"266 MEMOIRS OF 



and it is very probable that both errors liave 

 arisen from some confusion between the father, 

 the uncle, and the son. 



There is yet another erroneous report, which 

 I am desirous of correcting ; and that is, the 

 late developement of M. Cuvier's talents for 

 natural history. So far is the fact contrary to 

 this, that, even while at the preparatory school 

 of Montb^liard, his greatest happiness was to 

 read Buflbn, to copy the plates, and to colour 

 them according to their descriptions. When 

 arrived at Stuttgardt, his studies took a higher 

 flight ; and he chose that faculty w hich allowed 

 him to pursue his favourite occupation. As age 

 increased, his boyish pleasure became, as it were, 

 a passion, and he incessantly pored over all the 

 books he could find on this subject. He dis- 

 sected the only things within his reach, such as 

 insects and plants ; he made an excellent collec- 

 tion of the latter, and discovered several species, 

 in the neighbourhood of Stuttgardt, which were 

 not previously known to exist there. He kept a 

 number of living insects in his room, constantly 

 feeding them, and watching their habits. It was 

 there that he made many of the drawings spoken 

 of in Part IL, and which form several thick 

 volumes. I have two of these, which show that 



