-we made no notes, and missed the nexus, and are ignorant W2) 
210 BENONI: NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
show it. He has pointed out to the chemist where his work has 
begin and what the problem is he must settle. Had as m 
been known as might be discovered with a little trouble on 
very question of geological distribution, thousands of acres we 
not have been sown down to permanent pasture with expen 
seeds, which the land could not support till the passage of | 
had accumulated its fertility. When a young lady drew a 
picture of the heath-covered wolds of Lincolnshire the other 
a magazine article she had just missed the nexus, which was a 
important to the truth, if not the loveliness of her description. 
wolds are chalk, but our English heaths cannot stand a particle 
lime in their love for silica. Our wind-blown sandhills and comp 
are clothed with their fair pink bells, and so to a perf i 
inaccurate mind the chalk hills must be, but nature having i 
otherwise it is not so. The point to catch and note for ever 
nexus or connecting link between the thing observed or the . 
seen and its environment. Nothing is there by accident, nothing 
done in nature without a motive, an all-sufficient reason. ‘Whea 
we observed all the birds flying in one direction on Salis ury Plait 
as if a bush fire were behind them, we did not doubt there’ 
a very good reason, and found it later in the * dew-pond’ at the 
time of day, nor the different species of bird 
this moment. The water was full of newts and lower life me re 
if we remember accurately a solitary species of Potamogetom, 
frequented 
was not surprising, as these ponds are sometimes 
wild fowl. “- 
But the point to notice is that what we did not find * 
missed for good, first, because we did not picture before oUF 
the connecting link and work till it was discovered ; and, s¢ The 
we did not make any accurate notes at the time for future ree 
droppings of birds were on the low firm ral - ae 
horses and cattle from the water, while the sheep could ee 
into the water ° 
evening drink or bath, regardless of the un i 
contained. We never made a note of what was growing" 
pond to see if it differed from the surrounding here 
noted how frequently the birds left droppings after be 
stupidity of these lost opportunities, how mad it makes © 
