382 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



preparations of delicate sea-animals made in the 

 laboratories upstairs. Only those conversant with 

 such matters can fully realise the extent and value of 

 Dorn's labours in the cause of Oceanic Zoology, suffice 

 it to say that they are acknowledged all the world 

 over. Laymen, like myself, can, however, wonder at 

 the marvellous delicacy and beauty of those dead sea 

 shapes made permanent as in life by Dorn's skilful 

 hands and scientific methods. The last time I was in 

 Naples, Dorn reminded me of a story I had told him 

 on a former visit, which he said he had many times 

 retailed with success. I was on Vesuvius, and there 

 met a Yankee who, as they sometimes do, was boast- 

 ing about his great country. "Well," I remarked, " when 

 all is said and done, you have nothing like this in 

 America." " No," he replied, "but we have a river that 

 would put the whole darned thing out in five minutes." 

 In travelling, especially abroad, " somebody's lug- 

 gage " often contains strange matters, alive and dead, 

 carried about by eccentric tourists both by sea and 

 land. The most singular case of the kind I ever 

 met with was that of a foreign gentleman resident in 

 Manchester who travelled abroad every autumn always 

 in the company of a lightning conductor. On arriving 

 at his quarters for the night, he peered round to see 

 whether the building was protected, and if not, he 

 had his portable conductor erected. In another box 

 he carried a long rope ladder with which he hoped 

 to escape in case of fire ! 



"It's a far cry to Loch Awe," but Glasgow is only 

 six hours from London, so that the word " travel " can 

 scarcely now be applied to that trip. Still, I must 

 make bold here to include certain interesting visits 

 which I paid to Glasgow, where I was present at the 

 celebration of the jubilee of Lord Kelvin in March, 



