158 VISITORS OF THE COLLECTION. CHAP. ix. 



its interest, and the rush might still come. But he 

 waited in vain. The rush never came. 



The principal people who called upon him during 

 the first ten days were stuffed-bird sellers, and per- 

 sons who pestered him to buy nearly everything of a 

 bestial kind, alive or dead. Some of the articles 

 offered were monstrosities or delusions, such as double 

 chickens, double mice, a kitten with a rat's head, a 

 double-headed dog, a rat with two tails, both curled up 

 like a pig's, and such like objects. These people 

 were all bowed to the door. 



Several ladies called upon Edward to consult him 

 about their favourite pets. One had a lapdog that 

 was sick ; another a bird that was lame ; others had 

 crippled or diseased cats. He was asked to come 

 and see a pig that had broken one of its legs. A 

 gentleman called upon him one day about an old 

 and favourite rabbit whose front teeth had grown so 

 forward that it could not eat, " Would he come and 

 cut them off?" "No! he had not time. He must 

 attend to his exhibition." 



Very few people came. Those who did come, 

 knew very little about natural history. Their 

 ignorance of the works of nature seemed to Edward 

 surprising. Only a few knew anything, excepting 

 about the commoner sorts of animals. As to the 

 number, and nature, and habits of living creatures, 

 they appeared to know next to nothing. The trans- 

 formation of insects was a mystery to them. They 



