in.] ORIGIN OF TASTE FOR SCIENCE. 169 



three years I spent every Sunday morning with 

 him. During this time he was constantly stimu- 

 lating me (a willing follower) to work in his 

 department of natural science, and at the same 

 time, e^er inculcating a spirit of scientific 

 scepticism." (d,f) 



(11) "To love of birds, their study, their 

 dissection. I remember trying to find out in the 

 structure of the oviduct the cause of colour and 

 markings in the different eggs. I discovered 

 hairs sticking in the cuckoo's stomach, arranged 

 in a spiral manner, before I knew that John 

 Hunter had described the same. Then I took to 

 drawing skulls and skeletons, and my fate was 

 sealed. That I inherited a strong love of nature 

 is certain, from my father, who was devoted to 

 horticulture and very fond of birds and of land- 

 scape scenery ; but I cannot trace any direct 

 tendencies or work on the part of any member of 

 my family, except my brother. I feel that I must 

 have had a taste for science, independently of 

 external circumstances. At the age of 17 or 18, 

 I had dissected every new kind of bird that I 



