CHAPTER VII. 

 NIGHT WANDERERS. 



ALTHOUGH it is comparatively easy to observe the 

 habits of animals by day, it is much more difficult to 

 do so at night. Edward, as we have already said, was 

 compelled by circumstances to work at shoemaking 

 by day, and to work at Natural History by night. 



" It would have been much easier work for me," 

 said Edward, in answer to an inquiry made as to his 

 nocturnal observations, " had it been my good fortune 

 to possess but a single trustworthy book on the sub- 

 ject, or even a single friend who could have told me 

 anything about such matters. But I had neither book 

 nor friend. I was in a far worse predicament than 

 the young and intending communicants at the parish 

 church of Boyndie were, who, when asked a question by 

 the good and pious minister, and returning no answer, 

 were told that they were shockingly in the dark all 

 in the dark together. Now, they had a light beside 

 them, for they had their teacher in their midst. But 

 I had no light whatever, and no instructor. It was 

 doubly dark with me. It was decidedly the very 

 blackness of darkness in my case. The only spark or 



