HALF AN HOUR WITH PREPARATIONS. 19 



II. 



HALF AN HOUR WITH PREPARATIONS. 



THE ardent and youthful student of zoology, bent 

 on a week or two's recreation at the sea-side, will 

 hardly be content with " Half an hour !" Judging 

 from our own experience of days gone by, he ^ill be 

 " preparing " beforehand during a longer period than 

 he can perhaps afford to stay. And yet there is a 

 rich pleasure in the anticipations conjured up whilst 

 thus " preparing." As he gets his odds and ends 

 together, the holiday seeker is mean time imagining 

 the bright sunny days he is about to give himself 

 up to, anct already he seems to feel the sea-breeze 

 lifting his hair, and to hear the music of the waters 

 rippling in his ear. His nostrils are filled, in fancy, 

 with " the salt sea smell," and alas ! sometimes 

 this very anticipation exceeds reality. 



We have always found one rule a good one in 

 preparing for a few days' or weeks' zoologising by 

 the sea-shore to take as few things with us as 

 possible, and to let our outfit and preparations be 

 of the simplest and cheapest kind. It is foolish to 

 burden one's self with impedimenta which shall be 

 the means of infinite trouble in looking after whilst 

 journeying, and of objurgation to " Mary Ann," the 

 servant-of-all-work, when at our sea-side lodgings. 



