 to parochial visitations, together with a call at the 

 school, or a walk to see some neighbour ; although 

 it was impossible to say at what hour of the day he 

 might not have been seen writing in his study. In 

 the evening, indeed, even the drawing-room was 

 for him always converted into t a study ; that is 

 to say, he seldom ceased writing, except for short 

 intervals, all through the evening, even up to well- 

 nigh midnight ; and as he always wrote with great 

 rapidity, it can be imagined what a vast amount of 

 work he thus accomplished. It was more like a per- 

 petually running stream than anything else ; time, 

 place, or circumstance seemed to make but little dif- 

 ference to him. He was exceedingly fond of music, 

 and was never tired of listening to it. In the, even- 

 ing he generally requested that some member of his 

 family would play or sing, and he had the faculty of 

 attending to the music and writing at the same time. 



The summer of 1857 saw * ne completion of the 

 " History of British Birds," the latter parts of the work 

 having been hastened as much as possible in order 

 to make way for the production of other works 

 which his printer had in view. Needless to say, the 

 conclusion of the work cleared the ground for the 

 author for increased activities. Toward the close of 

 1859 material was prepared for publishing a col- 

 lection of " Anecdotes in Natural History," and in 



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