1 68 NOTEBOOKS AND COLLECTIONS 



remarked, is, in the first place, one who loves 

 Nature, and observes. He may also be a 

 collector, but lie is so only in the second 

 place. His first aim is to understand the 

 life histories of the plants and animals, with 

 which a beneficent Creator has surrounded 

 him. To this end he observes and notes 

 the details of their structure, their instincts, 

 and their relations to each other. He is 

 slow to take life, because his object is more 

 likely to be attained by observation of the 

 living plant or animal, than by examination 

 of its dried remains. Thus, observation 

 supported by the use of the notebook is 

 the first means to be employed for learning 

 the secrets of Nature. 



Next comes collecting. Observation has 

 to be accompanied by the study of speci- 

 mens, and it is not only desirable but 

 essential that the student should form a 

 collection for private examination. In 

 making this collection he must spare life 

 as far as possible, retaining no more speci- 

 mens than he absolutely needs for study. 

 Whole rows of a single species, unless 

 gathered by a specialist for the comparison 



