CHAP. ix. COLLECTION TAKEN TO ABERDEEN. 155 



six eggs, one of which the weasel had rolled out. 

 Perhaps the best case was the one containing a 

 Pheasant, with six young birds, all beautifully 

 stuffed. For this Edward was offered three guineas 

 before he left Banff. 



At length all was ready, and Edward, with a light 

 heart, left Banff for Aberdeen. The collection was 

 taken in six carriers' carts, the largest that could be 

 found. Edward could not take it by railway, for 

 there were no railways then in Banff. The whole 

 family accompanied the collection. It consisted of 

 Edward, his wife, and five children. They set out 

 early in the morning of Friday, the 31st of July 1846, 

 a memorable day in Edward's history. The six 

 cartloads arrived safe at Aberdeen on the evening 

 of the following day. 



Edward had previously taken the shop No. 132, 

 Union Street, for the purposes of his exhibition. This 

 street is the finest in Aberdeen perhaps the finest in 

 Scotland. It is wide and broad, and about a mile 

 long. The houses are of hewn granite ; some of 

 them of massive and noble architecture. Union Street 

 is the representative street of the Grey City. 



Handbills were issued, and advertisements pub- 

 lished in the local journals, announcing the opening 

 of the exhibition. In the handbill it was stated that 

 "the objects comprising this collection have been 

 collected in the counties of Banff and Aberdeen, and 

 preserved by a single individual, and that individual 



