62 THE CAMEL 



interest in animals, and possessing an average amount 

 of the power of observation, is bound to learn to a 

 certain extent, while, if you are at all careful in your 

 observations, and use a little intelligence, you do not 

 require to be a zoologist (in the strict sense of the 

 term) to become acquainted with the temperament and 

 characteristics peculiar to the different kinds. I regret 

 extremely that I am no zoologist, and I deplore my 

 want of technical knowledge, which has been a great 

 drawback to me in writing this work. But though I 

 cannot in any way say that I have been a student of 

 natural history, I certainly can affirm that I have 

 always taken the very greatest interest in animals of 

 every kind. And it has invariably afforded me not 

 only much amusement and pleasure, and a deep and 

 intense satisfaction, but, above all, information and 

 instruction in watching closely their little ways and 

 manners, so that the time thus spent has in no way 

 been thrown away. 



One does not need to be a Darwin or a Quatrefages 

 I say this in all meekness to see a distinct and 

 decided connection between the lower animals and 

 ourselves, and, for the matter of that, with the vege- 

 table kingdom, though the links which bind them 

 are in many instances extremely subtle or vaguely 

 shadow} 7 ; while on the other hand, again, so close is 

 the connection that it might almost be said to amount 

 to relationship. Of course, it is to Darwin and such 

 able men, who have devoted their lives to science by 

 whose genius and patient research and investigation 

 certain facts have been established beyond doubt, and 

 certain theories, amounting almost to fact, have been so 



