FORESTS AND THEIR USES. 17 



time passes too rapidly away, but that weariness 

 comes less speedily ; and the subsequent reflections 

 will, in a measure, repeat the enjoyment when the 

 stroll cannot be repeated. One person will go 

 through a wood who has a great love for birds ; he 

 will watch all their movements, study their notes, 

 observe their habits, and return home on every occa- 

 sion with some new experience, some pleasant re- 

 miniscence of his stroll. Another has a fancy for 

 collecting galls, and rearing the insects they contain, 

 for studying their economy, and seeking to unveil the 

 mystery which enshrouds these curious productions. 

 Yet another, deeming, perhaps, that a collection of 

 moths or beetles would afford more instruction than 

 a collection of postage-stamps, has this object in view 

 during a woodland ramble. In each case there is 

 some definite object for which the walk is projected, 

 there is some purpose for which the powers of obser- 

 vation must be cultivated, and the result will be that 

 additional knowledge will be gained, consequently 

 additional material stored up for subsequent re- 

 flection. 



In the following pages a brief outline, which some 

 will think far too meagre, is given of the various 

 objects, or classes of objects, which are to be en- 

 countered in woodlands. All that such a work can 

 hope to accomplish is to arouse a desire to cultivate 

 a better acquaintance with the objects to which a 

 passing allusion is made. The moral of such a 

 volume can only be, "Select your hobby and pur- 

 sue it !" 



