AMONG THE BIRDS. 25 



for gratification in the cabinet of M. de Becreur, 

 who possessed one of the finest collections of Euro- 

 pean birds I have seen. I had hitherto known no 

 better method of preserving the skins of birds than 

 by flattening them in large books ; I now found 

 that by stuffing them I could make them retain 

 their natural forms. 



" During a stay of two years in Germany, and 

 seven in Lorraine and Alsace, 1 made prodigious 

 havoc among the birds. I was also willing to be 

 acquainted with their manners and the distinction 

 of their various species, and have often passed 

 whole weeks in watching to procure myself a pair. 

 From long living among them, in fields, woods, 

 and their most concealed retreats, I learned readily 

 to distinguish the species as well as the sexes, and 

 constantly gathered more and more information in 

 this part of natural history, which, however, was 

 far from contenting me. I longed to act on a more 

 extended field, and only waited till occasion should 

 serve." 



What plan of education the parents of Le Vail- 

 lant had adopted, or whether they designed him 

 for any profession, is not known. The only hint 

 preserved on this subject is an incidental observa- 

 tion in his Travels, that his father insisted upon his 

 acquiring a number of languages. Dutch he spoke 

 fluently probably learnt in childhood ; German 



