v! PREFACE. 



How he pursued his love of Nature, how he 

 satisfied his thirst for knowledge, in the midst of trials, 

 difficulties, and troubles, not the least of which was 

 that of domestic poverty, will be found related in 

 the following book. Indeed, .it may be said of him, 

 that he has endured as much hardship for the cause of 

 science, as soldiers do in a prolonged campaign. He 

 spent most of his nights out of doors, amidst damp, 

 and wet, and cold. Men thought him mad for en- 

 during such risks. He himself says, "I have been 

 a fool to Nature all my life." 



He always lamented his want of books. He had 

 to send his " findings " to other naturalists to be 

 named, and he often lost them. But books could 

 not be had without money ; and money was as 

 scarce with him as books. He was thus prevented 

 from taking rank among higher-class naturalists. 

 He could only work in detail ; he could not general- 

 ise. He had to be satisfied with the consolation that 

 Mr. J. Gwyn Jeffreys once,gave him. " Working natu- 

 ralists like yourself," said he, " do quite as much good 

 service in the cause of science as those who study 

 books." Edward, however, doubted this; for he 

 considered works on natural science to be a great 

 help to the working naturalist. They informed him 



