20 HALF AN HOUR WITH PREPARATIONS. 



In fact, it is surprising what few things yon actually 

 reqnire for the pnrposes we are describing, and how 

 readily they may be obtained almost wherever you 

 are going. Of course, there are one or two necessaries 

 which are really such, and which we should advise 

 you to take with you. Among these is a microscope. 

 It need not be an expensive one, and, as we will 

 suppose you to be a young beginner, with the usual 

 characteristic of such, you may also be presumed to 

 possess more expensive wishes than means, and 

 therefore are forced to put up with an instrument 

 of an inexpensive kind. But, if you intend to know 

 anything of zoology, and especially of the habits, 

 structures, &c., of the lower forms of animal life, a 

 microscope you must have. You can just as well 

 expect to be an astronomer without having a tele- 

 scope, as to be a naturalist without a microscope. So 

 far, therefore, please regard this useful instrument 

 as an absolute necessity. We said that an expensive 

 one was not required for sea-side recreations, and 

 this is so, because as a rule you will only use 

 low magnifying powers. In the evenings, and more 

 especially on wet days, you will thank us for recom- 

 mending you to take such a pleasant and profitable 

 method of wiling away the time usefully. 



Surely, your experience of sea-side visits must 

 have included days when the sFy was dark and 

 lowering, and the rain came in fitful showers against 

 the window panes. You remember getting up many 

 times an hour, and craning your neck to detect signs 



