THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 9 



each other's faces, was Bewick's " British Birds." The 

 dear old volume, " sair worn," is now a cherished heir- 

 loom. 



The Naturalist's home was visited by many of our 

 great men. His brother the Laird also opened his 

 door at all times to the stranger; and thus began 

 friendships which were lifelong with many of the lights 

 of the scientific world. It must have been a great 

 pleasure to some of those men to hide, as it were, from 

 the busy world for a short time in that sweet, wild, 

 ocean-girdled bit of land. There they could prosecute 

 the study of Nature without the distracting cares which 

 surround less isolated homes. It must also have 

 surprised them to find an intellect like his " buried " 

 in the earth. Often he was asked why he chose to 

 live there. He might have earned fame and wealth 

 elsewhere, for he was a skilful physician, as well as a 

 Naturalist second to few ; but fame and wealth were 

 not the objects of his ambition. Far dearer to him the 

 facilities which Shetland offered for the contemplation 

 of Nature and her many marvels. In the home of his 

 choice, which was also the home of his birth, he could 

 exercise a freedom of action such as he could enjoy 

 nowhere else in Britain. He could wrap himself in 

 his black Spanish cloak, or any sort of dress he pleased, 

 and not be called odd. He could shut himself up, 

 and refuse to be disturbed, without offending some 

 powerful neighbour or patron. He could ride his pony 

 everywhere, carry his researches where he pleased 

 without meeting a warning to trespassers stuck up 



