166 IN THE ACADIAN LAND. 



at all amid such enemies is a marvel in itself i 

 and if it were not that most of them do us 

 no harm and some of them help us, the end of 

 mankind could not be far away. This is at 

 first glance a long bit away from puff-balls, but 

 my text added " and that sort of thing." 



Here, then, is a brief essay on a subject de- 

 serving attention, and my only hope is that 

 some reader will be stimulated to study in this 

 promising and delightful field. Indeed, I may 

 say in this closing sentence of my little book, 

 that the object nearest my heart in writing it 

 has been to arouse in some small measure an 

 enthusiasm for out-of-door studies, that are so 

 full of health and happiness, with ever-widen- 

 ing visions of nature and life. 



