Preface. 9 



spoke, " I have not had my dinner. Can't the 

 sunset wait?" 



One of the few facts about which there can 

 be no disputing is, that Nature will not wait 

 for us : to secure her favor we must do the 

 waiting. I was not surprised, however, at the 

 remark made by the hungry savant, for there 

 never was so enthusiastic a nature-lover yet that 

 at times his stomach did not rule his head and 

 heart ; but enthusiasm should be pitched to 

 such a key that we, at least, prefer suffering 

 under clear skies rather than cloudy. Without 

 a willingness to suffer in some slight degree, 

 the rambler makes little progress in instructive 

 observation. The best of what is out of doors 

 is not always at arm's length. Healthy enthu- 

 siasm is a rational phase of the spirit of adven- 

 ture, but adventure does not necessarily mean 

 distance, be it understood. The dimly out- 

 lined forest that you people with many novel- 

 ties too often proves a tamer wood-lot than your 

 own back yard. 



It has been suggested that " the loathsome 

 and the dangerous in nature" should be slurred 

 over on account of the readers' prejudices, 



