HINTS TO ORNITHOLOGISTS. 287 



of the insect. To prevent this effectually, Mr. 

 Kyan's process must absolutely be adopted ; and it 

 must also be adopted to secure wood from what is 

 called dry rot, in places where a free circulation of 

 air cannot be introduced. I consider Mr. Kyan's 

 process perfectly unexceptionable. The long ar- 

 rows which the Indians use in Guiana are very 

 subject to be eaten by the worm. In 1812, I ap- 

 plied the solution of corrosive sublimate to a large 

 quantity of these arrows. At this hour they are 

 perfectly sound, and show no appearance that the 

 worm has ever tried to feed upon them. 



I have penned down these transient remarks by 

 way of preface to others, which I may possibly 

 write, at some future time, on decay in living 

 trees. 



HINTS TO ORNITHOLOGISTS. 



MOST men have some favourite pursuit some 

 well-trained hobby, which they have ridden from 

 the days of their youth. Mine is ornithology ; and 

 when the vexations of the world have broken in 

 upon me, I mount it, and go away for an hour or 

 two, amongst the birds of the valley ; and I seldom 

 fail to return with better feelings than when I first 

 set out. He who has made it his study to become 

 acquainted with the habits of the feathered tribes, 

 will be able to understand their various movements 

 almost as well as though they had actually related 

 their own adventures to him. 



