390 THE YEAR 1825. 



very gentle thaw removed all this, and the remainder 

 of our winter was mild and agreeable, introducing 

 what might be called an early spring, dry and pro- 

 pitious for every agricultural purpose. The trees 

 that refoliaged so vigorously in autumn seemed in 

 no way weakened by this unusual exertion, but pro- 

 duced their accustomed proportion of leaves, and 

 the sprays of every bush and tree, ripened and 

 matured by the last summer's sun, displayed a pro- 

 fusion, an accumulation of blossom, that gave the 

 fairest promise of abundance of fruit, and every 

 product of the earth, 



THAT the death of any creature should be required 

 by the naturalist, to perfect his examination, or 

 arrange it in his collection, (and without a collection 

 the investigation of any branch of natural history 

 can be but partially undertaken,) may be regretted ; 

 but still the epithet of "cruel employ 1 " must not be 

 attached to this pursuit. We do not destroy in 

 wantonness, or unnecessarily ; and that life, of 

 which it is expedient to deprive a creature, is taken 

 by the most speedy, and in the least painful manner 

 known. Some of our methods, if speedy, are at the 

 same time injurious,, such as hot water, the stifling 

 box, &c. ; and some, that are not painful, such as 

 stupefaction by spirits, ether, &c. , and suffocation 

 by carbonate of ammonia, are occasionally not 

 effectual, But there is one process, which I believe 



